Where I watched It: Netflix

English Audio Description Provided By: International Digital center

Written By: Dakota Green

Cast: Jennifer Garner, Ed Helms, Emma Myers, Brady Noon, and Rita Moreno.

Written By: Victoria Strauss

Directed By: McG

Let’s hit that audio description first. Dakota Green’s script for the audio description is the smart way to go. Instead of trying to follow the absurdity of a six way Freaky Friday, she decides that when the character’s soul, if you will, moves from one body into another, after a little bit of explaining it, you realize that the character name has moved to the new actor whose character is now trapped in this body. So instead of constantly being reminded throughout the film that this character is in this body, we can just assume our audience has a functional grasp on things, and leave that extra description time to trying to bring more life into this thing.

I love Jennifer Garner. I’ve loved her since Alias, and I’d go to bat for her any day of the week, but damn she says yes to anything. Ed Helms, clearly depressed from his Rutherford Falls cancellation, signed on too. It’s just Freaky Friday, but the entire family body swaps. Mom swaps with the daughter, Father with son, and the baby swaps with the dog. The remake of Freaky Friday teased a potential swap between the grandfather and grandson, in one of those “in case of sequel break glass” moments, and the premise has been done again and again.

Although, I do have to give the writer props for understanding that she isn’t reinventing the wheel here, she’s just putting on some new tread. There’s a smart scene they did not have to include, where the squabbling family makes reference to several like-minded films, including Freaky Friday, Big, and 13 Going on 30, which stars Garner. This isn’t even the first time Garner has been asked to play a child. I’m guessing, she was the “just in case” back up for Emma Stone in poor Things, because that seems to be what people want her to play. A child.

Of course, everyone here has something major coming up. Just like how there was this wedding and battle of the bands, the parents don’t fully approve or understand the kids choices, and vice-versa. The daughter (Myles) has a shot at becoming a soccer phenom and joining the National team, and the son (Noon) is crazy smart and hoping colleges notice. Meanwhile, Helms plays a former rock star (yes, really), who left his band to be a dad. but, a new competition reality series may give him and some other dads their second chance. Garner has a big proposal due at work, which honestly, she probably has a lot.

There is some humor in the baby swapping with the dog, and they honestly could do more with that. The reason this film works is because the casting director reached out and grabbed two known quantities with Emma Myers (Wednesday) and Brady Noon (The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers), two rising stars who have already proven their screen presence. If they weren’t as great as they are, this film would not work. it seems easy for the adults to be silly, but for a kid to come off believably as an adult requires the right casting. Both of them do really fine work here, and I hope to continue to see more from both of them in the future.

I didn’t like that the film short changes the kids. Basically, the whole thing is that like in the other films, they needed to learn an important life lesson before they can swap back, but at the time, not everyone had a happy ending. I guess this is a spoiler, but some people don’t get what they want until after they swap back, and it’s debatable if Noon really does get what the others all got anyway.

Rita Moreno made some money in a throw away role. i won’t begrudge her, as since the role asks nothing of her, there was nothing she really had to do. Mcg is an average director who got some attention with some stylish action films in the early 2000’s, like the Charlie’s Angels adaptation. Here, he just offers something that is more of the same. I don’t hate this film, but he’s not the reason the film succeeded at all. that goes to Emma Myles and Brady Noon. They win the MVP trophies.

If you love body swap comedies, this is slightly above average. Casting was so important here, and the casting director deserves a raise.

Final Grade: B-