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Parents' Guide to

Freaky Friday (2018)

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Musical reboot's heartwarming themes are great for families.

Movie NR 2018 90 minutes
Freaky Friday (2018) Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

  • Freaky Friday TV Movie: Scene #1
  • Freaky Friday TV Movie: Scene #2
  • Freaky Friday TV Movie: Scene #3

Community Reviews

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age 10+

Based on 8 parent reviews

Helen S.
Helen S. Adult
January 1, 2021
age 13+

Awful song about parents lying

I would have scored this higher as the kids seemed to be enjoying it, but then there was a song about parents lying about Santa Claus and magic and suggesting that when we praise our children we’re really lying to them and they’re not really good at anything. That’s just a horrible message - why would we want our kids to doubt everything? So I wish we had avoided this film.
joy_joy
joy_joy Adult
July 20, 2020
age 13+

Way better than the other two!! (my opinion)

**CALLING ALL MUSICAL LOVERS** This is a musical! I didn't know that it was a musical until the main characters busted out singing and dancing! I was shocked! I personally LOVED it! It was much cleaner than the last remake and I recommend over the first two versions. There are low and plunging tops and short skirts/shorts on the main characters and extras. Like for most of the movie... The main family is mixed. Black dad and white mom/kids. There is a lot of diversity in this movie, and I think it makes it feel real, so I applaud Disney! The daughter is grieving from her dad's death 5 years earlier. Her grief led to her being on the rebellious side, such as getting a belly button piercing. The daughter calls her brother names such as, "nerd face", etc. which helps tear him down leading to him running away from home. Cute little romance mixed in the plot line. Mother and daughter realize to switch back they need to confess their love for each other (**cough cough kinda like Frozen cough cough**) This does seem to be a movie for teenagers (girls) and their mom's. Like a mother daughter movie. I watched it with my 13-year-old sister and she was a bit bored, but I am 18 (female) and loved the balance of everything! And I love musicals so I'm a bit biased XD
See all 8 parent reviews

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 busy preparing to marry her fiancé, Mike (Alex Desert), 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 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 magic.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (8 ):
Kids say (10 ):

This remake's shtick is the breakout musical numbers that give the familiar story a dynamic quality that you didn't even realize you wanted. All of the requisite hilarity of identity-swapping tales 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. It wouldn't have been as much fun for the audience, but 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. In the end, it's that simple act that sets things right, and that's what families can 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. How instructive would that be? Can you ever really understand someone else's situation? How does showing respect compensate for our inability to do so?

  • What character strengths like compassion do you see in Katherine and in Ellie? How does their relationship change after they learn to better understand each other? What stood in the way of that relationship before they switched identities?

  • What does the music add to this story? Have you seen the other Freaky Friday movies? In what ways does this one improve on the others? Are there ways in which it's lacking?

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