Freakier Friday (2025) – Detailed Review
Overview & Premise
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Freakier Friday, directed by Nisha Ganatra and written by Jordan Weiss, reunites Lindsay Lohan (Anna) and Jamie Lee Curtis (Tess) two decades after the original. It introduces a quadruple body swap with Anna’s daughter Harper (Julia Butters) and Lily (Sophia Hammons), ahead of Anna's wedding. (Wikipedia, The Washington Post)
What Critics Loved
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Jamie Lee Curtis steals the show with committed physical comedy that’s simultaneously hilarious and heartfelt. (The Washington Post, Time Out Worldwide, FanBolt)
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Nostalgia done right: Emotional callbacks (like reuniting Pink Slip) and Lohan's return evoke the original's charm. (EW.com, TechRadar, Cinemablend, FanBolt)
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Julia Butters and Sophia Hammons shine—particularly Butters, whose subtlety stands out. (Time Out Worldwide, FanBolt, The Washington Post, DiscussingFilm)
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Funny and warm, with emotionally resonant themes about family and generational empathy. (Cinemablend, EW.com, FanBolt)
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Lighthearted escapism: Time Out praised it as “infectious, ridiculous fun” for audiences craving simple amusement. (Time Out Worldwide)
What Fell Short
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Overstuffed and chaotic: The four-way swap makes the plot hard to follow at times. (Roger Ebert, https://www.fox5vegas.com, athomeinhollywood.com, KQED, DiscussingFilm)
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Feels like TV, not cinema: Critics noted the film's “made-for-Disney+” aesthetics—flat lighting, choppy storytelling, and poorly disguised green screens. (https://www.azfamily.com, DiscussingFilm)
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Less charm, more slapstick: Some gags and over-the-top scenes don’t land, and the narrative comes across as disjointed. (athomeinhollywood.com, The Australian, https://www.azfamily.com, https://www.fox5vegas.com)
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Nostalgia fatigue: Time magazine called it an embarrassing attempt driven by nostalgia “at the expense of creativity.” (TIME)
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Misuse of supporting characters: Certain cast members, like Chad Michael Murray, are underutilized despite memorable moments. (Vulture, FanBolt)
Verdict Snapshot
| Element | Highlights | Drawbacks |
|---|---|---|
| Performances | Curtis’s comedic brilliance; Lohan’s charm; Butters’s gravitas | Focus on nostalgia overshadows character depth |
| Tone & Enjoyment | Fun, nostalgic, feel-good family comedy | Frantic pacing; inconsistent humor |
| Cinematic Quality | Solid return for fans; sentimental callbacks | Too polished and flat—lacks theatrical finesse |
Final Thoughts
Freakier Friday is a nostalgia-fueled, sometimes messy family comedy that thrives on its leads—especially Jamie Lee Curtis—while leaning heavily on callbacks to its 2003 predecessor. It’s fun when embraced as lighthearted escapism, not as profound storytelling. If you’re after emotional depth or coherent narrative, you might be left wanting—but if you came for comedic chaos and sentimental reunions, it largely delivers.