Freaky Friday

Freaky Friday (2003) starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Mark Harmon. Directed by Mark Waters. Lohan has become a Hollywood pariah, and I don't care much for Curtis, but this movie really worked for me. Curtis and Lohan play a mother and daughter who magically switch bodies, then must deal with the confusions, misunderstandings, and general hassles of being each other. Both actresses do an excellent job of acting like someone of a different age. Harmon, in the role of Curtis's fiance, brings gravitas and solidity to the film as well. The script deserves credit, because there are no wasted scenes or unbelievable happenings -- it all just flows so well. It's hard for me to understand why an old fart like myself likes this movie so much, but I do. This is that rare case when a remake (the original came out in 1977) is better than the original film. (Subtitles are available for the hearing-impaired, as well as closed captions.) Grade: A-