" I know a guy married the same dame 3 times then turned around and married her aunt "
— William Demarest, The Lady Eve

MRQE Top Critic

Betty Blue

There can be beauty in tragedy, particularly when the key ingredient is the same in both —Marty Mapes (review...)

Betty arrives like a bolt from the Blue

Sponsored links

Despite a predictable plot, Freaky Friday rises above the usual teen fare. Good comedic performances by Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan and an above-average script make this an entertaining movie. The bonus features on the DVD are not very substantial, but the disc is worth viewing for the movie alone.

A Mile in My Shoes

Lohan and Curtis entertain as each other
Lohan and Curtis entertain as each other

This remake (the 1976 original starred Jodie Foster and Barbara Harris) introduces us to teenager Anna (Lohan) and her psychotherapist mom Tess (Curtis). The two can’t seem to connect with each other on any level. Their constant arguments spill over into a family dinner at a Chinese restaurant on Thursday night. After eating some special fortune cookies served by a meddling magical restaurant hostess, they wake up in each other’s bodies.

In Anna’s body, Tess has to deal with an unfair teacher, a boy who likes her, and playing lead guitar at the battle of the bands. Meanwhile Anna has to bluff her way through therapy sessions and a television appearance while trying to avoid kissing Tess’s fiancee, Ryan (Mark Harmon).

The story doesn’t offer any surprises. Lessons are learned; mother and daughter come to appreciate each other. What does stand out is the screenplay, which has a good feel for mother-daughter arguments as well as teen and middle-aged angst. The two lead actresses have the charisma and appeal to make this a successful comedy. Watching them wear each other’s persona is a constant treat. Curtis in particular shows her talent as a comedienne.

DVD Extras

This disc’s special features include some alternate endings involving an exchange between Grandpa and Anna’s little brother. Waters introduces the scenes and explains why they weren’t used. “Freaky Bloopers” is a montage of actors blowing their lines. “Backstage Pass with Lindsay Lohan,” gives a behind-the scenes look at the set, and briefly compares this film to the 1976 movie. There are two music videos of songs from the movie. The disc also has a couple of cute, but inessential, Easter Eggs. Most of these features are fluff. Watch this DVD for the movie, not the extras.

Picture and Sound

The widescreen picture was very good. The disc also has a full-screen version of the movie. In a few places, the disc paused for longer than it should have; this may have been caused by a sensitive older DVD player. Although this movie doesn’t particularly lend itself to surround sound, the Dolby 5.1 soundtrack sounded fine.