‘Freakier Friday’ – Review

Okay girlies, grab your butterfly clips and your chunky charm bracelets because Freakier Friday is here, and it’s giving us EVERYTHING we’ve been craving. Disney has cracked the code — a perfect throwback to those early 2000s comedy gems we grew up on, but served with a fresh, modern glow-up. It’s chaotic, it’s heartfelt, it’s laugh-out-loud funny… and yes, the fashion game is chef’s kiss.

Picking up years after their Tess (Curtis) and Anna (Lohan) endured an identity crisis. Anna now has a daughter (Julia Butters) of her own and a soon-to-be stepdaughter (Sophia Hammons). As they navigate the myriad challenges that come when two families merge, Tess and Anna discover that lightning might indeed strike twice.

Directed with a warm, playful energy by Nisha Ganatra, who knows exactly what our inner teen queens want, Freakier Friday dives back into the Coleman family’s wild world; only this time, the family is even bigger, the stakes are higher, and the switches? Oh honey, they’re MULTI-GENERATIONAL. We get heart, hijinks, and that perfect touch of “remember when?” that makes this sequel such a joy.

First things first, Lindsay Lohan is BACK, and our hearts are full. Seeing her as Anna Coleman again is like catching up with your best friend from high school who still knows all the inside jokes. Anna’s life has been flipped upside down (again): she’s planning a wedding to the swoony Eric (Manny Jacinto), she’s a working mom, and she’s raising her own teenage daughter, Harper (played with rebel-girl perfection by Julia Butters). When Anna and Harper switch bodies… chaos doesn’t just ensue, it explodes. Lohan throws herself into the role with the same comedic sparkle we fell in love with 20 years ago, balancing awkward teen energy with genuine heart.

And then there’s our eternal queen, Jamie Lee Curtis. As Tess Coleman, she’s already iconic — but this time she’s switching bodies with Lily Reyes (Sophia Hammons), a Gen Alpha teen with big opinions and bigger TikTok energy. Curtis nails every beat, from awkwardly navigating a high school cafeteria to tackling a “cool teen” wardrobe with questionable results. Her book launch scene spiraling into complete anarchy? Gold. Watching her panic-buy denture cream in a teenage body while monologuing about aging fears? Comedy perfection.

The younger duo, Julia Butters and Sophia Hammons, get their moment to shine too. Seeing them swap into the chaos of parent life is hilarious, especially when they try to “act like adults” but end up parenting with all the patience of, well, actual teenagers. This multi-swap twist is fresh, fun, and amps up the comedy while letting the new generation stamp their own personality on the Freaky Friday brand.

And speaking of nostalgia bombs, Chad Michael Murray is back, baby. Older, hotter, and still rocking those Jake Austin vibes that made our teenage hearts swoon. He brings equal parts charm and goofiness, with one scene between “Harper-as-Anna” and Jake flirting so awkwardly that you’ll be laughing into your popcorn. There’s also a subtle will-they/won’t-they tease between Jake and Tess that feels like a cheeky wink to longtime fans.

But Disney didn’t stop there: they went full fan-service in the best way. Original cast members return, from Christina Vidal Mitchell as Maddie to Stephen Tobolowsky as Mr. Bates (now Harper’s teacher; the chaos continues) to Rosalind Chao’s Mama P, still getting dragged into the Coleman family’s madness. Pink Slip is back for a full-on rock-out moment that will have you screaming lyrics you haven’t sung since 2003. And yes, we even get a Parent Trap mini-reunion with Elaine Hendrix sharing screen time with Lohan again; millennial serotonin boost unlocked.

The film is more than just a comedy though. Under all the body-swapping madness, it’s got a beating heart. It’s about blended families, growing pains, and realizing that sometimes the people who drive you the craziest are also the ones who love you the most. There’s a sweetness here that makes the big laughs hit even harder, and you can feel that everyone on screen is having as much fun making this as we are watching it.

Visually, it’s as candy-colored and vibrant as you’d hope — think bold wardrobes, chaotic set-pieces, and just enough glitter to make you feel like you’re living in a 2005 teen rom-com again. The soundtrack slaps too, mixing nostalgic tracks with fresh hits that Gen Z will claim for their TikTok edits.

By the time the credits roll, you’ll be smiling like you just rewatched your entire DVD collection from intermediate. Freakier Friday nails the tricky balance between giving us the comfort of the past and the sparkle of the now. For millennials, it’s a warm hug from our pop culture adolescence. For Gen Z, it’s proof that mom (or grandma) really was cool back in the day — and still is.

So yes, this movie is for the girls, the gays, and anyone who ever wanted to trade places for a day just to see what happens. It’s joyful, chaotic, fashion-forward fun, and if you weren’t already planning a rewatch of the original after seeing it, well… trust me, you will.

Image: Walt Disney Pictures