Alex Wheeler Movie Ops

With nostalgia bait being consistently lucrative, it was only a matter of time before we got a proper Lindsay Lohan revival. Her roundabout link to the recent Mean Girls movie aside, Freakier Friday marks the first time Lohan has returned to one of the iconic roles of her youth, and fans of hers (including myself), are sure to cheer. 

It was rough watching her all-too-familiar trajectory from child star to forgotten celebrity, especially since her early work showed remarkable skill to back up the fame. Two of her biggest roles involved twisted layers of characterization, with The Parent Trap having her play twins impersonating each other and her original iteration of Freaky Friday (itself one of several adaptations of the novel of the same name) had her channeling Jamie Lee Curtis for a body-swap farce. But the cruel messiness of growing up while famous ate her alive, as it has so many people, resulting in nearly a decade without a major role to her name.

Now she and her fans are older, wiser, and tired, and we just want some fun. A return to one of her most beloved movies might be the catalyst she needs for a proper career revival, but first, she has to pull off the tricky work of recapturing very particular memories.

Curtis returns with her, of course, because they are an inseparable pair in this story. Back in 2003, their characters switched bodies when Lohan’s Anna was an unruly teen and Curtis’ Tess was a widower finding love once more. The basic morality play of putting yourself in someone else’s shoes was made memorable by how fully the two dived into the scenario, so to make this sequel work, they’d both have to show up with the same full-tilt energy.

This time around Anna is the single mother of a teenage girl, with Tess being an overly helpful grandma. Anna is also the one to find love again, this time with the very English Eric (Manny Jacinto). This upsets her daughter, Harper (Julia Butters), putting her in the same place Anna was in the previous film. Joining Harper in opposition to the union is Eric’s teenage daughter, Lily (Sophia Hammons), although the pair are enemies in every other way. A body swap solved this issue last time, so of course, another mystic is found and Harper switches with Anna and Lily with Tess. 

The returning swappers are just as delightful as before, with Curtis once again channeling a much younger energy with gusto. She takes it further than just being spry; the calamitous feeling of events without comparison runs across her face multiple times, and it’s that naivete that makes the whole thing feel real. Lohan pulls off similar tricks, proving once again to be on par with the legend. But most importantly, they convey sheer joy at being back. Lighthearted nostalgia bait is all about shedding the tyranny of time for a couple hours, and as Lohan and Curtis cruise around in a cool car, faces light and cheery, it’s easy to slip into the fantasy of feeling young again.

Butters and Hammons are on point as well, as is the entire supporting cast (some others from the original return as well). But this show is about those two women, and everything is built to support them. Director Nisha Ganatra keeps it simple around them, at times too simple, with the workmanlike vibe of the production threatening to zap the fun. Ideally, the film would feel as light on its feet as its stars, but simplicity is hard to pull off when you have this many callbacks and a new story to get to.

The one production element that feels right is costume designer Natalie O’Brien’s work, which vary from photoshoot glamour to slacker beachwear. Outside of the actors, the costumes are doing the most work to remind audiences that the bodies don’t match the people, with clever modifications of preexisting wardrobes showing off the new person within. But more importantly, they are fun, with popping colors for the women and perfectly tailored outfits for the eye candy men.

It’s not much, but it’s enough to back up the excellent performances on display. And really, no one wants this to do too much. It’s a body-swap comedy, rife with slapstick, broad humor. It’s about feeling good, and while watching Curtis and Lohan milk the silly premise for all its worth once again, it’s hard not to have a good time.

Release: In theaters now
Director: Nisha Ganatra
Writers: Jordan Weiss
Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Julia Butters, Sophia Hammons, Manny Jacinto, Mark Harmon