Freaky Friday (2003)
2003’s Freaky Friday (the third time the 1972 novel by Mary Rodgers has been adapted into film) is an example of how a relatively simple premise makes for a great movie with the right cast. I think even younger viewers will be able to predict the beats of this story but at no point will you care because of the cast and the execution. Not only does it demonstrate why Lindsay Lohan was such a big deal in the early 2000s, it also shows just how fearless a performer Jamie Lee Curtis is.
Like many teenagers, fifteen-year-old Anna Coleman (Lindsay Lohan) feels that her mother, Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis), just doesn’t understand her. After a strange incident involving a fortune cookie with an ominous message, Tess and Anna wake up the next morning in each other’s bodies.
You know this story. It’s the mother and daughter getting to literally spend a day (or maybe more if they can’t figure out how to undo the spell) in each other’s shoes. Tess thinks Anna has it so easy. Her only “real” responsibility is going to school. When she complains about her teacher or about this girl she doesn't like, she’s being dramatic. Being a high schooler is NOT that hard and it would be even easier if she got her priorities straight. From Anna's perspective, Tess has nothing to complain about. As an adult, she doesn't have to answer to anyone; she has the means to go anywhere, anytime and her own money to spend. This supernatural adventure will allow them to, in the end, become closer. You know that. It's probably the reason you wanted to see the movie. That doesn’t make the jokes that come next any less funny.
I remember seeing trailers for Freaky Friday on TV in 2003, but I had not seen this film before. Despite this, there was something nostalgic about seeing it for the first time. Some of it was the music. Some of it was the overall aesthetic. Some of it was the cast – I remember when Lindsay Lohan was the "it" girl. A lot of it is the story. There isn't a person on earth who hasn’t at some point felt like Tess and/or Anna. We've all wanted to grow up right away or longed for what we had years ago. This means the film is only dated in one aspect: the “Asian mysticism” that triggers the conflict. On the one hand, it’s such a small part of the story you can look past it. On the other, it’s so small the film could’ve easily avoided this dated (even in the early 2000s, it was dated) stereotype.
This was my first time seeing any adaptation of the story. Despite this, I can tell you why this Freaky Friday has a legacy when the others don't: the cast. It was a combination of seeing this film and Everything, Everywhere All At Once that made me realize just how fearless a performer Jamie Lee Curtis is. I mean, I know she’s an actress, but that still can’t make a scene where you scream at the camera telling the whole world how old and ugly you are hard (that’s Anna in her mom’s body talking, if it wasn’t obvious). Both actresses play dual roles that go through growth. It's not as simple as just switching minds "Face/Off" style either. In Curtis' case, she has to portray a teenager full of heightened emotions who is eager to seize the opportunities that are finally within her grasp and someone who’s used to being in her teens suddenly feeling the cramps and aches that slowly build over years all at once. Meanwhile, Lohan is equally great at playing someone who’s much more mature than she looks but is sort of cocky about the situation and about to get knocked down a peg. The actresses have excellent chemistry and, along the way, provide many laughs.
There are good comedic scenes throughout. Sometimes we're laughing at the protagonists as they try - and fail - to adapt to their new circumstances. Sometimes, we're laughing with them as they use the skills unique to them to solve problems their counterpart would've struggled with. There are also several more serious, emotional moments, particularly during the conclusion. A big conflict comes from Tess' engagement to Ryan (Mark Hammon) - Anna thinks she's moving too quickly - and the switcheroo couldn't come at a worse time because Anna has just caught the eye of her crush, Jake (Char Michael Murray) - a motorcycle enthusiast Tess disapproves of. Those more tender moments seal the deal.
This Freaky Friday is surprisingly well-acted and among the best body swap comedies ever made, which means we have to give some attention to director Mark Waters, whose best film, Mean Girls, also features Lohan. I suspect a lot of people have fond memories of this movie from 20+ years ago. It holds up and you’d be happy to watch with your child/children. If you watch it by yourself, you'll find it enjoyable once more. For the same reasons you did back then and for new ones too. (November 21, 2025)
