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Freaky Friday

If I rated movies on a letter scale, this decade's spin on the old Disney classic, Freaky Friday, would get an "F". In this case however, instead of meaning failure... it would stand for Fabulous. Three time's a charm for this updated retelling of the story of a mother and daughter who don't quite understand each other, until they switch bodies for one freaky day. First done in 1976 starring Barbara Harris and Jodie Foster, then in 1995 on ABC's The Wonderful World of Disney with Shelley Long and Gaby Hoffman... this 2003 remake is easily the most entertaining, heartfelt and fun spin on a more than familiar plot.

This time around it's Anna (Lindsay Lohan), a 15-year-old who's more interested in her garage band and earning herself detention at school, than she is in dealing with, and accepting the upcoming nuptials between her widowed mother Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis) and soon-to-be step dad (Mark Harmon). Meanwhile, Tess is too busy with her career as a psychiatrist and planning her big day, to fully understand that her daughter isn't the only one at fault for her problems at school. Also, Anna's band has the chance of a lifetime to audition for a big gig at the House of Blues, but it happens to be the same night as the wedding rehearsal. While arguing about the matter during dinner at a Chinese restaurant, a meddling waitress gives them each a magic fortune cookie and when they wake up the next morning they find themselves trapped in the body of the other.

That's where the movie actually gets interesting. Prior to the switch, this was the typical mother/daughter "you're ruining MY life!" drama-fest. It's nothing I haven't seen before, that is, until Curtis finally gets the chance to stomp around (as Anna turned Tess)--faking her way through her mother's appointments with clients, shopping for wild new outfits, and even flirting with her high school crush. She has amazing expression, is wildly entertaining, and is even more believable than Lohan playing the same angst-filled teen. Quite a feat for Curtis, who hasn't done a whole lot recently, save Halloween: Resurrection. Lohan does an adequate job after the switch--getting even with a former friend turned high school nemesis, as well as a teacher who insists on failing her no matter what she does. Her performance is not quite as believable in mom-mode, but she seems to be well on her way to earning the role as the queen of the Disney remake. (She played the twins in the updated version of The Parent Trap a few years ago). Still, I found myself cheering on the duo, waiting for them to discover that sometimes life isn't too easy for either of them. Ah, then "selfless love" turns them back-- BUT not before Anna finally accepts her new father-to-be, Tess approves of her daughter's new beau, and the two rock out at the audition.

There's nothing like wrapping everything up perfectly in a nice neat package. There's also nothing like Jaime Lee Curtis acting like a nervous teen, screaming that she looks like the Crypt Keeper, and whaling out some kick ass tunes on the guitar. Everything else is what average Disney pre-teen movies are made of. It's a cute recycled story, with a lovely message full of mother/daughter bonding. Curtis, without a doubt makes the movie work with her amazing versatility.

Instead of a Freaky Friday, I'd say this movie makes for a Fabulous, Fun Friday.

Written by: Laurie Kisner

Reviewers Rating: 8
Reader's Rating: 9.15
Reader's Votes: 28

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