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Freaky Friday (1976)

Rate: 4
Viewed: 2/22

FreakF
2/22: When I thought Freaky Friday was going to be a nice Disney movie, it turns out to be otherwise.

Because of the rapid, talky voice-over narration, I got lost during the first ten minutes, not knowing what's going on. Then, the lead characters had their bodies switched which led to a slowdown in the pace and, in turn, a substantial increase in coherence. I tried to like Freaky Friday, but it's old, disturbing, and stupid all rolled into one. The last twenty minutes is overdone.

Despite what everybody says, this is not the first body swap movie in the history of cinema: it's, to the best of my knowledge, The Man Who Changed His Mind which was made in 1936 with Boris Karloff and Anna Lee. There was another that's close: a 1940 picture called Turnabout. No matter, Freaky Friday gets the credit for spawning many imitations.

There's an important concept that's called comic timing. Jodie Foster absolutely does not have it. It's apparent when you watch TV sitcoms like The Honeymooners, Seinfeld, and Saved by the Bell. That's why these shows are funny and timeless. But Jodie Foster? She keeps going off the mark consistently by rushing through every moment, hence the missed opportunities for maximum comedic effect. Why is that? My guess is: Jodie Foster barely rehearsed.

On the other hand, Barbara Harris isn't bad herself. She's cute much of the time which is the film's saving grace. It's the stupidity of the material that keeps letting her down. For example, why is she, all of a sudden, involved in the baseball game for kids? What's with the ickiest scene of them all: she, a grown mother of two, hitting on a high school boy? I thought this was a Disney movie. Ditto for the constant cigarette and alcohol references.

It goes without saying if they aren't going to do the stunts, there's no reason to cast them or, better yet, stage these activities. That's when Freaky Friday shoots itself in the foot big time by using rear projection whenever Jodie Foster and Babrara Harris are waterskiing or parasailing. I know it's not Barbara Harris, but her stunt double looks like Norman Bates dressed up as his own mother. It's bizarre, and...I thought this was a Disney movie.

The field hockey game is the most violent I've ever witnessed. Jodie Foster is getting intentionally hit all over the body by sticks. What's with the female coaches yelling like wild animals as if winning is everything? Watching the husband dish out commands to his wife to do this and that, I thought it might be a big topic to talk about at the end, but nope. By the way, was he cheating on her with the secretary? Again, I thought this was a Disney movie. Also, who schedules many activities in one day? Annabel sure has a lot of fake friends.

All in all, practically a fossil by now, Freaky Friday doesn't come across well as a message picture or a Disney movie for that matter.