By Mr. Will Wong
22 years have gone by since we’ve last seen The Colemans, but it’s like catching-up with old friends once again in Nisha Ganatra‘s FREAKIER FRIDAY. Much in the spirit of its predecessor, this is light-hearted fun which speaks directly to fans of the original, who also have grown-up and are still as passionate about the Freaky Friday legacy.
Here, we reunite with Anna (Lindsay Lohan), a Music executive who put aside her dreams of bring a Rock Star to raise her daughter Harper (Julia Butters). She’s balancing being a single mom, a daughter to her now Podcaster mother Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis), and also her career. Throw into that mix, a sudden romance with Eric (Manny Jacinto). Things are great, until Anna and Eric have to break the news to their daughters, who happen to be enemies at school. Harper can’t stand Eric’s daughter Lily (Sophia Hammons) and with the likelihood of Harper having to leave her life behind in California to move to Europe, she actively is looking for ways to sabotage this impending marriage. And then, lightning strikes twice and we witness yet ANOTHER body switch. This time around, it goes four ways!
FREAKIER FRIDAY has an undeniable charm and without leaning on too many jokes from the previous Film, it manages to find its own voice, with modern sensibilities. At once, it also pays homage to that last installment and fans will go crazy for beloved fictitious band PINK SLIP once again! While it gets a bit confusing at moments with the additional body switches here, with maybe Butters and Lohan navigating it more smoothly, two things are certain. The former is a burgeoning star who nails a youthful Anna‘s essence, and we have missed Lohan so much. Her presence on the big screen as been missed! FREAKIER FRIDAY gives us hope that we can overcome the most irreconcilable differences with a bit of empathy and that’s a hot take reminder many of us need today.
We wouldn’t be surprised if another installment came another twenty years later and fans still ate it up. That is the timeless legacy of FREAKY FRIDAY, in theatres now via Walt Disney Studios Canada.
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