Wheeler admitted, “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, smarter, and tired,
and we just want to enjoy. A return to one of her most beloved movies might be the
substance she needs for the right career revival, but first, she has to pull
off the difficult task of recapturing very certain memories.
Obviously, Curtis returns with her because they are an
inseparable pair in this story. Back in 2003, their characters switched bodies
when Lohan’s Anna was a rowdy teen and Curtis’ Tess was a widower finding love
once more. Wheeler said, “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, played by Manny
Jacinto. This upsets her daughter, Harper, played by Julia Butters, putting her
in the same place Anna was in the previous film. Joining Harper in disagreement
to the union is Eric’s teenage daughter, Lily, played by Sophia Hammons, even
though the pair are enemies in every other way. Obviously, a body swap solved
this issue last time, so another mystic is found and Harper switches with Anna
and Lily with Tess.
Wheeler said, “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 the same level with the great actress. However, most
importantly, they show complete joy at being back. Lighthearted nostalgia attraction
is all about showing the passing of time for a couple hours, and as Lohan and
Curtis drive around in a cool car, faces light and happy, it’s easy to fall
into the fantasy of feeling young again.
Butters and Hammons are on point too, along with the
entire supporting cast (some others from the original return too). However,
this film is about those two women, and everything is made to support them. Wheeler
said, “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.”
Wheeler continued, “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 help out the
excellent performances being shown. Really, no one wants this to do a lot. It’s
a body-swap comedy, common with slapstick, wide humor. Wheeler ended his review
by saying, “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.”
“Freakier Friday,” which came out this past August,
was a surprising sequel that came out. However, for a sequel that no one asked
for or expected, this was good. I saw this in the theaters and I laughed when
watching it. There are some heartwarming moments in the film that really make
you feel the emotion. I think everyone should check this out on Disney+ if they
didn’t see it in theaters because I think everyone will enjoy this film.
Tomorrow, I will be looking at the final MCU animated
miniseries of the year in “Disney Month 2025.”
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