“Freaky Friday” (Walt Disney Pictures)
The new Jamie Lee Curtis/Lindsay Lohan movie, “Freaky Friday,” is a remake of the 1976 film of the same name which starred Barbara Harris and Jodie Foster. The setting and the characters have been updated to reflect a modern day woman and the problems she has with her teenage daughter. The gimmick of having them switch bodies for a few days has been retained.
Curtis plays Dr. Tess Coleman, a widowed psychiatrist with a thriving practice. She has two children, a daughter Anna (Lohan) and a son Harry (Ryan Malgarini) as well as a fiance’ named Ryan (Mark Harmon). Her father (Harold Gould) is also an integral part of their lives.
Tess and Anna each think the other one has it made. One day through a magic fortune cookie their minds are switched into each other’s bodies. Now the fun begins. Anna as Tess has to cope with a practice and plans for a wedding. Tess as Anna has to deal with high school jealousies and a new boyfriend.
The movie works thanks to the multi talents of Curtis and Lohan. They are amazing as each other. Curtis especially brings to the forefront all that comedic talent she has been ignoring except for her roles in “True Lies” and “A Fish Called Wanda.” This could be the movie to jump-start her career to higher heights than she has ever attained.
Lohan starred in the Disney film “The Parent Trap.” She was fine there but she really comes into her own with this movie. She is pretty and cute and fun to watch. As “the mother in the daughter’s body” she is properly prissy and naturally conservative.
The one dark spot in the cast is Mark Harmon. He is like one of those black holes in outer space. He just sucks the energy right out of the movie every time he is onscreen. He looks drab and he acts that way too. It is hard to fathom why a vibrant woman like Tess wants or needs a loser like him.
The movie is rated PG for mild profanity.
“Freaky Friday” is a feel good movie that will entertain the whole family. It is a little slow in parts but overall it moves its silly premise along and gets the audience involved. Thanks to Curtis and Lohan the movie is a lot more fun than it should have been or would have been with a less talented cast.
I scored “Freak Friday” a daily 6 out of 10.
