In an era flooded with sequels, reboots, and revivals, most feel like lazy cash-ins. Freakier Friday is the rare exception. Yes, it leans into the nostalgia of the early 2000s (the Lindsay Lohan/Jamie Lee Curtis Freaky Friday hit theaters in 2003), but it also reimagines the body-swap comedy with wit, heart, and a fresh dose of chaos.
Of course, Freaky Friday was already an adaptation – the third, in fact, of Mary Rodgers’ 1972 novel of the same name. Disney first tackled it in 1976 with Jodie Foster and Barbara Harris, then again in 1995 as a TV movie starring Shelley Long and Gaby Hoffmann. The appeal endures because the premise is simple and bulletproof: switching bodies to learn empathy, especially across generations. Walking a mile in someone else’s shoes, especially a family member’s, is as compelling today as it was in the original novel.
Now, Curtis and Lohan return as Tess and Anna, this time joined by Anna’s teenage daughter, Harper (played by Julia Butters). The story picks up 22 years after Tess and Anna’s original body swap. Anna, now a single mom, is preparing to marry British businessman Eric (The Good Place’s Manny Jacinto), who happens to be the father of Harper’s school rival, Lily (Sophia Hammons). When family tensions boil over at Anna’s bachelorette party, an eccentric psychic intervenes, triggering a new round of body swaps: Anna with Harper, and Tess with Lily. Four lives are intertwined, and chaos ensues.
Curtis, who originally pitched this sequel, is clearly having a ball playing Lily-in-Tess’s body, while Lohan anchors the film with surprising emotional heft, while reminding audiences of her impeccable comedic timing – a triumphant return to leading-lady status after years away from big-screen spotlights.
The supporting cast is just as entertaining. The charming Chad Michael Murray reprises his role as Anna’s high-school crush, now a thirtysomething record-shop owner, still awkwardly smitten with Tess – a running gag he plays to perfection. Meanwhile, Jacinto makes for a magnetic fiancé for Anna, keeping the film tethered when the comedy goes big. Director Nisha Ganatra steers the whole thing with just the right balance of over-the-top gags and sincerity.
At its best, Freakier Friday delivers exactly what you want in a true movie: it’s consistently funny, unexpectedly moving, and well-written throughout. It honors the spirit of the 2003 original while digging into deeper themes of parenting, relationships, and the messy realities of family life. Curtis and Lohan’s chemistry is still electric, and watching them bounce off each other remains the film’s greatest joy.
Nostalgia is here, of course – easter eggs for fans of the 2003 movie, nods to Anna’s band Pink Slip, even a cheeky The Parent Trap reference, and a soundtrack steeped in 2000s pop – but the film is not only winks and callbacks alone. Instead, it builds a tender coming-of-age story about loss, love, and finding common ground across generations. Sharp, warm, and consistently entertaining, Freakier Friday is proof that a legacy sequel can be more than a brand extension. It knows exactly what it wants to be, and delivers.
How does the live-action Freakier Friday compare to the 2003 film?
It's a successful sequel that instantly earns its place as a new mother-daughter comfort movie to watch on repeat.
Why should public and school libraries consider adding the new Freakier Friday to their collections?
Freakier Friday is a family-centered film, making it an appealing choice for family programming and cultural discussions. With its PG rating and its cheerful and thought-provoking tone, it works well for school screenings, while its updates and reimagining of the original story provide opportunities for media literacy activities on adaptation and legacy sequels. For public libraries, the film’s built-in popularity will draw patrons of all ages, and its themes of parenting, intergenerational empathy, and belonging resonate strongly with community-oriented programming.