Rarely does a sequel actually benefit from time, but the 20-plus years since Freaky Friday released in theatres has given space for a whole new generation to be born and get freaky on Fridays, too. Nisha Ganatra takes over from Mark Waters in the director chair and gives the budding franchise a refresh without straying far from what made the 2003 film a success.
Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan return as Tess and Anna Coleman, still residing in Southern California, now with a daughter/granddaughter in tow, Harper (Julia Butters). Where Freaky Friday centred around Tess’ marriage to Ryan (Mark Harmon, who also returns to Freakier), this time around it’s Anna whose wedding looms after meeting Eric (Manny Jacinto sporting a spiffy British accent) in the most meet-cute, romance novel way possible. The couple navigate blending their families together with their daughters (and classmates), Harper and Lily (Sophia Hammons), constantly at odds with one another.
Although Pei-Pei (Rosalind Chao) does make an appearance in the sequel, the cause for this freaky body switch comes from a hilarious Vanessa Bayer as Madame Jen, a multi-hyphenate hired to be a fortune teller at Anna’s bachelorette party. Rather than a straightforward mother-daughter switch, Freakier Friday switches Harper and Lily with Anna and Tess, respectively.
Ever the talent, Curtis continues to beat the Oscar curse (save for Borderlands) and delivers a tremendous performance, hitting every old person joke with aplomb. As her counterpart, Hammons offers up a breakout turn as Lily, deftly weaving between comedy, teenage frustration, and thoughtful daughter.
While Maitreyi Ramakrishnan only appears in a supporting role as a pop star managed by Anna, Ramakrishnan triggers one of the film’s most memorable sequences, all while in a strawberry costume. Since her breakout role in the Netflix series Never Have I Ever, Ramakrishnan has made her mark in the industry, especially in voice work, including a role in Turning Red. Her potential as a comedian and actor continues to be apparent in Freakier Friday and she remains a talent to watch in the years to come.
Jacinto, though, of course, prevails as the talking point of the film, in particular within the Asian diaspora. As Hollywood slowly opens the leading man role to those of Asian descent, Jacinto feels primed to be the industry’s next big thing. As Eric, Jacinto’s given the opportunity to play up his charm and relish moments of dramatic tension, which he executes with precision. Pedro Pascal who?
Ganatra doesn’t reinvent the freaky wheel, but Freakier Friday gives fans of the original movie the nostalgia Gen X and millennials crave, while being enough Gen Z to bring in a new audience. It’s a precarious tightrope that Ganatra navigates well, and while the film certainly retreads a lot of well-worn ground, it never bores and thank God for that.
