Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Fun story with a heart warming ending
Cons: None
The Bottom Line:
Some body switching
Leads to hilarious scenes
Wonderful remake
Nothing Freaky About it - This Movie is Wonderful
Mother and daughter Tess and Anna Coleman just don't get
along. Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis) embarrasses teenage Anna to no end and is so
busy planning a wedding she doesn't realize her daughter is growing up. Anna
(Lindsay Lohan) resents her mother's fiancee and wants to be treated as a
grown-up, even if she's not responsible enough yet. She also gets into trouble
at school and her mother just doesn't get her band.
Then one Friday, they wake up to discover they've been
transported into each other's bodies. Now Tess has to go to school and see what
Anna's world is really like. And Anna must act like a grown-up whether she
wants to or not. But can they figure out how to switch back before Tess walks
down the aisle?
I actually have never seen the original or read the book,
but as soon as I heard about this movie, I had to see it because of Lindsay
Lohan. I became an instant fan with her work in The Parent Trap remake, and
this movie impressed me even more. She made a grown-up trapped in a teen's body
completely believable. Jamie Lee Curtis is equally wonderful as a grown-up who
really isn't. The supporting cast is wonderful as they try to coup with the
weirdness going on around them that they can't possibly understand. Mark Harmon
especially makes the thankless task of the fiancee fun and Chad Michael Murray
adds laughs as Anna's love interest who finds himself falling for Tess. I
laughed the entire way through the movie and choked up with tears at the end.
(I cry at the drop of a hat, what can I say?)
What impressed me most was the family relationships in this
movie. While Tess had lots to learn about what her teenage daughter's life is
really like, it's ultimately Anna who has to grow the most. I liked the idea
that living like the other person for a day can make that much difference. Yes,
it's fiction, but it's feel good fiction. That’s my favorite kind of movie.
The DVD is well worth buying. Not only do you get the fun
movie, but you get a few cool extras. They have a deleted scene with director
commentary (and he was right to delete it), and two alternative endings. The
bloopers reel was fun, as were the two music video's from the soundtrack. There
is a seven minute back stage featurette this is also worth checking out. I
would have loved to see an audio commentary or two, especially one including
Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, but it's not to be found. The movie itself
is presented in both widescreen and full frame formats, with a wonderful
picture. The full surround sound is great as well.
Truly fun movies the entire family can enjoy together are a
rare treat. Jump on Freaky Friday while you can. Everyone will have an evening of
pleasant entertainment.
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