Quel pazzo venerdì

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.

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.

Freaky Friday has just the right touch. In making an identity-switch movie, there is always the temptation to overdo things, in both the comedy and the pathos sides. Jamie Lee Curtis has just about the right balance portraying a 15-year-old in a 40-year-old body. On the comedy side, although on occasions coming across as just a little bit too silly, Curtis has on the whole brought out the funny side of the situation without undue exaggeration. The important thing is her success in making the whole thing believable. On the pathos side, her toasting speech in the engagement ceremony is touching performance. Lindsay Logan, on the other hand, has much less opportunity of repeating her brilliant performance in The Parent Trap (1998). The fault is not hers. It's just that it's much less fun watching a 40-year-old in a 15-year-old body than the other way around. While this is obviously the ladies' show, the two beaus provide reliable support. However, it is the fantastic pair of grandpa (Harold Gould) and little brother (Ryan Malgarini) who stole the show, particularly the little guy. I for one would love to see a sequel with this pair swapping bodies. Good flick; well worth the admission price.

Freaky Friday is an underrated Disney flick with a surprisingly sharp script and plenty of great laugh-out-loud moments. It's a good time.

Freaky Friday, this was such a funny movie, and a huge surprise for 2003. This is actually a new favorite comedy of mine; Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan have such a great chemistry, I was really impressed with, new comer, Lohan's performance. She and Jamie just made this film an absolute blast to watch. I think I loved Jamie more though, she captured the whole essence of being a teenager perfectly, she did not over do it at all. Not to mention she's just an absolute pleasure to watch on screen, she's such a terrific actress, I love her so much. The story was just so perfect to update into today's society where everyone is so busy to even notice each other.

Anna is a teenage girl, she's pretty typical, she loves music, is a bit angry with her life, a bit of a drama queen, is annoyed by her little brother, and annoyed with her mother who is constantly on her case. Tess, Anna's mom, is a busy lady with a constant on the move schedule, she and Anna just constantly bump heads with one thing or another. Tess is also getting married again to a man who Anna is not too fond of. One night when Anna asks her mom if she can perform at a concert on the night of the wedding rehearsal, it doesn't go so well and they get into a huge fight. The restaurant owner's mom gives them a fortune cookie and ends up switching bodies. They end up learning that maybe their lives are a little harder than what they really expected it to be.

Freaky Friday is a very enjoyable film that I'm very sure you'll have a good time watching. It's a very impressive comedy for any age. My favorite scene was without a doubt when Anna(in Tess's body) goes on TV discussing her latest book and tells the truth about why adults worry so much, not to mention the scene where Tess and Anna discover their bodies are switched. This is just a great remake, it has a great cast, a fun script, and is just all around a good movie, I highly recommend it.

8/10