The Wasteland Reviewer

Freakier Friday (2025) Written Review

Are you ready for another dose of that good old-fashioned bit of Disney nostalgia to get us back to the theater? Many of those who grew up in the aughts were treated to a charming and fun remake of the classic body swap comedy Freaky Friday. Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan made a fantastic duo and showed they had fantastic chemistry as mother and daughter…and again as daughter and mother. But like so many other Disney properties, Freaky Friday is getting a legacy sequel with plenty of original cast members coming back and adding a whole new generation of characters to get in that body swap mix. 

How does director Nisha Ganatra capture the spark that made the first film so much fun? Freakier Friday is a bit of fresh air because it really feels like an actual “film”. So many comedies today feel so artificial and unpleasant because they are so over-lit and fake. This might be a little detail but it gives the film a more cinematic feel that so many comedies lack nowadays. The film also has a great pace despite pushing close to two hours (with credits). Ganatra finds good energy that keeps the film going without losing the moments to reflect emotionally. One of the most important things that Ganatra accomplishes is finding a good balance of heart and humor. There is some good humor with a mixture of physical humor and good banter. Not all the humor lands but Ganatra is able to deliver an overall funny experience. One of the most surprising elements of the film is just how emotionally resonant the film gets with strong moments. 

Does this sequel deliver a compelling and meaningful follow-up to the first film? The biggest challenge of the sequel was finding a fresh and inspired twist on this body swap comedy and adding extra inter-generational aspects into the story. The dynamics between boomers, Gen X, and Gen Z/Gen Alpha open the door to plenty of humor. As stated before, not all the humor lands but there is plenty of fine comedic writing along the way. The film certainly delves into sentimental moments but there is some meaningful and heartfelt energy behind those moments in Jordan Weiss’ screenplay. There are certainly familiar elements in the new story that echo the first film, but they find space to leverage different elements like fashion, music, and therapy to broaden the scope and perspective of the story. The story does feel a little overstuffed when it is trying to balance four different central protagonists all going on our journeys of letting your adult child be a parent on her own, balancing your new love with the needs of your child (done twice over), and getting over the death of a parent while accepting a new family. 

What is the special juice of the whole cinematic experience? This cast is quite charming. Jamie Lee Curtis gives a fearless performance of flaunting her body in some fabulous fashion (as she portrays a teenager in a 60-year old’s body) while also having fun with the fact that she has aged naturally. She balances a graceful presence like Tess Coleman and a big energy while swapped with her future step-granddaughter. Lindsay Lohan is charming and fun as both Anna Coleman and swapped with her daughter. The biggest standout of the film by far is Julia Butters who is cool and angsty as Harper but delivers on some key emotional moments and she really steals the show quite a few times. Sophia Hammons gets the least opportunity to stand out, but she fits well with the rest of the cast. Manny Jacinto gets to be hunky, muscular, and dance in an alluring way…so he is an essential piece to the story. Chad Michael Murray is back…and he looks handsome which is probably the extent of what was asked of his character Jake this time around. Never Have I Ever alumna, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan is a great addition to the film as Anna’s pop star client going through a big breakup and bringing plenty of fun energy and emotion to the film in a supporting role. 

Is Freakier Friday a worthwhile legacy sequel for Freaky Friday back in 2003? The quartet at the heart of them really brings the goods and offers some charming dynamics. The main four actors bring the goods and elevate this fun and charming sequel. There is also a great heart and fun building of the series main concept. This might not be the freshest sequel and it can get a little too sappy at times but Freakier Friday is a welcome continuation for this fun and charming franchise.