Freaky Friday

1995's Freaky Friday remake seemed like a good idea at the time. You've got two great actresses -- Shelley Long and Gaby Hoffmann -- to play the mother and daughter. You've got half the cast of 1995's "The Baby-sitters Club" (Asher Metchik, Natanya Ross, Marla Sokoloff). And then there's the cameo appearances that every Disney film should have (Carol Kane, Drew Carey, Sandra Bernhard). So what's the problem? First of all, as another reviewer suggested, it should NOT be compared to the original. The plots are nothing alike except for the mother-daughter switching thing. Their lives, predicaments, and personalities in the original and the remake are completely different. Even so, I'm going to compare them just long enough to say that in the original, you could believe Ellen was in Annabel's body and vice versa. With this 1995 version, Ellen and Annabel's personalities were so similar to begin with (both kind of loud, bold, etc.) that I was totally NOT convinced they'd even switched places. What's more, the film just goes on and on. Alan Rosenberg's character gets to yell a lot. And the end is really anticlimactic. Despite all of this, it's a decent movie and I'm surprised it hasn't been picked up to air on the Disney channel every once in a while. And if they would be so kind as to start airing these older movies they should definitely consider "The Great Mom Swap" -- another ABC gem from the same year.

I haven't had the experience of having seen the other 2 versions of this film but this one with Shelley Long and Gaby Hoffman I found was delightful. I didn't think it would be a funny movie but with Shelley Long in it I did think it would be a fun movie and it really was. Was that really Gaby Hoffman swimming and diving because if it was she is an excellent swimmer and diver. Shelley Long roller blading. Was that really her and if so she is a really good roller bleater. The film I found enjoyable from beginning to end. Ben, Gabys brother was a really good character and punk rapper "annabelles got a boy named Luke. Every time I see him makes me puke" and Shelley Longs business partner put all his soul into his part. The whole cast in it were a pleasure to watch. Getting this video in England is very difficult indeed so I had to go to America to get it and I am very glad I did.

Happy made-for-TV remake of the 1970s original, starring Shelly Long. Very typical, predictable, and not all that funny, but also very watchable and earnest, clean entertainment. I heard the newest remake with Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan is much better - but this one is okay, I suppose.

3/5 stars -

John Ulmer

Freaky Friday is a great movie starring Gaby Hoffmann and Shelley Long who play mother and daughter who switch places for a day. This version of Freaky Friday is *much* better than the original. (Don't get me wrong though, the original is okay.) Gaby Hoffmann is a brilliant actress and as usual she gives a fantastic performance here. Freaky Friday is a movie for everyone, especially if you like family-type movies. I give Freaky Friday a 10/10.

Let me just say this was a hard movie to figure out how to watch, but I was eventually able to find it.

This is the remake that is essentially the exact same film just made in a different time period.

The characters are named the same characters.

Every plot point is the exact same as the original film.

Almost ever scene is almost a shot for shot remake, just they tweaked it just enough so it's not the exact same scene.

Because this film is essentially the original film, but just a tad bit different.

All the enjoyment is still there because it's freaky Friday if you love that concept, it's all still in here. But you're not missing much because it's the exact same thing.