Freakier Friday
More Than Just Cheap Nostalgia
One of the most successful strategies Hollywood has embraced in the past decade is the rise of the legacy sequel. There’s always been a certain appeal to revisiting characters years later—catching up with them long after the happy endings we saw on screen. It works differently than a traditional franchise, where characters grow and evolve across multiple sequels. By giving a story time to breathe, the reunion can sometimes feel even more satisfying.
We’ve already seen it play out with adult male icons (Top Gun: Maverick, Creed), the superhero multiverse crowd (Spider-Man: No Way Home), and the horror/slasher genre (Scream, Halloween). Now, Freakier Friday sets the stage for the next big opportunity: the feel-good family comedies of the early 2000s. With The Devil Wears Prada 2 and The Princess Diaries 3 also on the horizon, Freakier Friday shows how to get it right—embracing a time when comedies were a little wackier, a little warmer, and when a good, simple concept done well was more than enough.
The 2003 film was a hit beyond expectations, grossing six times its budget and even earning Jamie Lee Curtis a Golden Globe nomination. It’s still considered one of Disney’s best live-action originals—beloved for the chemistry between Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, and for how effectively the body-swapping formula delivered both laughs and heart. Now, 22 years later, the concept returns—this time with four characters swapping bodies. The twist leads to Curtis embodying a young British, fashion-obsessed teen, and Lohan inhabiting her own daughter.
The best compliment a sequel like this can get is that it feels like a real continuation, not just a hollow retread. Freakier Friday respects what worked the first time, keeps the same comedic rhythm, and introduces new dynamics without disrupting the tone. Especially in its first 20 minutes, there’s noticeable care in the direction and editing to recreate the vibe of early 2000s comedies—from the way soundtracks are used to how montages are cut. Initially, the film’s rhythm may feel dated next to today’s fast-cut comedies—but the energy picks up as soon as the body swap kicks in.
The script does a great job showing where Anna and Tess would realistically be in their lives now. There’s something satisfying about seeing Anna go through some of the same dynamics she once threw at her mom—now from the parent’s perspective. Smartly, the film avoids the obvious route of having Anna and Tess clash again. Instead, it presents them as more grounded and mature, shifting the conflict to the two teens now stuck in their bodies.
And of course, the biggest selling point remains its two stars. Curtis and Lohan are clearly having a ton of fun, and that energy carries over to the audience. Curtis gets plenty of laugh-out-loud moments—from playing pickleboy to some bold fashion choices—while Lohan delivers great physical comedy and her unique (and highly missed!) grounded charm. Even when things get ridiculous, they stay emotionally sincere, especially when the film touches on heavier topics like the stress of moving abroad or family separation.
The two teen leads, Julia Butters and Sophia Hammons, are solid and manage to hold their own while channeling Curtis and Lohan. But they’re given less screen time and fewer memorable moments. The school scenes don’t have the same spark, and by the end, it’s clear that Freakier Friday lives and breathes through Curtis and Lohan. You’re unlikely to walk out hoping for Freakiest Friday with the teens front and center in 20 years.
Still, the film delivers plenty of laughs—sometimes from callbacks and returning characters, sometimes from new gags like Curtis struggling with modern tech or a very funny bit involving Vanessa Bayer’s multi-hyphenate character. It also finds its emotional footing in the third act, landing a few moments that genuinely resonate. While it never quite reaches the highs of the original—mainly because the newer characters lack the same spark—whenever Curtis and Lohan are on screen, it comes remarkably close.