Freakier Friday review: An uneven feel-good comedy elevated by Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan's impeccable performances!

Sequel to the 2003 classic Freaky Friday, Nisha Ganatra's Freakier Friday starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan is soaked in nostalgia, laughter and heartfelt lessons!

I’m sure I speak for a lot of people across generations when I say Disney movies are synonymous with comfort. Their simplicity, cozy vibes and wholesome storylines often captured my imagination as a kid and continue to do so now that I’m an adult as well. Today, the studio presented another film that you would definitely want to watch with your fam on lazy weekends or sleep-overs with your girl gang -Freakier Friday!

The recent years taught me to keep my expectations in check when it comes to sequels, however this one came as a pleasant surprise. There's nothing genre defining or ground-breaking here except a nostalgic experience that delivers exactly what it promises - comedy, chaos and empathy. Just like its prequel, this film sees Anna (Lindsay Lohan) and Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis) swapping bodies again, however this time they get entangled in a four-way body swap with the addition of Anna’s daughter (Julia Butters), and soon-to-be stepdaughter, (Sophia Hammons) resulting in multigenerational chaos and heartfelt realizations, of course!

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Set over two decades later, the much awaited sequel opens with the glimpses of a regular day at the Coleman’s. Anna, now a single mother, is navigating parenthood while raising her spirited and rebellious teenage daughter Harper, while Tess is the cool grandmother who is also trying her hands at podcasting. The household looks normal and at peace until things get unexpectedly complicated.

Anna begins dating Eric, a British national essayed by Manny Jacinto, who happens to be the father of Lily, Harper’s biggest rival in school. The couple decides to marry and move to London leaving their daughters deeply distressed about the prospect of a new blended family and a relocation they don’t want to be part of. However before anyone could emotionally process any of this, a chance meeting with a zany palm reader triggers a quadruple body-swap, forcing all four women to walk a mile in each other's shoes. Harper is now in her mother’s body, Anna is trapped in Harper’s, and Lily has switched with Grandma Tess.

The film handles the swaps with vibrancy and surprising ease. As an audience, you’re rarely confused about who has turned into whom and that, in itself, is a big win for director Ganatara and screenwriter Jordan Weiss. However, the film lacks tight pacing as it takes its sweet time to set the narrative before the swap finally takes place. The first thirty minutes do test your patience, for when you have a fair idea of what’s going to unfold next, the stretch in plot setting feels unnecessary. The story too feels cluttered at times with four storylines vying for attention and a lot happening on screen all at once.  

Jamie Lee Curtis proves once again why she is one of the best in the business. The Academy Award winning actress delivers the indignation, laid back sense of humor and language of a snobbish teenager with great ease and conviction. She is a riot in the film who packs a punch with her physical comedy as well as zingy one-lines courtesy of her impeccable timing. Lindsay Lohan too shines as the anxious Anna trapped inside her daughter’s body. Julia Butters and Sophia Hammons are impressive in their scenes, capturing the inhibitions and mannerisms of their original and swapped characters promisingly well. Manny Jacinto as Anna’s fiancé, too manages to leave an impact with his sincere portrayal of the charming and the level headed Eric who is a stable force amid all the drama and chaos. Mark Harmon’s cameo as Ryan and other characters from the 2003 original add to the nostalgia of the film and bring a smile to your face, however they aren’t given much to do. 

At the heart of it, the franchise is all about empathy and love, especially towards our parents and Freakier Friday delivers that beautifully well in the climax sans melodrama or over the top declaration. It serves as an endearing reminder that all it takes is an understanding of each other's perspective and some heartfelt conversations to fix strained relationships and come to common ground with your loved ones - a much needed lesson in the ever evolving family dynamics of the modern world today.

In totality Freakier Friday is a quintessential Disney feel-good film, which despite some inconsistencies, will surely entertain both, its original fans and a new generation of viewers.

Freakier Friday is playing in cinema halls near you!