Making a satisfying sequel is difficult in the best of circumstances. Making a good sequel 22 years after the original film is no easier. While “Freakier Friday” does not quite recapture the charm of the original film “Freaky Friday” it certainly still delivers a heartwarming comedy full of nostalgia and laughs.
Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsey Lohan reprise their roles of mother and daughter duo Tess and Anna Coleman. Joining the cast is Julia Butters as Anna’s teenage daughter Harper, Manny Jacinto as Anna’s fiance Eric and Sophia Hammons as his daughter Lily. Much of the original cast also returned to reprise their roles, such as Tess’s husband Ryan and Anna’s bandmates.
The plot does not stray far from the acclaimed formula of “Freaky Friday”. Rather than covering new material, the film sticks to what the people know. Anna is engaged to Eric, and their daughters are drastically opposed to the marriage.
After a visit to a palm reader, the girls switch bodies with Tess and Anna. While the teenagers do not have influence as teenagers, as adults they take advantage of their newfound freedom, immediately setting to work breaking apart Anna and Eric’s relationship. Tess and Anna make a weak attempt to get back into their own aged bodies, but spend most of the movie eating the junk food their young metabolism can easily handle and marveling at their youthful agility.
Chad Michael Murray is back as Jake, Anna’s long haired, motorcycle riding ex-boyfriend. Fans may lament that he and Anna aren’t together, but as adults they no longer seem matched for each other. Lily and Harper’s teenaged attempt to get the pair back together is hilariously unsuccessful, featuring neck-cracking hair flips and cringy flirting which only results in Jake asking if Anna is having a stroke.
Lindsey Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis steal the show, easily outshining their younger costars. The twenty year gap between films provides a plethora of jokes about the generational age gaps, from Lily calling pickleball players “boomers” to quipping that she is searching for “music for old people, like Coldplay”. While Lohan and Curtis certainly bring the laughs with their physical comedy, the characters they are playing get lost amidst the jokes and hijinks. It becomes hard to remember who swapped into which body.
While it is not necessary to watch “Freaky Friday” to enjoy “Freakier Friday” the sequel is rife with parallels to the original film. Tess gets another haircut and clothing makeover. Jake introduces his new girlfriend, suspiciously similar to Tess in her pixie cut and slinky dress. Anna and her Pink Slip bandmates return to stage singing “Take Me Away” , their signature song from “Freaky Friday”.
Ultimately, the movie is a heartwarming story of love and understanding. While the plot has more holes than a crochet blanket, realism is not the point. It is an entertaining film giving viewers an equal mix of nostalgia and comedy.
