There seems to be a tradition in Hollywood that every 5 to 10 years they pull the body switching genre out of the garage, gas it up and see what sort of mileage they can get out of it. Often, the films simply stall right in the driveway.

So it came as a considerable surprise to me that this third remake of Freaky Friday (once before on film and once on television) turned out to be one damn fine decent film. The best body switch movie ever made only involved one body and featured Tom Hanks. That was, of course, Big and it will forever remain the lofty example of perfection for this genre. I bring this up because I feel that this version of Freaky Friday runs a close second.

The interesting thing is that this version stays true to its roots, but unlike many remakes it actually takes the story in a fresh, new direction. The original 1976 version reflected the innocence of its times. When the daughter becomes her mother, the trickiest thing she has to deal with is an overactive washing machine. Hilarity ensues, but the story is pretty tame.

Now times have changed. Moms no longer stay at home. They have their own careers in addition to running the family. Kids have more pressure as well, facing issues that are often far more adult than their young minds can handle. I'd venture to guess that Annabel and Ellen from the original film would simple explode from the stress if they suddenly found themselves inhabiting the remake. In this new film, when young Annabell Coleman (Lindsay Lohan) finds herself in her mother's body, she doesn't have the luxury of hiding in the house and fending off evil washing machines. And when her mother, Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis), suddenly finds herself in her daughter's body, she discovers that with college prep exams, band auditions, boy crushes and teachers with vendettas, that school isn't as easy as it used to be.

The joy in this film lies within the writing and acting. Let's face it, we've seen the movies and we know how it will ultimately turn out. The end isn't in question, so it's the journey that must entice us. There are a few plot holes to be sure (how would Tess know her daughter's schedule or, for that matter, her locker combination?), but they are minor and don't derail the film. For the most part the writing is crisp, smart and very witty. I honestly did not expect to laugh at this film (at least not in a positive way), but there were a couple of scenes that had me rolling. And to say that Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan nailed the performances would be a serious understatement. Curtis is a capable performer and she's proven her talent for comedy, but newcomier Lohan more than holds her own. This girl has star written all over her.

Now, I've been coughing up quite a bit of praise here, so one might get the impression that I'm placing a little more importance on this film than it might deserve. Let me just clarify by saying that this is a harmless movie. We aren't talking about awards material here, but we are talking about entertainment. Freaky Friday works perfectly for what it is and that is a nice piece of family entertainment.