Freaky Friday

Freaky Friday is currently streaming in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the US on Disney Plus, and it delivers exactly the kind of comedy that earns a loyal following. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Watch it for Lindsay Lohan — stay for everyone else around them. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Disney Plus.

There is a reason Freaky Friday keeps coming up in conversation. The jokes in Freaky Friday land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. Mother and daughter bicker over everything -- what Anna wears, whom she likes and what she wants to do when she's older. In turn, Anna detests Tess's fiancé. When a magical fortune cookie switches their personalities, they each get a peek at how the other person feels, thinks and lives. Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis lead a cast with the timing to make it work. It hit screens in 2003. What keeps Freaky Friday from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, Freaky Friday respects your intelligence. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Lindsay Lohan's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.