Rating: 3/5
Synopsis:
It was only a matter of time before Disney made a sequel to their early 2000’s smash hit. Twenty-two years after the events of the original, Anna is navigating single parenthood. She then meets a man who is also a single parent. Soon after, the two are engaged to be married, hoping to unite their families and tackle life together. The main problem…the two daughters hate each other. As bickering ensues and tensions flare, the family is caught in another body swapping predicament. This time, there are four transitions! Anna, her mother, and the two girls must own their mistakes and open their hearts before they can be switched back for Anna’s wedding. Can they do it in time?
Positives:
I am a massive fan of the 2003 film. It’s a timeless classic oozing charm of its time period. It’s a good thing that the third act exists because “Freakier Friday” gets off to a rough start! In the latter half of the story, fans of the original will feel most at home. We start to see the heart and soul of the film, anchored by strong performances by Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan. But Julia Butters and Sophia Hammons give good performances too, especially in the final act of the film. I loved seeing Curtis and Lohan reuniting in these roles. They display the same charm and enthusiasm from the original film, especially Curtis. She really leans into the Grandma role, having a blast with the self-deprecating age humor and wiser presence among the group. It’s clear that the two love these roles and were enthusiastic about returning to visit these characters in later stages of their lives. I was surprised to see how many cameos there were from the original film. I won’t spoil who shows up except for Chad Michael Murray. His utilization in the film was ridiculous but it was fun to see him again.
The film gets better as it goes on, leaving a heartfelt and satisfying impression by the end. As the women navigate this predicament, we are treated to a handful of outrageous shenanigans that will have families laughing like crazy. While each character displays their own personal flaws, we begin to understand where they are coming from and why they behave as they do. Much like the first, “Freakier Friday” remembers that the strength of these stories is the communication between the characters and strong chemistry of its performers. Since this predicament is even harder to navigate, there are more storylines to cover. Director Nisha Ganatra does an impressive job resolving each storyline to make each character feel seen. No one’s perspective in the story gets drowned out or shortchanged. Not only do Tess and Anna have to resolve their issues, but the two daughters involved also have to learn lessons. The film concludes on a segment so satisfying it’s likely to bring tears to the eyes of viewers, making up for the many flaws of the film. I loved jamming out to Anna’s band and seeing their family come together in true Disney fashion. Moms and daughters will especially love this!
Negatives:
Due to the chaotic nature of the plot, there’s no denying that “Freakier Friday” is a mess of a film. I’d even argue it’s not a particularly good movie either. Its appeal to viewers will depend entirely on how much one can tolerate the frenetic nature of the story. The first hour of the film is dreadful. It is unfocused, poorly written, and makes some character decisions that are truly upsetting, particularly with Anna’s character. They explain her parental journey as “deciding to be a single parent” without any context to the father or circumstances in between. They also make her feel completely absent to her family when she meets this new man, agreeing to marry him after six months and uproot her family (who loves her dearly). I was so frustrated with her decision making throughout the film and for being even more selfish than in the first film. Did she learn nothing from that experience? I was also frustrated with Eric (her fiancee) for swooping in and not considering her family when deciding to move them to London. So much selfishness! Luckily, the film examines these issues with their characters as the film goes on and has them think about the situation more logically. I also thought the way they brought Jake back was strange. His character wasn’t done justice. He was surprisingly smart and thoughtful in the original film. But here, he is a buffoon blowing in the wind, playing on the joke of having the hots for older women. Despite a good ending, the grating experience I had dealing with these issues felt like a betrayal of the characters we know and love. Luckily, Tess stays true to her character and is the highlight of the film!
I found myself having a tough time keeping up with the dynamics of the family and issues they are working through. They pack in so many ideas and problems to resolve throughout the story that audiences are likely to feel overstimulated. Some of the bodyswapping is also confusing at times. The story moves at a breakneck pace, much like “Lilo & Stitch” from earlier this year. But that film had a singular storyline where this has several. It feels unfocused for most of the runtime, instead highlighting gags and jokes. While they may be funny, they don’t always serve the story. Even the final act (while good) feels like they are trying to tie up so many loose ends that it takes away from all the successes. After seeing the film, I believe the idea of having four body swaps may have been a better idea on paper than on screen. Some of the dialogue is perplexing too. I can’t believe the script wasn’t reworked. But then again, the film is overstuffed so some bad dialogue might have gotten lost in the frey during production.
Conclusion:
“Freakier Friday” is the definition of a mixed bag. It’s truly baffling at the quality shift throughout the film. The first hour is awful in more ways than I like to admit. It’s overstuffed, lazy, and makes some awful character decisions. But the final act is so strong and heartfelt that it’s hard to deny how it made me feel. I left with a smile on my face, enjoying a strong message about the importance of family. It’s not a very good film but it wins the audience’s heart through the great chemistry between Lohan and Curtis. I can’t completely recommend the film due to the many flaws but I also wouldn’t discourage anyone from checking it out. No need to see this one in theaters. Wait until Disney+ if watching it sounds appealing. But I cannot stress enough that this pales in comparison to the original.
