Review of Freaky Friday (2003) by Shelton L — 14 May 2010

If I woke up and it was Friday and I was my mother, and my mother was me, well I would call that something more then freaky. Like terrifying Friday or AHHH I'm MY MOTHER Friday. But moving on....

Freaky Friday follows the lives of Lindsay Lohan's 'Rock Out' high school chic Anna and her mother, Tess played by Jamie Lee Curtis who is an uptight therapist about to get married. After eating a CRAZY fortune cookie the two of them wake up in each other's bodies. Though previously unable to comprehend each other's lives styles and motivations, through switching bodies the two of them learn to better understand one another.

The film is rather atypical high school girl drama but Jamie Lee Curtis performance as a grown woman with the mind of a high schooler is spectacular. She is totally outstanding. By changing her walk and mannerism and diction she totally embraces the camp sensibilities of this part. Through this performance, she manages to critique both high school and adult expectations. If this film draws attention to anything, it explores the often illogical standards we hold adults to. In her transformation from Tess to Anna, the largest difference in her character is she allows her self the freedom to relax. In a world where the highest grossing books every years are often self help, and where people spend fortunes on massages and herbal remedies and cd's which play the sound of rushing water, I believe that Anna/Tess's message of relaxation through childlike indulgence is not only practical but sound advice. Furthermore, through the character of Lindsay Lohan this film also draws attention to the ludicrous and crazy nature of dramatic high school lives. I believe this film does a good job of showing just how pointless and often absurd, high school interactions are.

Ultimately, I think the message that Disney was trying to get across here is that parents and children need to learn to understand each other, by letting them have their own 'space.' Though a good message I think it is sort of lost in the muddle of crazy that dominates this film. A good fun flic, its nothing I would ever recommend to any one, but it's much better then some of Lindsay Lohans other high school films, (like confessions of a teenage drama queen.) and a great film to watch if you like Jamie Lee Curtis, which you should, because she is awesome!