With summer just around the corner, that means new movies are on the way. One exciting release is “Freakier Friday,” the long-awaited sequel to the 2003 movie, “Freaky Friday,” hitting theaters on Aug. 8. Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan return as the iconic mother-daughter duo, Tess and Anna.
Freaky Friday came out in 2003, following the lives of a mother Tess Coleman and daughter Anna who don’t get along. Anna thinks her mom doesn’t understand her life at all. She’s faced with strict rules, an annoying younger brother, and has dreams of being in a rock band. Tess, on the other hand, thinks Anna is dramatic and irresponsible, especially with her upcoming wedding and career as a therapist keeping her busy. Their relationship is full of tension as they both struggle to see things from each other’s point of view.
Everything changes when a woman at a Chinese restaurant gives them a magical fortune cookie. The next morning, they wake up and realize they’ve switched bodies. Anna is now in her mom’s body, while Tess is stuck as a teenager.
At first, both Tess and Anna think the other person’s life is easy and try to prove it to one another. Soon later they realize it is quite the opposite, and things get messy. This leads to chaos, misunderstanding, and many laughable moments, but also a deeper awareness of each other’s struggles.
The movie touches on the generational divide between parents and their kids. Anna’s world is full of school pressure, her band dreams, and a sense of being unheard. Tess, on the other hand, is trying to manage her adult responsibilities, her career, and being a single mom. Both characters feel misunderstood, and the body swap allows for a switch of perspective. Stepping into each other’s lives helped both characters realize how difficult both roles are and how much they’ve been missing by not listening to one another.
The acting plays a huge part in making this divide feel real. Jamie Lee Curtis gives a great performance of playing a teenager stuck in her mom’s body. She’s super funny and makes it believable with the way she acts and dresses. Lindsay Lohan also fits her role well, playing a teen who suddenly has to deal with all the stress adults go through. She shows the stress and the serious side, but continues to keep her teenage attitude. Together, they have a strong bond that brings depth and humor to the movie, helping the emotional parts feel real. Their performances make the film not just entertaining, but meaningful.
By the end of the movie, the body swap is reversed, but their relationship is changed. It’s helped both Anna and Tess realize what the other goes through and learn to respect one another.
Freaky Friday is more than just a funny teen movie; it’s about seeing things from another perspective. It mixes laughs with real emotions.
The sequel, “Freakier Friday,” which continues to follow the lives of Anna and Tess, opens in theaters Aug. 8.
Now is the perfect time to rewatch the classic “Freaky Friday” on Disney+ free with a subscription.
