Get ready for ‘Freakier Friday’ with these 7 hilarious body-swap movies
Get ready for ‘Freakier Friday’ with these 7 hilarious body-swap movies
Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan return Friday, Aug. 8 — here’s what to stream in the meantime.
I love a good body-swap comedy… so much in fact that my wife and I wrote a body-swap movie script! There’s just something so fun about watching two people fumble around in the wrong body — it’s physical, it’s emotional, and it never really gets old. That’s why I’m psyched to see “Freakier Friday,” when it hits theaters on Friday, Aug. 8 (yes, I have tickets in hand). Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan are back (!!), and this time it’s Anna’s turn to deal with a family swap mess of her own. But since it’s not streaming yet, I figured I’d run through the best body-swap comedies you can watch right now. So, here are my favorite body-swap comedy movies on streaming right now.
Top 7 body-swap comedies on streaming right now
No. 7: ‘The Change-Up’ (2011) | Rent with Prime Video
“The Change-Up” is definitely the dirtiest movie on this list… and also one of the funniest (if you’re okay with low, lowwwww-brow jokes). Jason Bateman is a stressed-out family man. Ryan Reynolds is a single dude living like he’s allergic to responsibility. After a drunk night and a magic fountain (of course), they wake up in each other’s bodies — and it’s as messy as you’d expect. Yes, it’s raunchy. Yes, it’s juvenile. But it’s also genuinely funny in that “I can’t believe they went there” kind of way. It’s not the classiest movie I’ve ever seen, but if you’re in the mood for some unfiltered body-swap nonsense, this one delivers.
The Change-Up
Lifelong friends Dave and Mitch are envious of the other’s life. Mitch thinks Dave has it all: a beautiful, loving family and a high-paying job at a prestigious law firm. But Dave thinks Mitch’s stress-free playboy life without obligation or consequence is the real dream come true. One fateful drunken night, they both admit that they wish they had the other’s life while peeing in a fountain when lightning strikes. The next morning, they wake up, hungover, in each other’s bodies! With time not on their side, Mitch and Dave comically struggle to avoid completely destroying each other’s lives before they can find a way to get their old ones back.
No. 6: ‘Freaky’ (2020) | Rent with Prime Video
“Freaky” basically “Freaky Friday” meets “Scream,” and somehow, it totally works. Kathryn Newton plays a shy high schooler who accidentally switches bodies with a middle-aged serial killer, played by Vince Vaughn — and watching Vaughn stomp around acting like a teenage girl is hilarious every single time. Vaughn fully commits to the bit, and Newton makes a killer slasher villain in return. It’s fast, gory, and surprisingly sweet underneath all the stabbing and chaos. This one kind of flew under the radar when it first dropped, but if you like your horror with a big side of humor (and a body count), “Freaky” delivers.
Freaky
A mystical, ancient dagger causes a notorious serial killer to magically switch bodies with a 17-year-old girl.
No. 5: ‘17 Again’ (2009) | Netflix
In “17 Again,” the late, great Matthew Perry plays a washed-up dad who wakes up in Zac Efron’s body — aka his 17-year-old self. He thinks he’s getting a do-over. What he actually gets is a crash course in empathy, growth, and how weird it is to go to high school with your own kids. Efron nails the physical comedy and the emotional beats, and the whole thing hits that sweet spot between heartwarming and hilarious. It’s one of those body-swap-ish movies that sneaks up on you with how much it sticks.
17 Again
On the brink of a midlife crisis, 30-something Mike O’Donnell wishes he could have a “do-over.” And that’s exactly what he gets when he wakes up one morning to find he’s 17 years old again. With his adult mind stuck inside the body of a teenager, Mike actually has the chance to reverse some decisions he wishes he’d never made. But maybe they weren’t so bad after all.
No. 4: ‘Family Switch’ (2023) | Netflix
My wife and I were really excited for this movie and watched “Family Switch” as soon as it dropped. The good news is it’s basically the body-swap version of a family group text gone hilariously wrong. Jennifer Garner (who appears elsewhere on this list…) and Ed Helms play parents who switch bodies with their kids after a wish gone sideways. There’s awkward high school drama, boardroom meltdowns, and a dog that briefly swaps bodies with a baby — yes, really. It’s goofy and family-friendly, and it leans into the chaos without losing its heart. Worth a watch if you want something light that still lands the emotional punches.
Family Switch
When the Walker family members switch bodies with each other during a rare planetary alignment, their hilarious journey to find their way back to normal will bring them closer together than they ever thought possible.
No. 3: ‘All of Me’ (1984) | Rent with Prime Video
“All of Me” is the oldest pick here, but still one of the funniest. Steve Martin plays a lawyer who gets possessed — halfway — by the soul of Lily Tomlin’s character. As in, one half of his body is him, and the other half is her. Watching Martin physically wrestle himself around town is pure comedy gold. It’s a weird setup, but the chemistry between Martin and Tomlin makes it work (she appears in the mirror). If you haven’t seen it, this one’s a great reminder that body-swap comedy doesn’t need special effects… just great performances.
All of Me
Just before stubborn millionaire Edwina Cutwater dies, she asks her uptight lawyer, Roger Cobb, to amend her will so that her soul will pass to the young, vibrant Terry Hoskins – but the spiritual transference goes awry. Edwina enters Roger’s body instead, forcing him to battle Edwina for control of his own being.
No. 2: ‘13 Going on 30’ (2004) | Rent with Prime Video
“13 Going on 30” is technically a time jump, not a swap — but it earns its place on this list as one of my favorite rom-com / body-swap mashups. Jenna Rink makes a birthday wish and wakes up 17 years later in her dream life… except maybe it’s not so dreamy. Jennifer Garner is perfection here: playful, vulnerable, and totally believable as a 13-year-old in a 30-year-old’s body. It’s charming and fun and full of ‘00s rom-com magic (her and Mark Ruffalo had me in tears). If you missed this one back in the day, now’s the time to catch up.
13 Going on 30
After total humiliation at her thirteenth birthday party, Jenna Rink wants to just hide until she’s thirty. Thanks to some magic wishing dust, Jenna’s prayer has been answered. With a knockout body, a fabulous wardrobe, an athlete boyfriend, a dream job, and superstar friends, this can’t be a better life. But soon Jenna realizes that adult life isn’t as easy as she hoped for.
No. 1: ‘Freaky Friday’ (2003) | Disney+
No surprise here — “Freaky Friday” is still the one to beat. Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan crush it as a mom and daughter who wake up in each other’s bodies after a fight at a Chinese restaurant. Curtis is hilarious pretending to be a moody teen, and Lohan totally sells the exasperated adult energy. It’s heartfelt, funny, and weirdly timeless. And if you’re getting hyped for the sequel, this is the perfect refresher in the lead up to “Freakier Friday” dropping Friday, Aug. 8 in theaters!
Freaky Friday
Mother and daughter bicker over everything — what Anna wears, whom she likes and what she wants to do when she’s older. In turn, Anna detests Tess’s fiancé. When a magical fortune cookie switches their personalities, they each get a peek at how the other person feels, thinks and lives.