JEANNE’S REVIEW

After 22 years, in FREAKIER FRIDAY Anna (Lindsay Lohan) and Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis) are back, the daughter and mother who experienced an out-of-body identity crisis and switched bodies in FREAKY FRIDAY (2003). And now, Anna has a 15-year-old daughter named Harper (Julia Butters), who is constantly being mothered by both Anna and Tess.

Tess has become a successful, published psychologist. She’s married to Ryan (Mark Harmon), who’s about as laid back as they come. Anna, who is single, manages a very popular popstar, Ella (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), and secretly pretends she’s part of her old garage band, Pink Slip.

Harper, an accomplished surfer in Southern California, is currently embroiled in a contentious relationship with her chemistry lab partner, Lily (Sophia Hammons), who grew up in England and desperately wants to return. She’s the only daughter of Eric Reyes (Manny Jacinto), a single father and chef/owner of a restaurant in Los Angeles named Lily’s. When Harper and Lily cause a major mishap in the chemistry lab, both Anna and Eric are summoned to the principal’s office where it is love at first sight.

After a whirlwind romance, Anna and Eric plan a wedding. It still hasn’t been decided where the four of them, Anna, Eric, Harper and Lily, will live, with Harper insisting they stay in Los Angeles and Lily pushing for a move back to the UK. Harper and Lily devise a plan to stop the wedding, but before they can implement their nefarious actions, an encounter with Madame Jen (Vanessa Bayer) recreates the body-swapping adventure with Tess switching with Lily and Anna switching with Harper.

Immediately, there are age jokes as Curtis plays poor Lily being a grandmother to the hilt. It’s often quite silly, but at times downright hysterical. At one point, she and Harper as Anna visit Anna’s old high school crush, Jake (Chad Michael Murray) at The Record Parlour. Lily, as Tess, finds herself on the floor and struggles to get up. Yes, getting old is a bitch ---

The point is --- for all its zaniness --- FREAKIER FRIDAY is still mostly a great deal of fun. Curtis and Lohan retain their amazing chemistry from the original, and there is no doubt that the two of them --- and the rest of the cast --- had a blast making this movie. Butters and Hammons play well off of one another, especially during their not-getting-along stage. They are both darling young women and very talented.

Jacinto is really well cast. Not only is Eric handsome and kind, but he’s also a great dancer thanks to Jacinto’s obvious talents. And he also shares believable chemistry with Lohan --- they make a great couple. Harmon’s role is thankfully small --- he just seems so uncomfortable playing Tess’ doormat.

Bayer is absolutely perfect as Madame Jen, the ditsy psychic who wears numerous hats, including working as a Starbucks barista. She’s delightfully eccentric. And Stephen Tobolowsky has returned as Mr. Elton Bates, Anna’s high school English teacher who now teaches at Harper and Lily’s school. He’s always fun to watch.

Besides being an homage to fabulous Los Angeles --- so many familiar landmarks --- FREAKIER FRIDAY is also a tribute to mothers, daughters and grandmothers everywhere. Directed by Nisha Ganatra from a screenplay by Jordan Weiss based on the book “Freaky Friday” by Mary Rodgers, female talent abounds in every aspect of this latest Disney effort, which is a wonderful thing to behold.

David, per usual, wasn’t impressed, but as I have often queried, “What does he know?” And be sure to remain for the credits --- the outtakes are hilarious!

Opinion: Mild See It Now!

    DAVID’S REVIEW

Without a doubt the most telling aspects of FREAKIER FRIDAY, the sequel to the 2003 hit FREAKY FRIDAY, are the outtakes at the end of the movie. It is obvious that the entire cast had a great time in the making of the second film, but unfortunately the same cannot be said of most of the people in the audience watching the finished product on screen.

That is not say that there aren’t some entertaining moments in FREAKIER FRIDAY, but they are too few to save the sequel. I did appreciate the references to two of my generation’s favorite parlor games, Parcheesi and Boggle. And Angelenos will appreciate references to iconic Los Angeles landmarks such as the Wiltern Theater, Larchmont Village and Echo Park Lake.

The concert near the film’s end featuring Lindsay Lohan as Anna where she has been overtaken by the body of her daughter, Harper (Julia Butters), is interesting because Harper cannot play the guitar or even sing. So, of course, Lohan introduces Harper to the audience, who is now her mother Anna, because Harper plays the guitar much better. Sound confusing? I actually found it a bit challenging to keep it all straight since FREAKIER FRIDAY features twice as many body switches as FREAKY FRIDAY.

The ravenous fans of Ella (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), the main attraction at the concert, who is also managed by Anna, invites Anna on stage to perform along with her two mates from their high school garage band Pink Slip. Of course, Ella has no way of knowing that Harper was living in Anna’s body.

All these transformations are the result of something that Madame Jen, a palm reading psychic who Tess (Curtis) and Anna go to, intoned in their presence. Madame Jen is portrayed by former SNL comic Vanessa Bayer. It’s a juicy role for Bayer --- one of the film’s highlights --- and she improvised much of her material. Current SNL cast member Chloe Fineman, however, is wasted in a few brief appearances as a dance instructor.

The efforts by all the cast members are not lacking. In addition to Curtis, Lohan and Butters, Manny Jacinto as Anna’s soon-to-be husband Eric is engaging --- no pun intended. Sophia Hammons plays Eric’s daughter Lily, now in Tess’s body, and Lily and Harper do not like each other. Returnees from the original film include Mark Harmon as Tess’ husband and Anna’s father-in-law, Ryan. His contributions are minimal.

FREAKIER FRIDAY is scripted by Jordan Weiss and directed by Nisha Ganatra. The themes of mothers and daughters supporting each other often gets lost in the mishmash of the screenplay. Actually, the scene where Anna and Eric apply for a marriage license is the funniest thanks to the hilarious bit by the actress who played the government official.

Overall, one could make the argument that a whole new generation of moviegoers --- who may have missed the original of 22 years ago --- will cling to the novelty of the plot. I cannot make that argument --- the massive food fight in the early part of the movie was a deal breaker for me.

Opinion:  Mild Wait for VOD