Freaky Friday (2003)
"Freaky Friday" is one of those
body-switch teenage movie things that has been done
over and over since the original film came out in
the 70's. After that, the films were mainly concerned
with male characters as in the 80's flicks "Like Father,
Like Son" and "Vice Versa." With Disney striking gold
over the past few years with films aimed at teen females
(like "The Princess Diaries"), it seemed only logical
to bring the genre back full circle and remake the
original.
But things have changed here somewhat.
While Barbara Harris was a wife and frustrated mess
in the 1977 original, Jaime Lee Curtis is more together
and more independent here. Lindsay Lohan, who plays
the daughter turned mom here, doesn't have to concern
herself with cooking and housework. Her mother figure
is a working woman, a professional, and a widow. What's
more, the daughter here is far more hip and fun that
Jodie Foster's tomboy ever was. When Lohan "invades"
Curtis' body, she goes out and gets a make-over and
buys some cool new fashionable clothes, something
Foster's tomboy never would have done.
These modernizations aside, the
film is still pretty much the same at its core. The
story still revolves around a dysfunctional relationship
and the togetherness that bonds a parent and child
when each is allowed to walk in the other's shoes
for a day or more.
The most important thing concerning
casting in films of this nature is to procure a young
actor or actress who can play a very mature character
and an older parental figure who knows how to kick
up their heels. In this case, with the remake of "Freaky
Friday," everything seems to work out just fine. Curtis
has a blast and we really enjoy seeing her break out
and play a fun character. Lohan, meanwhile, provides
enough maturity to portray a woman of 20 years her
senior trapped in her body.
Still, the film handcuffs them at
times and doesn't give them enough to do to make us
enjoy the switcheroo fully. For one thing, the career
stuff Lohan gets involved with here while supposedly
Curtis is pretty typical. She's a psychiatrist with
needy patients and a new book. Yawn. We've seen that
a million times before. When Curtis goes on a TV show
and plays a teen promoting her mom's book, we expect
sparks to fly. They don't really. And the resolution
of this part of the story gets waylaid. We never really
find out if Curtis perhaps becomes a better psychiatrist
because of her experience. Dos her TV appearance make
her book wildly successful? We don't know. But hey,
at least we know this: Lohan gets the boy!
And what a boy! Chad Michael Murray
is a real hottie and he burns up any scene he is in.
His segment with Curtis practically explodes off the
screen with authentic chemistry. We almost wish we
could see these two hook-up for reals. Murray doesn't
have as much luck with Lohan (he seems way too old
for her) but who cares. We get to look at him more.
(Now if only he'd shave that stupid 90's soul patch).
Sadly, the other supporting characters
don't fare as well. Mark Harmon is wasted as the love
interest for Curtis. We could care less about them
as a couple. They try to give Harmon a few things
to do and we end up liking him but it seems so inconsequential.
Even worse is Harold Gould as the grandfather (who
has no reason to be there) and Ryan Malgarini as the
little brother. These two are simply wasted. As is
Steven Tolbolowsky as a teacher who also is used for
a plot point that ultimately seems to have no real
resolution. Even worse are the raging stereotypical
Asian females in the film who cause the switching
of bodies. This is the kind of stuff that should get
you in trouble with anti-defamation civic groups.
The script by Heather Hatch and
Leslie Dixon and the direction by Mark S. Waters can
be pretty dumb and pointless as the side characters
are at times too. Sure, this is a kid's flick and
one that should not be taken too seriously. But overall
the production and the script seem half-finished and
rushed. There should be more heart here and more moments
that make us fall in love with the lead females. Often
we feel as if we are being pushed around by the script,
having to accept what it is telling us at face value,
even if it has nothing in its soul to back it up.
Still, you can't argue with the
genre and you can't argue with the female leads, they
do a good job here. And you can't dismiss Murray's
handsome facade either. As any teenage girl and middle-aged
gay guy can tell you: Ain't nothing freaky about that
boy but the thoughts I'm having in my head!
Note:
Based on the novel by Mary Rodgers.
Kelly Osbourne, Tom Sellick and
Annette Benning were all slated to be in the cast
but dropped out before filming began. Many people
felt that Jodie Foster should have been asked to play
the mother role since she was in the original.
The girl's band in the film is called
Pink Slip, which I think is a kick-ass name for a
pop punk band with a female lead singer.
Also made into a TV movie for Disney
in 1995 with Shelley Long and Gabby Hoffman.
Viewed in Pflugerville in August
2003 with my roomie Amanda, my sister, and her two
tweener sons.
