BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Bigger is not always better when it comes to movies.
Way back in 2003, Lindsay Lohan and pre-Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis played a daughter and mother who mysteriously swap bodies. What passed as a story thread was that the only way they could fully appreciate each other was to literally walk a mile in each other’s shoes.
The story was presented with slapstick comedy, over-the-top acting and endless juvenile situations. In the movie world, “Freaky Friday” was a palate cleanser between better movies. Because streaming had not taken over, theaters were the only real outlet for this kind of mundane material.
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Because every idea in Hollywood is like a zombie and won’t die, the body-swapping gimmick has been resurrected for “Freakier Friday.” Despite the passing decades, it is presented with the same slapstick comedy, over-the-top acting and endless juvenile situations as the original.
Here’s the big change. Instead of two body swappers, there are four. Adult single mom Anna (Lohan) switches bodies with her rebellious teenage daughter Harper (Julia Butters) while therapist and grandmother Tess (Curtis) swaps bodies with snooty Brit teen Lily (Sophia Hammons).
Anna is days away from marrying Lily’s father Eric (Manny Jacinto) and the two daughters want to stop the nuptials. The transformation of the characters comes during a party where all four chat with a faux psychic (Vanessa Bayer). They wake up the next day to body shame each other.
As with the first film, the strangers in a strange body must convince those around them that they are the people they appear to be. If that sounds fuzzy, it was far simpler with the original film because of dealing with only two characters. Doubling the number doesn’t open new comedy possibilities but just forces the audience to keep track of which character is which.
There is plenty of time to sort that out as “Freakier Friday” never gets deep into the writing. This is a film that resorts to a food fight and a pie in the face to generate laughs. The material would have to rise remarkably to be even considered juvenile.
Inexperienced director Nisha Ganatra (“Late Night”) must deal with a script that bounces from wedding plans to surfing moments to dealing with a musical diva (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan). These layers, combined with all the people not in their own skin, are like a movie version of a Rubik’s Cube. Because nothing lines up completely, the result ends up being frustrating.
That includes Hammons’ British accent that comes and goes with each scene. It would have helped keep the characters straight if Curtis had taken on a British accent when the teen took over. There is one joke made about it and then it is gone.
Having Curtis forced to portray what some writer thought was the actions of a teen was fun to watch the first time. It now comes across as sad. She must deal with jokes about older adults not being able to control their bowels and the vast difference in fashion ideas between young and old. Each comedy turn never elevates above sitcom level or a production for a streaming service such as Disney+.
The juvenile moments with Curtis are a real waste of her talent, but at least she got to do something, even if it was not that good. Mark Harmon returns to the role of the husband to Tess and he has only a few more lines than a movie extra. More wasted talent.
The best place for “Freakier Friday” would have been on the Disney streaming service. Because consumers pay one amount each month for multiple programs, a production that tries so little would not be as concerning as paying for a movie ticket.
Those who adore “Freaky Friday” can bask in the nostalgia of the new film. For others, what should have been the biggest swap in “Freakier Friday” was switching the script for this sequel for a better one.
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Movie review
Freakier Friday
Grade: C
Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Julia Butters, Sophia Hammons, Mark Harmon, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Chad Michael Murray.
Director: Nisha Ganatra
Rated: PG for suggestive humor, rude humor, language, thematic elements
Running time: 111 minutes.
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