Freaky Friday (2003)

Thank God It's Freaky Friday
Review by: Terri Clark

Things got freaky in 1976 when Ellen Andrews (Barbara Harris) switched bodies with her thirteen-year-old daughter Annabel (Jodie Foster) after making a wish on Friday the 13th. Now, more than twenty-five years later, Disney has given Mary Rodgers' beloved novel, Freaky Friday, a modern movie update.

Instead of being a stay home mom, Dr. Tess Coleman (Jamie Lee Curtis) is a widowed psychologist who manages her hectic life with every organizational gadget imaginable. Despite helping other people with their problems, Tess can't see eye-to-eye with her sixteen-year-old daughter Annabell (Lindsay Lohan).

Two days before Tess's wedding they have a blow out fight. Anna's unhappy that her too-perfect mom, with her too-perfect life is remarrying. She's also mad that Tess won't allow her to skip the rehearsal dinner so her rock band, Pink Slip, can attend an audition. Tess thinks Anna is selfish, problematic and has it easy as a teenager. Their heated argument inside the House of Chang restaurant gains the attention of its meddling manager who hands them identical fortune cookies. Crack. When they wake up Friday morning they've switched bodies. Confuscious never said that would happen! Now they have exactly 24 hours before Tess's wedding to undo the Asian voodoo, but first they have to gain a better understanding of each other.

The body-swapping scenario is certainly nothing new - "Like Father, Like Son," "Big," "Vice Versa," and even last year's "The Hot Chick" with Rob Schneider - but that doesn't mean it can't still be fun. Thanks in large part to Jamie Lee Curtis, that's exactly what the newest "Freaky Friday" is…fun! Curtis, a last minute replacement for Annette Bening, is in her element as a sixteen-year-old. She provides the film with its biggest laughs through her energetic exuberance. When she jams out on a guitar or gazes moony-eyed at her crush, you're hard pressed to remember she's a forty-something woman with her own teenage daughter.

Lindsay Lohan, who wowed audiences with her dual performance in Disney's 1998 remake of "The Parent Trap," has grown up and this red-haired beauty is a star to watch. She's both fierce and funny, while still able to tap into the emotional tenderness that captured everyone's heart when she played separated twins, Hallie Parker and Annie James. It's amusing to watch Lohan scold Curtis in an imperious tone and give an exasperated tug on her friend's midriff baring shirt. Lohan, who sings the movie's closing song, Ultimate, recently signed a five-album deal and is filming "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen." It seems highly likely that she'll take Disney's teen queen crown from the recently departed Hillary Duff.

Supporting these leading ladies is Mark Harmon who is charismatic in his small role as Tess's clueless fiancé and Chad Murray who portrays Anna's hunky, but horribly confused love interest. Also making an appearance is Marc McClure who played Anna-Banana's curly-haired, nerdy boyfriend, Borris Harris, in the original film.

Marc S. Waters imaginative direction, a cute contemporary script and great comedic performances make "Freaky Friday" a funtastic family film. In a summer full of sequels and remakes there's only one thing to say…Thank God It's Freaky Friday.

Movie Facts --

Title: Freaky Friday

Grade: B

Rating: PG for mild thematic elements and some language.

Distributor: Buena Vista Pictures 

Director: Marc S. Waters

Screenplay: Heather Hach, Leslie Dixon, Based on the book by Mary Rodgers

Cast: Lindsay Lohan, Jamie Lee Curtis, Mark Harmon, Chad Murray

Time: 96 minutes

First printed in West Life News (8/6/03) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Terri Clark (TerriClark4@aol.com) is a freelance movie critic. She writes reviews for West Life News, Moviefone.com and the Apollo Guide.

==========
X-RAMR-ID: 35492
X-Language: en
X-RT-ReviewID: 1186818
X-RT-TitleID: 1124788
X-RT-SourceID: 1446
X-RT-AuthorID: 5505
X-RT-RatingText: B