Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Shenanigans ensue in four-way body-swapping sequel.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
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Freakier Friday
What's the Story?
In FREAKIER FRIDAY—the sequel to 2003's Freaky Friday—a magical mishap sparks another multigenerational body swap, this time involving not just two, but four girls and women. Set roughly 20 years after the previous film, the story reintroduces viewers to Anna (Lindsay Lohhan), now a busy 36-year-old talent manager who's raising her only child, high schooler Harper (Julia Butters), as a single mom—with help from her own mother, Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis), who's still a successful therapist and author. Harper, a surfer, clashes with her fashionista British lab partner, Lily (Sophia Hammons). Their rivalry sparks an unexpected meet-cute between their parents, and Lily's widowed father, Eric (Manny Jacinto), quickly falls for Anna. Six months later, the two girls are horrified to learn that their parents not only plan to marry but also possibly uproot their newly blended family from Los Angeles to London, where Eric and Lily used to live. Then, just days before the wedding, a palm reader's fortune ends with a four-way body swap: Anna switches with Harper, and Tess switches with Lily. To undo the curse, the girls (now stuck in the bodies of a mom and grandma) believe they must break up their parents' wedding. The experience—shockingly!—leads to intergenerational hijinks and surprises.
Is It Any Good?
Curtis and Lohan's on-screen mother-daughter chemistry anchors this intergenerational sequel, which once again champions empathy and family harmony. Freakier Friday's four-way body swap adds an extra layer of humor to the proceedings, as the two teens (now inhabiting a mother's 30-something body and a grandmother's late-60s physique) struggle with what it's like to feel older but relish the relative power and authority that adulthood brings. Meanwhile, the adults, now in teen bodies, enjoy their rediscovered energy and resilience, indulging in food and physical activity without fear of indigestion or injury. Curtis and Lohan, along with younger stars Butters and Hammons, deliver convincing performances as they channel one another's personalities and mannerisms.
Fans of the 2003 Freaky Friday will especially appreciate this movie's callbacks to that one, including Chad Michael Murray's return as Anna's former high school boyfriend, Jake, who's still a blond heartthrob more interested in Tess than Anna. Unaware of this twist, the girls hilariously visit Jake's record shop while in the older women's bodies, leading to one of the movie's funniest (or most cringeworthy, depending on your age) scenes. Eagle-eyed audiences will spot other Easter eggs and returning supporting characters, including friends of both Anna and Tess, as well as Anna's stepfather/Tess' husband, Ryan (Mark Harmon). This is one Disney live-action sequel that still works, proving that the body-swapping formula, when done well, continues to charm and entertain.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Freakier Friday demonstrates the importance of empathy. What do the characters learn by literally walking in someone else's shoes?
If you saw the 2003 Freaky Friday, what extra jokes or callbacks did you get out of watching this movie? How does the sequel compare to the first one?
How does the movie handle the subjects of body image and aging? What messages does it send about growing older, and how could those comments impact viewers?
How are blended families portrayed in the film? What challenges and strengths do they show?
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 8, 2025
- On DVD or streaming : October 7, 2025
- Cast : Jamie Lee Curtis , Lindsay Lohan , Julia Butters , Sophia Hammons
- Director : Nisha Ganatra
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Lesbian Movie Director(s) , Queer Movie Director(s) , Indian/South Asian Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Asian Movie Actor(s) , Polynesian/Pacific Islander Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Book Characters , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Communication , Empathy , Gratitude , Self-control
- Run time : 111 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : thematic elements, rude humor, language and some suggestive references
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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