Freakier Friday isn’t just a sequel, it’s a time machine, a mirror, and a warm hug all rolled into one. For anyone who grew up on the 2003 Freaky Friday, it’s a nostalgia-soaked joyride. But for me, it’s more than just a trip down memory lane. It’s a love letter to my mum, a reflection on how our relationship has evolved, and a reminder of how much the original shaped the way I saw her and myself.
When Freaky Friday first hit cinemas, I was 13, navigating puberty and the emotional whiplash of moving from Malaysia to New Zealand. My mum was going through her own seismic changes, adapting to a new culture while holding our family together. We clashed often, as mothers and teenage daughters do, but watching Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan switch bodies, walk in each other’s shoes, and find a new appreciation for one another struck me deeply. It didn’t magically erase our arguments, but it planted a seed: a deeper understanding that, beneath all the frustration, we were both just trying our best.
Now, over two decades later, Freakier Friday feels like art imitating life. Lohan’s Anna is grown up, juggling a career, single motherhood, and planning a wedding to a single dad. Curtis’s Tess can’t stop “mothering” both her daughter and granddaughter even when she probably should. I may not be a mum yet, but I’m well into my own adult life challenges, and I’ve felt that same push-and-pull with my mum. Her advice and “help” are always rooted in love, even if I sometimes resist it. Watching this dynamic on screen felt achingly familiar, not just for me, but also in the way I’ve seen my mum and sister (a mum of two) navigate their own mother-daughter moments.
The body-swap hijinks are just as hilarious as they were in 2003, but there’s a richer, more layered heart to it this time around. As a teen, I related fiercely to Anna. Now, I find myself understanding Tess just as much, maybe even more. The story beats are familiar, even predictable, but the journey is packed with warmth, laughter, and moments that make you want to call your mum the second the credits roll.
The returning cast is a treat. Seeing Chad Michael Murray, Mark Harmon, Ryan Malgarini, Haley Hudson, Christina Vidal and more pop back in felt like a cheeky wink to longtime fans. And yes, I’ll admit it: teenage me barely noticed Murray, but 2025 me can’t help but think he’s aged like fine wine.
Manny Jacinto adds plenty of charm and comedic timing as the soon-to-be stepdad, Eric, and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan shines alongside him, both bringing vibrant Asian and South Asian representation that made my heart swell.
One of the film’s strongest threads is how it handles the complexities of blended families. Anna’s daughter, Harper, and Eric’s daughter, Lily, start off bristling at the idea of becoming stepsisters, their resistance adding an extra layer of tension and relatability to the chaos. The step-sibling rivalry brings its own comedic and heartfelt beats, showing that navigating family change isn’t just for the adults. It reminded me that some love stories in adulthood aren’t only about the couple, but about the kids learning to adapt too. Watching those walls slowly come down between the girls, and between the parents and children felt just as rewarding as seeing everyone in this story step into new perspectives and understand each other better.
And then there’s Pink Slip. Hearing “Take Me Away” again was pure lightning-in-a-bottle nostalgia. I was instantly transported back to my teenage bedroom, electric guitar in hand, figuring out the chords after racing home from the cinema in 2003. That song still hits just as hard, proving some things truly never lose their magic.
Freakier Friday is more than a sequel. It’s a celebration of growth, empathy, and the unshakable bonds that hold families together, whether they’re built by blood, marriage, or the messy, wonderful in-betweens. Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan haven’t missed a beat, their chemistry as sharp and heartfelt as ever. The laughs are plentiful and the message is timeless.
For me, it’s a reminder of my relationship with my mum, how far we’ve come, and how much of her is in the person I’ve grown to be. But it also reminded me how every family, no matter its shape, can find connection in unexpected ways.