Freakier Friday’s Adults-Only Replacement Movie Is a Misunderstood Masterpiece

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The follow-up to the popular 2003 film *Freaky Friday* is now available to stream, but a similar body-swap comedy released in 2011, though rated R, arguably executed the idea even better. *Freakier Friday* brings back Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan as mother and daughter, and expands the story with a four-way body swap. Julia Butters, known for her role in *The Fabelmans*, plays Lohan’s daughter, while Sophia Hammons plays her future stepdaughter. Manny Jacinto joins the cast, adding humor and heartwarming family moments to this familiar and fun premise.

As a critic, I’ve seen the “body swap” concept pop up *a lot* over the years. We’ve had multiple versions of *Freaky Friday*, and while those films work, it’s become a surprisingly common trope. Think about the recent *Jumanji* movies – kids ending up in the bodies of Dwayne Johnson and other stars! Or even more direct takes like the horror-comedy *Freaky*, *Nine Lives*, or John Woo’s action classic, *Face/Off*. But amidst all these films, there’s one comedy from 2011 that I think really deserves more attention – it’s a genuinely underappreciated gem.

The Change-Up Is An R-Rated Version Of the Freaky Friday Story

The 2011 comedy film, directed by David Dobkin, stars Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman. Reynolds plays Mitch Planko and Bateman plays Dave Lockwood, two friends leading very different lives. Dave is a family man with a wife, Jamie (played by Leslie Mann), and three children, while Mitch is a single guy who enjoys casual relationships. Both men are unhappy with the way things are going.

I recently saw this really fun movie about two guys, Mitch and Dave, who are both convinced the other has it better. Mitch is craving the settled-down family life Dave seems to enjoy, while Dave feels trapped and wishes he had Mitch’s carefree existence. It’s a classic ‘grass is always greener’ situation. The funny part is, they both end up getting their wish! One night, while making a wish at a fountain, they magically switch lives. They wake up the next morning realizing they’ve made a huge mistake, and the whole movie is about their hilarious attempts to find that same fountain and switch back. What I loved is how the film shows them discovering that the things they envied about each other weren’t as perfect as they seemed. It’s a really relatable story, and genuinely funny to watch them struggle with each other’s realities.

What I really enjoyed about *The Change-Up* was how freely it embraced its raunchy side. It’s a refreshing take on the body swap comedy, because a lot of those movies tend to keep things pretty tame and family-friendly. Jason Bateman and Ryan Reynolds are both naturally charming, and they actually do a great job playing each other – especially with the more understated aspects of their performances. It’s definitely not a movie for the whole family like *Freaky Friday*, but the script is genuinely funny and works really well. Surprisingly, there’s a lot of heart to the story too, which makes the friendship between Dave and Mitch feel really believable and compelling.

Ryan Reynolds And Jason Bateman Are Equally Iconic Stars To Freaky Friday’s Leads

Lindsay Lohan, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ryan Reynolds, and Jason Bateman are all familiar faces, which instantly connects audiences to the characters they play. Lohan taps into both her past experiences and the youthful appeal she first showed as a child actor. Curtis, who also began her career at a young age, brings a surprising energy to her roles, and this ability to portray youthful characters has been key to the success of the *Freaky Friday* films.

The key to a good body-swap story is having characters who are very different from each other. Using well-known actors instantly highlights this contrast, as seen in the film with Alex Wolff playing a quiet character in Dwayne Johnson’s body. The humor also came from the difference between Madison Iseman’s character and Jack Black’s professor. These familiar character types and famous faces make the premise instantly engaging, and the best movies in this genre really lean into those expectations.

For years, Ryan Reynolds has been a popular Hollywood actor, often known for playing confident, funny, and somewhat mischievous characters. Jason Bateman, around 2011, was typically cast in more serious and reserved roles, like his character in *Arrested Development*. Both actors have since taken on diverse projects – Reynolds with *Deadpool* and Bateman with *Ozark* – but at the time, these established public images heavily influenced *The Change-Up*. The movie’s appeal came from watching them both step outside their usual types and essentially swap personalities.

The Change-Up May Not Have Connected As Well As Freakier Friday, But It’s Still Worth Watching

While *The Change-Up* wasn’t well-received by critics or audiences – it has a 26% critic score and a 47% audience rating – it can still be an enjoyable movie under the right circumstances. The film’s plot is weak, and many of its jokes are immature and rely on shock value. However, if you’re looking for a lighthearted and silly experience and don’t expect a sophisticated story, *The Change-Up* can be surprisingly fun.

You know, even people who didn’t *love* the movie still kept saying how great Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman were – and honestly, I get it. Those two are comedy gold, and just having them on screen really carried things, even when the plot wasn’t doing much. Okay, the script was pretty cynical, and it didn’t exactly reinvent the wheel, but the director did a solid job keeping everything moving. It’s a fun watch, a decent little treat, though it doesn’t quite reach the heights of something like *Freaky Friday*. Still, I enjoyed it!

Although *Freakier Friday* wasn’t a blockbuster, it still drew audiences of all ages to theaters and grossed $152 million – just slightly less than the original film earned in 2003. Considering its estimated $45 million budget, this was a definite success. *The Change-Up*, however, had a much higher budget of $52 million for an R-rated comedy and only brought in a little over $75 million, making it a bit of a letdown. While the film likely made a small profit over time through streaming and DVD sales, it wasn’t the hit Universal hoped for. Thankfully, *The Change-Up* remains enjoyable even today, so it wasn’t a complete failure.

Movie Year Worldwide Box Office
Freakier Friday 2025 $152 million
The Change-Up 2011 $75 million
Freaky Friday 2003 $160 million

Both *Freaky Friday* movies have generally received positive reviews. The original film has an 88% critic score, though audiences currently rate it lower at 58%. The sequel fares well with both critics (72%) and audiences (92%). However, the films primarily appeal to a specific demographic – data shows 71% of viewers were female. The original film’s release also faced strong competition from the movie *Weapons*.

Both versions of *Freaky Friday*, including the recent *Freakier Friday*, are now available to stream and are a lot of fun. If you enjoy that concept but want something geared towards adults, check out *The Change-Up*. It’s a hilarious and often outrageous movie with strong performances that really captures the feel of 2011—and it holds up well today. It’s a shame we don’t see comedies like this in theaters much anymore, as they often have much smaller budgets when made for streaming. *The Change-Up* is a great example of a classic, big-screen comedy.

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2025-10-07 16:09