Freakier Friday is a sequel worth the 22-year delay. Everyone is back and the comedy of errors is as unpredictable as the original.
I planned this review with low expectations. I’ve always said sequels are generally not well-received (especially when they’re released decades after the original). No mass marketing campaign can atone for the desperation to catch lightning in a bottle.
I only saw the original Freaky Friday once when it was released in 2003. I knew if I wanted to give this a proper review, I should refresh my memory by watching it again.
To my surprise, I enjoyed it. This gave me hope because I watched it as an adult with critical thinking skills, not nostalgia goggles. I even read that Mary Rodgers, the author of the original 1972 novel, hailed it as the best adaptation because of its authenticity.
The storyline is not original, it’s a body-swap movie.
But this sequel turns it up a notch. Anna (Lindsay Lohan) prepares to marry Eric (Manny Jacinto), but her teenage daughter, Harper, and her soon-to-be worldly stepsister, Lily, struggle to accept each other. Not only has this tension caused Anna and Tess to experience a second body-swap, but it now includes Harper and Lily.
A double-body-swap with double the chaos. They’ll all find that just because it’s the second time around doesn’t mean it can be solved any easier.
It’s the 2003 movie on steroids.
Like any sequel (especially ones that are long delayed) there are Easter Eggs that not only pay tribute to the first movie but go beyond the original material. The wedding is scheduled for October 3rd (a nod to another Lohan movie, Mean Girls.)
And we can also appreciate all the generational jokes in between both movies.
Disney clearly meant business with Freakier Friday, bringing back most characters for the sequel. This includes those who seldom act nowadays, such as Ryan Malgarini (Anna’s little brother, Harry). There are Anna’s friends, Maddie and Peg from their band Pink Slip; and even Anna’s love interest, Jake (still rocking the same hair 20 years later).
My favorite reprisal was the spiteful Mr. Bates (played by legendary character actor Stephen Tobolowsky), still working since the school district’s retirement was sunk in crypto.
All the performances are superb. We loved Jamie Lee Curtis’ performance as a teenager back in 2003, but she takes it even further in her second round as a wannabe social media influencer.
I particularly loved Manny Jacinto’s performance as the thoughtful and well-spoken Eric, contrasting with his role as Jason, the idiotic Florida-Man on The Good Place.
But above all, I was happiest with Lindsay Lohan’s return as Anna. She stepped away from the spotlight for her well-being, and it appears to have worked. Watching this movie, you would think she never stopped acting. This was clearly made for her comeback. Disney knew that she still has a lot to offer. Why else would they go to great lengths to bring back almost every cast member of the original?
Maybe this is a new starting point for Lohan to get back to her craft without the scrutiny of the paparazzi? If the original Freaky Friday is a family classic, then Freakier Friday belongs there, too.
It continues the spirit of authenticity and lessons about family and love. With a theatrical-only release, it’s a perfect family outing that reminds us of one of the best ways to connect with youth is to share the stories that shaped us.
This warm, heartfelt, and funny sequel is worth checking out.
About the Author: Having lived in Old Lyme and Lyme since the age of three, Kevin Ganey has always had a passion for movies that is beyond simply watching, but understanding the craft of cinema and and experiencing films as if they were a musical album. Kevin also has his own website devoted to movie analysis, CityOfCinema.com, and also co-hosts a podcast, Moviehouse Mystics, with Koda Uhl (available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.)