The Swap

The Swap is a 2016 Disney Channel Original Movie, starring Peyton List and Jacob Bertrand, that explores the mysterious experience of body swapping. The movie is based on a novel of the same name by Megan Shull.

Ellie O'Brien (Peyton List) is a skilled hockey player and also an honors student, while her best friend, Jack Malloy (Jacob Bertrand), is a class clown and enjoys making videos with his production partner Gregg (Dylan Schmid). The two are inseparable, but their lives take a sharp turn when they accidentally swap bodies through a magical app that Ellie's older brother, Cam (Devon Werkheiser), has invented.

As Ellie and Jack try to navigate each other's lives, they quickly realize that not everything is as it seemed. Ellie struggles to bond with her mother's new boyfriend, while Jack finds that being Ellie is not as effortless as he thought it would be. Meanwhile, Cam frantically tries to find a way to reverse the swap before it becomes permanent. Along the way, Ellie and Jack both learn important lessons about empathy and the importance of understanding someone else's perspective.

Peyton List and Jacob Bertrand both deliver fantastic performances, fully immersing themselves in their new roles. List does an excellent job portraying Jack's goofiness and clumsiness, while Bertrand shines as Ellie struggles to balance her competitive nature with the pressure of maintaining her academic standards. The chemistry between the two actors is also evident, although in a new dynamic as they play each other.

Claire Rankin stands out as Ellie's mother, who seemingly has it all but is still struggling to balance her new relationship with her children's well-being, especially as Ellie's father is not in the picture. Devon Werkheiser and Dylan Schmid both bring their unique charm and comic timing as Cam and Gregg, respectively, providing some much-needed levity to the film.

Director Jay Karas does an excellent job of bringing the novel to the screen, keeping the pacing brisk and the emotions high. The film also tackles some heavy themes, such as the importance of communication and the pressure to succeed in sports, and does so with sensitivity and nuance.

Overall, The Swap is a fun and heartwarming film that is perfect for families to enjoy together, with relatable characters and a unique twist on the classic body swap trope. The movie offers a valuable lesson about the importance of understanding others' points of view and finding common ground, ultimately demonstrating that people are not always what they seem.