Freaky Friday

If you're a parent of young kids, you know that today's kids have trouble connecting to films from your own childhood. Let's see what's usually missing:- Photorealistic special effects- The general sheen of CGI over everything- Snarky inside jokes and cultural references- Computers and the Internet in everyday life- All the brand-centricity (Marvel, Star Wars, Lego, Pokemon, etc.) that is today's kid cultureSo in general, it has been an uphill climb to share any cultural stuff from my own childhood with my kids.This film, however, is different. You know that a script isn't relying on gimmicks or brand caché when it holds up decades later and is every bit as relatable to kids and tweens as it was on the day it was released. And Jody Foster brings—dare I say it—a kid "gravitas" to this role that kids appreciate. This is a film that takes the experience of being a kid seriously, rather than making it into one manic joke ala Nickelodeon and its many unfortunate successors.This is the anti-Spongebob and the anti-Trolls movie film.My kids had to be talked into sticking around for the first 10 minutes with promises that they'd like it. After that, they were hooked—and after the film, they actually sat down and talked about it at length with each other.I don't know what the remake is like and given the history of remakes, I don't care to find out. Why bother when the original is every bit as good as it was on the day it was released, and when it can get PS4-playing, Marvel-watching kids to sit down, pay attention, and feel entertained and understood?A great film, one of the all time greats for kids IMO.

Never seen Jodie foster act so well

For a guy who likes Ingmar Bergman and other indy, artsy films, I guess it seems weird that I bought the DVD of the original FREAKY FRIDAY the minute it hit amazon. But, this film was made in the good old days of Disney, before they lost focus of their business and started behaving like most other monster corporations. This story has had at least 3 lives: the 2003 version (enjoyable), the 90's TV version (I never saw that one), and the one at hand. The original 1977 release gives us the unique pleasure of seeing two wonderful performers, Barbara Harris and Jodie Foster, going through their paces in this mother-daughter-switch tale. Barbara Harris is one of the great performers who never quite made the level of fame she deserved. Whether in her Broadway turns in ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER and THE APPLE TREE, to several good films, she had an amazing ability to be vulnerable in one moment and seamlessly turn into a glamourous, gutsy bombshell in the next. And her voice! This film and, perhaps, Hitchcock's FAMILY PLOT are nice samplings of her skill. Add in the very young Jodie Foster and you can't lose. (The DVD has a nice on-screen commentary by Foster, which proves how spontaneously articulate she is. Too bad they didn't get Harris to discuss her part.) As an added benefit, the screenplay is by source book author, Mary Rodgers (Richard Rodgers' daughter and author-composer in her own right). For those who like THE GILMORE GIRLS, which is a tremendous and enjoyable example of an almost-impossibly-idealistic relationship between a mother and her daughter, this film will be a nice reality check. Here the mother and daughter can't relate to each other at all until they go through the fiery baptism of spending a day in each other's body. Ultimately, this film provides us with 90-plus minutes of enjoyment and humor in the hands of the very talented cast.

I grew up with this movie. I think I saw it for the first time on the wonderful world of Disney. Either that or Mom got it for me at the library & even she likes it.Jodi foster is both brilliant & lovable! She's believable and as the child her issues where at least believable & somebody I could sypathise with. As an adult in a childs body well hillarious! By the way Ben or Ape Face really showed talent. What happened to that kid? He was cute & delivered a preformance of giant perportion that added dynamic to both mother and daughter. Plus that ball game scene & his love & envy of his big sister. The kid had a real talent for delivering dialog, yet also proved though he first apears a little geek that he had a real little boys spirit.The jokes where clean & in good taste. Yet timeless & funny. Nothing beats a great chase scene & that car chase was both exciting and funny.I seached long & hard for a copy of the vhs but it'd been vaulted. just when I bought it used My VCR broke & I got a DVD player for my birthday. A week later the DVD came out. Purchase of that DVD is one of the first things I'll do with my next paycheck. It will be money well spent on a classic disney movie I could watch again & again.