Legacy sequels: they’re not just for science fiction and horror any more.

One of the advantages of the physical media and streaming eras of cinema is that films made 20 or more years ago, which in previous generations would have drifted into obscurity, remain in the popular entertainment conversation far longer than they ever used to. To an extend they keep their value with audiences, and Hollywood’s studios can bring back valuable intellectual property and take advantage of audience nostalgia at the same time. Within 2025 alone we are being offered revivals of 28 Years Later, Tron, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and Final Destination. Why not Freaky Friday as well?

Freaky Friday was, in itself, a remake of the original 1976 Disney comedy that starring Jodie Foster and Barbara Harris. Produced in 2003, the second version starred Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan as mother and daughter magically trapped in each other’s bodies. It was reasonably funny stuff, and a bona fide hit with its target market. Weirdly, while it was Lohan who was the popular draw in 2003, it is Curtis – now an Oscar winner – who seems to have been the driving impetus behind the sequel.

As is the trend with sequels, Freakier Friday attempts to go bigger and more outlandish: instead of a mother-daughter swap there is a four-person swap between grandmother (Curtis), mother (Lohan), daughter (Julia Butters), and step-daughter (Sophia Hammons). It is arguably more than the screenplay can bear, but thanks to some solid performances by the four leads it just about manages to hold together.

There are elements that work remarkably well, as well as jokes that fall terribly flat. Altogether it is a better film than it has any real right to be, in large part to those four key performances. A lot of actors from the original film make superficial appearances, essentially knowing waves to the audience, and for the franchise faithful they will be well received. It is nice to see The Good Place star Manny Jacinto appearing as Lohan’s new husband-to-be, and both Vanessa Bayer and X Mayo contribute some great humorous moments.

It is particularly pleasant to see Lindsay Lohan make a high-profile return to mainstream cinema. 20 years ago she all-but ruled teen Hollywood through films like The Parent Trap (1998), Freaky Friday, and Mean Girls (2004). She later struggled to maintain her popularity in more mature fare. Whether Freakier Friday heralds a return to fame or not is to be seen, but it is a nice revival for now.

There is an overall earnest quality to the film that lets it stand out from the crowd. There would be an easy temptation to mock the body-swap format, or its fairly straight-laced premise and narrative. Instead director Nisha Ganatra plays things with a simple, uncomplicated edge. It is beginning to feel like the sensibility of choice for 2025 American cinema: eschewing the real-life horrors of contemporary politics, Hollywood is going to brightly-lit optimism. To be honest, given world events these days it is a refreshing choice.

With the straightforward nature of the film comes an ease in recommending it. If you loved the 2003 version, this will be a nostalgic delight. If you are seeking a family-friendly, somewhat silly comedy, it fits the bill. If the idea of Curtis and Lohan reteamed fails to interest you, and the prospect of a Disney live-action comedy makes you squirm, you can rest assure that this confident, broadly effective confection is not for you.