(The Disneycember logo is shown, followed by clips from "Freaky Friday", 1976 version)
Doug (vo): It's one of Jodie Foster's first big hits, Freaky Friday. Yeah, this was just at the time when the whole "switching body and mind" things was kind of big, and Disney had to do their take on it, too. And for what they did, it's...not bad.
Story
Doug (vo): The story's about as text book as you can get. A mother and daughter don't get along and they're constantly screaming at each other, and one day they say: "wouldn't it be great if we switch places and you knew what it was like to be me?". Well, one day, that's exactly what happens. They switch around and sure enough, they're stuck in each other's bodies. The daughter has to be mother and the mother has to be daughter. As you imagine, they're in way over their head, they have trouble making friends and, yeah they find out, maybe it is hard being this person.
Review
Doug (vo): The movie was a big hit when it came out and, yeah, I can kinda see why. It is funny, it is charming. Both actresses do a good job impersonating the other. But there's a part of me that feels it's just a little too dated. Not to say that isn't funny at times or really a lot of fun but, I don't know. Don't you know exactly from the beginning where this is gonna go and don't you know half of these jokes that are coming? And I think with a story like this that's been done so many times, you have to add a little bit more to it, and here, I just don't see that much more added. Again, apart from two very funny performances and sort of the standard textbook stuff that you do with this story. But it's cute, it's fun, like I said, everybody acts well even if it is over-the-top at times. Seeing them interact in different environments while still keeping that mindset is always cute to see. I don't know, just for me, I feel like nothing too much else is added to it, so I don't know the incredible value of watching it, except maybe for the performances, which are funny but not phenomenal.
Final thought
Doug (vo): I don't even know really what else to say about it. It's cute. If you want to see a story about a mother and a daughter who switch places and they have to interact, it's fine. I just wish they could have added something a little bit more. But maybe that's not what it's supposed to be. Maybe it's just supposed to be a straightforward comedy with the straightforward scenario, and that's pretty much what you get. Like I said, not too much a review, because I just can't think that much to say about it, but if you're into this kind of very basic story, you'll like it fine. If you want something a little bit more meaty...well, maybe take a look at the remake. Yeah, I just said that. You wanna know why? Go watch the next video.
[One of the final scenes, showing Annabel and her mother reuniting, is played]
Singers: I'd like to be you for a day...