Freaky Friday

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

A funny, shrewd, no-bull family comedy about the relationship between mothers and teenage daughters that allows Curtis the comedian to remember her days as a slinky starlet while making use of her wisdom as the mother of an adolescent girl herself.

The New York Times Dana Stevens

Since her character wears no historical costumes and suffers from no debilitating ailment, it is likely that Ms. Curtis will be overlooked when Oscar season rolls around. This is a shame, since it is unlikely that any other actress this year will match the loose, energetic wit she brings to this delightful movie.

Baltimore Sun Chris Kaltenbach

Offers plenty of honest, good-natured laughs in the process. That's something young and old can appreciate equally.

Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman

This is the first real family comedy I've seen in a long time: one honest enough to satisfy teens, wryly funny enough for adults and zany enough for little kids.

Washington Post Desson Thomson

Cheerful, energetic and on the money.

Chicago Reader Ted Shen

The premise provides a fine showcase for the two appealing actresses, who appropriate each other's vocal and physical mannerisms with dead-on accuracy.

Washington Post Jennifer Frey

Terrific at capturing what teenage behavior would look like on a grown-up.

The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt

The new "Freaky" plays the obvious gags in ways both surprising and imaginative.

Newsweek David Ansen

Screenwriters Heather Hach and Leslie Dixon have devised some lovely and hilarious variations on Rodgers’s irresistible premise.

Variety Joe Leydon

Genuinely clever switched-identities romp.

Los Angeles Times Manohla Dargis

Turning ordinary life into movie magic is one of the most difficult, least-heralded challenges for any filmmaker. What makes Freaky Friday a charmer isn't how far-out things get for this mother and daughter, but how sweet and distinctly un-freaky a kid, her mom and their love for each other can be.

USA Today Claudia Puig

It all adds up to belly laughs aplenty and a rollicking good time.

Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt

Deliciously acted and good-humored to its core, it's one of the summer's very best surprises.

San Francisco Chronicle C.W. Nevius

This is Curtis' film. Looking a little like a combination of Carol Burnett and Annie Lennox, Curtis has this character down.

Boston Globe Ty Burr

Freaky Friday version 2003 is a shinier, snappier animal, partly because young girls now dress like Avril Lavigne, and partly because Jamie Lee Curtis has her best role in years and knows it.

New York Post Lou Lumenick

Disney's best comedy in years.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Sean Axmaker

A family-friendly remake funnier, fresher and more affecting than the flavorless original.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

Body-switch plots are a license for adults to act like kids; probably nobody has had more fun at it than Tom Hanks did in "Big," but Curtis comes close.

New York Magazine Peter Rainer

Freaky Friday gives Curtis the chance to go all goofy and showcase her gift for splayed physical comedy.

Salon.com Stephanie Zacharek

Even though this is a light, cheerful picture about family relationships, it never feels overplayed -- its tone is bright without being garish. And it moves breezily.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias

Freaky Friday mines a lot of laughs from common misapprehensions adults have about adolescent life, with fun bits of observation about schoolwork, dating, and other practices where kids have to bend the rules in order to survive.

LA Weekly Ella Taylor

Waters directing, from a perky script by Heather Hach and Leslie Dixon, is bouncy and assured enough to give a cheeky lilt to what otherwise might have been an earnest PSA for intergenerational peace, love and understanding.

Portland Oregonian Stephen Whitty

Lohan has a fresh presence; in a world of pale blond princesses it's a relief to see a freckled redhead who looks like she eats occasionally. A pleasure, too, to watch a young actress accomplished enough to play not only a punky high schooler, but a punky high schooler with a middle-aged woman trapped insider her.

Austin Chronicle Steve Davis

There’s enough intelligence and wit here to sustain your interest, especially when Curtis and Lohan are in peak form. They put the freak in this Freaky Friday.

Miami Herald Christine Dolen

Some older movies are so terrific, so capable of touching new generations that they cry out to be updated and remade. The mildly entertaining Freaky Friday isn't one of them.

New York Daily News Jami Bernard

An unexpected delight.

ReelViews James Berardinelli

Motion picture cotton candy - sweet while it lasts, easily disposed of, and insubstantial.

Philadelphia Inquirer Carrie Rickey

The performances, of a higher order than the film's cheesy script and double-cheese direction, are the reasons to see the picture. A reason not to: the means by which parent and child trade bodies.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Liam Lacey

The movie is directed by Mark Waters (responsible for the indie black comedy, "The House of Yes") and mostly, he's workmanlike, but smart enough to get out of the way of the nicely balanced two lead performances.

TV Guide Angel Cohn

Harmon and Murray are cardboard cutouts of ideal boyfriends; the only male performer allowed to shine is newcomer Ryan Malgarini, who nearly steals every scene he's in.

Empire Angie Errigo

Happily, Jamie Lee Curtis gurning through a guitar solo (she is Lady Spinal Tap, after all) while her floundering ‘mother’ mimes on stage is amusing.

Film Threat Kevin Carr

Doesn’t offer any huge revelations about life, the universe and everything, but it’s not meant to. It’s meant to be a fun kid’s movie, and it’s a must see for mothers and daughters.

Village Voice Ed Park

The situation -- a mother-daughter mind-body switcheroo -- is as enduringly appealing as it is absurd, and the comedy flows therefrom.

Film Threat Rick Kisonak

Post-personality switch, the picture does come to life somewhat but proves a one trick pony.

Dallas Observer Bill Gallo

There's so much EFFORT here to convince us of the switcheroo (already one of Hollywood's oldest ploys) that we soon weary of it.

Chicago Tribune Michael Wilmington

Freaky Friday commits a lot of sins; luckily, it has Curtis and a few others to cover them up.