Review: Freakier Friday (2025)
Does lightning strike twice?
Well, maybe not quite, but Freakier Friday gives it one hell of a try.
For those of us who grew up with the 2003 version, the original was a simple but heartfelt story of a mother and daughter swapping bodies and, more importantly, swapping perspectives. This sequel takes a little while to get going, mostly because it has a much bigger cast to juggle.
Alongside Lindsay Lohan’s Anna and Jamie Lee Curtis’s Tess, we now meet Anna’s daughter Harper (Julia Butters), Anna’s love interest Eric (Manny Jacinto), and his daughter Lily (Sophia Hammons). The first act spends time introducing all of them before the magical mayhem finally hits.
The body swap itself? Kind of strange, honestly. The “why” behind it doesn’t really make much sense until the end, and even then Jamie Lee Curtis’s character being involved feels more like a script convenience than a necessary choice. But once the swapping starts, it’s a fun ride, even if the rules feel a bit shaky.
Performance wise, Lindsay and Jamie slip right back into their roles as if no time has passed, delivering both comedy and heartfelt emotion like pros.
The younger actors still seem to be finding their footing, but they handle themselves fine, and Manny Jacinto brings an easy charm and sincerity that keeps the movie grounded.
The chemistry across the board works surprisingly well, making the family dynamics believable and the character relationships feel earned.
The humor lands throughout, never forced, and the emotional beats are handled with care, giving the audience a genuine sense of why these characters feel the way they do.
The supporting cast is solid, though Vanessa Bayer as the fortune teller veers into “mildly annoying” territory… thankfully, the film only sprinkles her in here and there.
Stylistically, the pacing and tone feel right at home with the original, and the overall look is polished without losing that Disney family flavor. It also feels fresh enough for today’s audience without leaning on dated tropes, which is no small feat.
As for standout moments, the record shop sequence is the one everyone will be talking about, and Tess’s chaotic photoshoot is another highlight. These scenes bring the right mix of humor and heart, showing what the film can do when it’s firing on all cylinders.
In the end, Freakier Friday is a fun family film that manages to capture much of what made the 2003 version beloved. It’s not perfect, and the body swap logic gets a little wobbly, but it delivers enough laughs, charm, and heartfelt moments to stand as a worthy follow-up. Fans of the original will find plenty to enjoy, and families looking for a night of feel-good entertainment won’t be disappointed.
