It’s been twenty years since the first Freaky Friday remake — yes, that glorious 2003 chaos starring Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, which somehow turned a body-swap teen comedy into a tender crash course on mother-daughter relationships. And now, in 2025, we finally have the sequel. It’s officially out in the streaming world on Disney+, which means you can relive your youth without even leaving your sofa.
I watched it the moment it dropped, and honestly? I loved every minute of it. Not just because it’s fun, but because it brings back the original magic while layering in a grown-up perspective that hits right in the elder-millennial soul.
Let’s be honest: this sequel is a nostalgia masterclass. It’s not just a film — it’s a lovingly curated trip down memory lane, complete with all the early-2000s Easter eggs your inner teen could hope for.
The soundtrack alone is a joy, echoing those pop-punk anthems we once played on repeat in bedrooms plastered with band posters, while arguing with our parents about curfews, eyeliner, or that questionable DIY haircut.
A Sequel Made for Elder Millennials (Whether We Admit It or Not)
But it’s not just the music; it’s the way this light and easy-to-watch film treats its characters and story. Everything is connected. The narrative flows, and the jokes land well to both your younger emo version and the now grown ass millennial, just as equally.
Here’s where it gets interesting for those of us who were teens in the early 2000s. There’s a wave of nostalgia flooding all forms of entertainment right now: old bands touring again –yes, I have tickets for Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, and My Chemical Romance– reboots of shows we loved, and sequels aimed squarely at those of us with disposable income and fond memories.
Freakier Friday slots perfectly into this trend. It’s designed for people who grew up with the first film, and who now, in our 30s, are ready to revisit those formative years with a mix of sentimentality and, let’s be honest, mild mortification at our former selves.
When Nostalgia, Pop-Punk, and Motherhood Collide
The core of the film remains the mother-daughter relationship that made the original so enduring. If you haven’t seen the first one, a quick heads-up: watch it before diving into this sequel. You could technically watch the new film on its own, but you’d be missing half the joy — the subtle nods, the character evolution, the inside jokes that hit only if you know the history.
It’s the same kind of joy you get when you bump into an old friend and instantly recall a thousand inside jokes. Or when a song from your teenage years plays and you’re briefly transported back to that bedroom with posters on the walls and angst in your heart.
For those of us who remember being teens — emo, rebellious, music-obsessed, possibly sporting questionable hairstyles — we’ll feel seen in this film, relating even to how it nails the evolution of relationships over twenty years.
Anna, the daughter, is now in her mid-to-late 30s, and her mum is… well, let’s say comfortably in her 50s, though she looks far younger (Hollywood magic, or good genes, who can tell?). What’s remarkable is how the film captures the simultaneous changes as well as the constants in their bond. They fight differently now, sure — less about curfews, more about life choices — but the underlying connection is the same. Shared experiences, empathy, and, yes, joint pains, vitamins, and the general exhaustion of adult life, all make appearances. It’s surprisingly –and painfully– relatable.
Watching it, I couldn’t help but think of my own mum. That rebellious teenager version of me — the one who argued incessantly, refused to listen, and occasionally tested her patience to the limit — that is now tempered by adulthood, or is trying to be.
This sequel really makes you think about how much we’ve grown. It’s not just a nostalgia trip; it’s about recognising change and, even more, appreciating the patience and effort our parents poured into us.
For me, it stirred memories of my own teenage chaos, my obsession with early-2000s music, and the oddly comforting truth that some things — like the bond between mother and daughter — stay beautifully consistent even as everything else changes.
It even gave me hope that I might finally make it to that My Chemical Romance reunion tour next year without completely cringing at my high-school self. Above all, it’s a warm, witty reminder that growing up doesn’t mean leaving everything behind — sometimes it just means looking at it from a slightly different angle.
Freakier Friday knows its audience. The film is playful, self-aware, and packed with clever easter eggs to the original that are woven seamlessly into the story. Whether it’s a background song, a line of dialogue, or a hairstyle cameo that only those fans who’ve rewatched the original several times will spot. These touches make the film feel like a funny chat with an old friend, one that invites us to celebrate our shared history with it.
And then, well, there’s the soundtrack, of course. If you grew up during the early 2000s or simply loved this film, you’ll find yourself smiling at how perfectly the soundtrack mirrors your earlier years. Of course, just like in the remake, music in this film isn’t just decoration; it’s a time machine, and a main character.
But it’s not just about nostalgia or winks to the 2003 original; the sequel also gives us a fresh take. It shows how parent-child relationships evolve as we get older. Even with a 20-year gap — and both Anna and her mum a couple of decades older — they still manage to find common ground… and plenty of reasons to argue. The script feels real, and most importantly, it’s properly relatable across generations.
Of course, there’s seeing actors return to roles they played twenty years ago, which in itself is a show to watch. It’s not always easy to find a sequel that manages to keep the same actors seamlessly, while balancing praise for the original effortlessly.
At its core, the film’s all about the messy, wonderful reality of family life. Let’s be honest — being a teenager was mostly a nightmare for our parents. Watching Anna and her mum navigate adulthood together, while still nodding to the past, is both funny and genuinely heartwarming.
The truth is universal: no matter how old we get, our teen selves stick with us, and those early parent-child dynamics leave a lasting mark. The film nails this brilliantly, blending nostalgia, laughs, and heartfelt moments. Adding a few instances of self-reflection.
And yes, there’s a lot of fun to be had. Between the clever callbacks, the soundtrack, and the nuanced performances, the film is filled with entertainment without ever getting too soppy or preachy — it’s funny, heartfelt, and properly witty. Freakier Friday isn’t just a sequel. It’s a film for those of us who grew up with the first one, who now juggle adult responsibilities, and who secretly — or not so secretly — miss the wild, rebellious energy of our teenage years.
So, if you plan to watch it, do yourself a favour: rewatch the 2003 version first. The jokes, references, and emotional beats will hit better, and you’ll get the full impact of this thoughtful, entertaining, and wonderfully nostalgic sequel. And, honestly, it might just make you call your mum to say thanks. Or at least send her a cheeky emoji-filled text acknowledging that yes, you were once a terror, and yes, you both survived it.
Life Lovers Magazine® 