Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Light musical reboot teaches parent-child empathy.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Freaky Friday (2018)
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 10 parent reviews
Based on 10 kid reviews
Kids say the movie features a mix of opinions, with many finding it too cringy, overly focused on music, and boring, particularly for older viewers, while some appreciate its clean content and positive messages. The musical aspect receives mixed feelings, with several reviewers believing that it detracts from the overall story and characters, leading to confusion and disappointment, yet a few still enjoyed the reboot's entertaining nature and lessons.
- cringe factor
- musical feedback
- clean messages
- mixed reviews
- character concerns
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
FREAKY FRIDAY is a Disney musical that retells the story of a rebellious teen and her mom who unwittingly trade bodies and lives. Heidi Blickenstaff stars as Katherine Blake, a single mom who's busy preparing to marry her fiancé, Mike (Alex Désert), and (fingers crossed!) get the break her catering business needs by planning the entire event herself. She knows things would go a lot more smoothly if her daughter, Ellie (Cozi Zuehlsdorff), wasn't so contrary all the time, but Ellie's sure the fault lies with her mom, who just doesn't understand what it's like to be her. When mom and daughter magically find themselves in the wrong bodies, they must set aside their preconceptions and actually walk a mile in each other's shoes as they search for a way to reverse the switch.
Is It Any Good?
This remake's breakout musical numbers give the familiar story a dynamic quality that you didn't even realize you wanted. All of the requisite beats of Freaky Friday's trademark identity-swap is here: Teen is shocked at her mom body's "loose skin" and laments adulting being "super unfun," Mom fails miserably at high school lingo and body language and can't resist giving sage advice to her daughter's social nemesis, and so on. Awkwardness abounds as Ellie and Katherine, played endearingly by the capable actresses, try desperately to maintain the status quo in each other's lives.
Besides the obvious message about not judging a book (or your mother) by its cover, Freaky Friday emphasizes self-expression and honest communication. Song-and-dance numbers are delightful additions to the plot, and the story carefully touches on serious emotions like grief after a loved one's death. Yes, Katherine and Ellie could have arrived at the same understanding about each other if they'd just called a truce and talked openly about their feelings at the start, but that wouldn't have been as much fun for viewers. In the end, it's that mutual understanding that sets things right, and that's what families can (and should) take away from this movie.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Ellie and Katherine's relationship changes in Freaky Friday as a result of their experience in each other's bodies. What could someone learn about you by living your life for a day? How can we better understand one another's situations without having to switch bodies?
How do Katherine and Ellie show empathy to each other by the end? What do they change to better communicate? Why are these important character strengths?
What does the music add to this story? Have you seen any other Freaky Friday movies? How does this one compare to the others you've seen?
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 10, 2018
- On DVD or streaming : September 25, 2018
- Cast : Cozi Zuehlsdorff , Heidi Blickenstaff , Alex Desert
- Director : Steve Carr
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Disney Channel Original Movies
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , School ( High School )
- Character Strengths : Communication , Empathy
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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