The Swap

### Produced By

Fernando Szew, Robyn Snyder, Gaylyn Fraiche, Kim Todd, Nicholas Hirst and Sean McNamara

### Release Date

October 7, 2016

**The Swap** is a 2016 American live-action film directed by Jay Karas. It is a Disney Channel Original Movie.

It focuses on Ellie O'Brien who is trying to juggle rhythmic gymnastics and troubles with her best friend. Meanwhile, classmate Jack Malloy is struggling to live up to his brother's hockey-star legacies and dad's high expectations and tough-love approach.

The film was released on October 7, 2016.

## Plot

High school sophomores Jack Malloy and Ellie O’Brien are both going through hard times. Jack's mother has recently died, leaving him with his roughhousing older brothers and cold, seemingly heartless dad, who puts pressure on his sons to be macho men, all fighting, no crying. Ellie's own dad has walked out on her and her “helicopter” mom, and her best friend since kindergarten, Sassy, has started ignoring her in favour of the more feminine yet nastier new girl, Aspen. Both have big sports events coming up over the weekend. Jack is trying out for the varsity hockey team, but has to deal with the bullying Porter who has always lost the last spot on varsity to one of Jack's brothers. Ellie's rhythmic gymnastics team has to win big at the upcoming tournament, eke budgets cuts at school will have them demoted from “team” to “club”.

On Friday, they both end up in the nurse's office, after Jack is hurt in a scuffle with Porter, and Ellie starts crying after hearing Aspen say mean things about her to Sassy behind her back. They start fighting, with Ellie saying boys have it better than girls without having to deal with friend drama, and Jack saying girls have it easier because they can be as emotional as they want. The tired nurse gets them to continue their fighting via text, and they text each other saying how they wished they had each other's lives. Suddenly, magic lightning strikes and knocks them out, and when they get up, they realize they swapped bodies. Ellie remembers something her mom said about how “investing too much emotional energy into an object gives it power over you.” In this case, their respective cell phones, which they cherished because each had once belonged to their now absent parent, had the power to grant their texted wish. After failing to swap back, they decide to look for a book belonging to Ellie's mom to reverse the spell. But they find out their time is limited when it's revealed that Ellie's dad will be cancelling their family phone plan, effective on Sunday.

## Cast and Characters

* Peyton List as Ellie O'Brien
* Jacob Bertrand as Jack Malloy
* Darrin Rose as Coach Malloy
* Claire Rankin as Summer
* Callan Potter as Gunner
* Jesse Bostick as Stryker
* Eliana Jones as Aspen Bishop
* Kiana Madeira as Sassy Gaines
* Kolton Stewart as Owen
* James Godfrey as Porter Gibbs
* Devyn Nekoda as Mackenzie Wick
* Naomi Snieckus as Coach Carol
* Linda Kash as Nurse Helen
* Naya Liviah as Claire
* Michael Fessaha as Ryan
* Marcia Johnson as Dr. Baker
* Valerie Descheneaux as Stylist
* Danny Smith as Clerk
* Mark Hickox as Badminton Coach

## Reception

During its premiere in the 8:00pm time slot, The Swap attracted a total of 2.64 million viewers with a 0.48 rating for people aged 18–49.