Kristen Barros
Disney is serving up nostalgia with its latest release, Freakier Friday (2025), in cinemas this
Thursday. The sequel comes 22 years after the original and sees Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay
Lohan back in the roles of Tess and Anna Coleman but it feels like no time has passed at all, with
the two effortlessly jumping back into it. With appearances from 2000s heart throb, Chad Michael
Murray as well as many of the original cast, in a replica of the storyline that came before, this film
has all the ingredients to hit millennials right in the feels but it’s not just a copy for copy! The next
chapter of the Coleman story also has double the trouble, with the addition of Anna’s daughter
and step-daughter to the soul swapping mix. So is this the film long-time fans have been waiting
for or, with four characters to keep track of, is it two swaps too many?
Freakier Friday follows Tess (long time therapist, new podcast host) and Anna (music producer) as
they navigate Anna’s post Pink Slip, single mum life together, although maybe not by choice for
Anna. When Anna’s daughter Harper (Julia Butters) gets into a fight at school with new student
and natural archenemy Lily (Sophia Hammons), both parents, Anna and Eric (Manny Jacinto) are
called to the school and subsequently their meet cute. After an opening credits whirlwind
romance, the two are set to get married and, much like the 2003 film, Harper and Lily are not fond
of the idea, or each other.
During Anna’s bachelorette party, a psychic reads the palms of all four women, a reading is
passed on and the earth shudders, giving the audience a clear indication that tomorrow isn’t
going to go according to plan. It really is about to get freakier as Anna wakes up in Harper’s body,
Harper wakes up in Anna’s body, Tess in Lily’s and Lily in Tess’, much to Lily’s chagrin. After
working through all the perks and flaws of their new bodies, the women split up with the typical
“break up the marriage” plot put into place by the teens while Tess and Anna just try to survive
being back in high school. Just like in Freaky Friday, the group need to solve the reading with
walking in each other’s shoes before they are returned to their bodies. Whether they achieve this
or not, you’ll need to see the film to find out; although I feel like you can probably guess.
Freakier Friday feels like Lohan’s real comeback. Whether it’s being back with Curtis or having
warmed up with her recent Netflix releases, Lohan’s performance in this film showcases the
actress we know and love; consistently funny and confident, without taking herself too seriously,
in a good way! Curtis thrives in the role of 15 year old trapped in an older body and her
outrageous outfits seem to fuel her comic timing. Seeing Chad Michael Murray, Mark Harmon and
Pink Slip in all their glory is a bonus in itself but adding Elaine Hendrix (our favourite almost step
mum in Parent Trap) has the Millennials in the audience absolutely hooked. The new characters in
this latest iteration of this story do not disappoint, adding to the chaos as well as the love that is
at the heart of this film, even if some of the accents are questionable.
There’s no question around the feeling of joy the cast and crew had in making this film. The
preview on Disney+ alone reflects that and then some. It’s that joy that means this movie knows
what it is; a fun, feel-good, family film for all generations, that pays homage to the film that came
before but with its own twist. The match of energy to the first movie is contagious and the nods to
other Lindsay Lohan movies such as Mean Girls and Parent Trap don’t go unnoticed. This film is
exactly what it needs to be with previous fans and new audiences alike sure to find enjoyment!
