Freaky Friday - Ein voll verrückter Freitag

This is one of those movies that had bad timing when it came to its release. An overworked mother and her daughter do not get along. When they switch bodies, each is forced to adapt to the others life for one freaky Friday. I thought this was cute and not bad. All of the fancy characters struggle against a system that has perpetuated falsehoods. From an artistic standpoint, there were some plot elements and character developments I didn't think were totally needed. They do however drive the story, which seemed to be their purpose, so I can accept them. I am not saying the film is a classic, but it was good enough.

I've been wanting to see this film since the trailers started playing many moons ago. I saw the Jody Foster version when it first came out in 1976 and like that one, the 2003 version is an excellent all ages movie. It reminds me of the great flicks Disney use to release all the time during the 60's and 70's so it was no surprise they reached to the vault to redo "Freaky Friday".

Jamie Lee Curtis has her best comedy role since "A Fish Called Wanda". She was having fun with the part and many of the teen mannerisms she did as Annabell were dead on. Curtis is one of the most underrated actors in the world. Just based on her performance "Freaky Friday" was a great ride.

Lindsay Lohan made the movie better with her take on Annabell. I have liked Lohan since "The Parent Trap" and if she decides to stay with acting she might go on as long as Jody Foster has in the business. Lohan has one thing that actors like Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts have and that is an expressive face. Acting is so much better when the actor can add to their part through the expressions in their face and Lindsay can do that.

Watching the movie was a delight for me. I never got the feeling that 35 year old men wrote the script (they didn't) like I do with some of the "teen" movies out today.

The music used by the movie band "Pink Slip" was above average and the other soundtrack music fit the film as well.

Now if they would just do a big budget "Herbie the Love Bug" feature, I would be even more happy.

This is about the third adaptation of the Mary Rodgers novel. Finally, the team behind this film has gotten it together. It's obvious the original text has been revised in order to include the language of today. But the best thing about the movie is the casting assembled for it, with a sure director's hand behind it.

Actually, this is about the first film that has made me laugh since "Bringing down the house" that came out earlier this year. Most comedies today seem to forget that the basic premise for their existence is to amuse the audiences and entertain them, at the same time.

Mark Waters, the director shows he has a fine sense of how to make things move constantly in this comedy about identity changes. Of course, this film wouldn't be half the fun it is without Jamie Lee Curtis, who has never been as effective in any previous films. Her take on Tess Coleman, the not so cool therapist, strikes the right tone.

Her daughter is played with a lot of conviction by Lindsay Lohan, who is totally believable as the typical teen ager working through the pain of losing a father and getting a replacement she is not too fond of.

Things move at a rapid pace; there is never a dull moment in the film. It's a perfect summer comedy that will leave the viewer satisfied and happy.

At first I couldn't understand why this was the version to see. It didn't seem any better than the Shelley Long/Gaby Hoffmann version I enjoyed years ago. Lindsay Lohan was a holy terror and her mom was merely uptight but nothing special. But of course all that changed when the magic spell took effect and Anna woke up horrified.

There are many deserving performances, mostly dramatic, that get Oscar nominations each year. It's easier for a movie like this to get recognition when comedy has its own categories. But Jamie Lee Curtis was amazing. Such a bizarre sight, this middle-aged woman acting like a teen! Maybe Oscar would be asking too much because of the competition, but Curtis certainly deserved a Golden Globe nomination. And Lindsay Lohan did a capable job of the mom in a teen's body, trying so hard to fit in at school.

Harold Gould's performance also should be noted. He made quite a likable buffoonish grandfather. I liked Rosalind Chao's clueless, almost stereotypical restaurant hostess. Lucille Soong made us notice as Chao's meddling mom who just HAD to help this family. And Jeff Marcus as one of Tess' more troubled patients.

Although the musicians showed talent, I will say I agree with the first opinion Tess had of her daughter's music. It was all just noise! I liked the music for the wedding rehearsal.

I still want to see the Jodie Foster original, and twice I have been annoyed that someone felt the need to do a remake rather than show the original. But this one was really worth it!

To make Freaky Friday work perfectly; you would have to believe that Jamie Lee Curtis is Lindsay Lohan and Lindsay Lohan is Jamie Lee Curtis. Although at times it seemed that way, at other times, it just seemed like Lohan was trying to be Curtis and Curtis was trying to be Lohan. Any way you look at it, Freaky Friday is a family-friendly film that tries to please everyone, and does. It pleases shallow teen prep girls because of Chad Michael Murray. It pleases teen boys because of Lindsay Lohan. It pleases older men because of a Jamie Lee Curtis thong shot. It pleases older women because of Mark Harmon. It pleases the whole family, being that they already saw Finding Nemo and it's the only other family movie out there.

Tess Coleman (Jamie Lee Curtis) (changed from Ellen Andrews from the novel by Mary Rodgers) is a harried psychiatrist who still has time for her family. Anna Colemen (Lohan) (changed from Annabel Andrews) is supposed to be a typical teenager (but is anything but), and has daily fights with her younger brother Harry (Ryan Malgarini) (changed from Ben Andrews). Tess is going to marry Ryan (Harmon), because her husband died three years ago (can't there be a Disney movie with both parents still alive?), of whom Anna doesn't approve. After a fueled feud, Tess and Anna open fortune cookies that switch bodies: Tess is in Anna's body, and vice versa. Whatever will be done?

Although most people have praised Curtis for her accurate portrayal of a typical teen (although with the people at my school, what she does is anything but typical), and she should be, Lohan does better at being an adult. If Lohan, a teenager, could be an adult so well, that's rather scary. I thought at most times Lohan was Tess, but Curtis was having too much fun as Anna to really be thought of as great. Instead of acting like Lohan, Curtis just acts like a young kid who just ate too much ice cream.

One part of Freaky Friday that I didn't like is how often we were put in an awkward situation. And when they were there, they just didn't seem plausible. All of a sudden, Anna-as-Tess is a guest on a talk show, talks to someone she has a crush on, and watches Tess-as-Anna perform? Not only were they awkward, they were just not believable. On the other hand, Freaky Friday not only has some genuinely funny moments, but is also quite touching at times. Obviously, it was going to be, and Tess and Anna were going to learn to respect each other, considering it was shown in the trailer.

One other part I didn't like was how far it strayed from the book. It only focused on Anna-as-Tess (Annabel-as-Ellen), and how she spent her day. Of course, back then she was a housewife, but now she has to be a successful doctor. I do admire it for changing it, unlike others, which is basically watching the book. Overall, Freaky Friday is a likable, pleasant 90-minute diverter. It won't change your life, but you won't be upset you saw it.

My rating: 7/10

Rated PG for mild thematic elements and some language.