''Frenemies'' is a 2012

teen Adolescence () is a transitional stage of physical and psychological development that generally occurs during the period from puberty to adulthood (typically corresponding to the age of majority). Adolescence is usually associated with the te ...

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

based on the novel of the same name by Alexa Young. It features an ensemble cast starring

Bella Thorne Annabella Avery Thorne (born October 8, 1997) is an American actress, singer, and writer. She first received recognition for her roles as Margaux Darling in the series ''Dirty Sexy Money'' (2007–2008) and as Ruthy Spivey in the drama series ...

Zendaya Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman ( ; born September 1, 1996) is an American actress and singer. She has received various accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Awards. ''Time'' magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the ...

Stefanie Scott Stephanie Noelle Scott (born December 6, 1996) is an American actress and singer. Scott began acting with the comedy film '' Beethoven's Big Break'' (2008), and thereafter released her debut extended play ''New Girl in Town'' (2009). This was fol ...

, Nick Robinson,

Mary Mouser Mary Mouser is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Samantha LaRusso in the Netflix series ''Cobra Kai'', and Lacey Fleming on the ABC series ''Body of Proof''. She also took over the role of Karen Grant, Fitz & Mellie's daught ...

and features

Connor Price Connor Price (born November 11, 1994) is a Canadian-American actor and hip hop artist. Beginning his career as a child actor, he is best known for his roles in the films ''Cinderella Man'' (2005) and '' Good Luck Chuck'' (2007). Career Price's ...

Jascha Washington Jascha Akili Washington (born June 21, 1989) is an American actor and songwriter. Best known for ''Big Momma's House'' (2000), ''Big Momma's House 2'' (2006), and '' Like Mike 2'' (2006). Life and career Washington was born in Kings County, Cal ...

and

Dylan Everett Dylan Phillip Everett (born January 24, 1995) is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his roles in ''How To Be Indie'' (2009–2011), ''Wingin' It'' (2010–2013), ''Degrassi'' (2012–2013), and '' Open Heart'' (2015). Life and career Evere ...

. The film follows three pairs of teenage friends that go from friends to enemies and back again. The film was directed by Daisy Mayer and written by

Dava Savel Dava Savel is an American television producer and writer. She has written and produced for ''Will & Grace'', ''That's So Raven'', '' Sonny with a Chance'', ''Dharma & Greg'', ''Grace Under Fire'', '' Dream On'' and ''Ellen'' for which she won a P ...

, Wendy Weiner, and Jim Krieg. The

Disney Channel Original Movie Many television films have been produced for Disney Channel, an American family-oriented basic cable channel and former premium television channel since its launch on April 18, 1983. Until October 1997, films were released under the banner na ...

premiered on January 13, 2012, in the United States and Canada.

Plot

The story takes place involving three intertwined stories told by

teenage Adolescence () is a transitional stage of physical and psychological development that generally occurs during the period from puberty to adulthood (typically corresponding to the age of majority). Adolescence is usually associated with the te ...

friends who all go to the same school. The first story focuses on how a kid and a dog who are best friends become frenemies and how they become best friends again. The second story focuses on how two BFFs become total frenemies over a senior editor job. The third and final story focuses on two lookalikes who swap lives with each other, similar to ''

The Princess and the Pauper ''The Princess and the Pauper'' is a 1939 Technicolor cartoon sponsored film by Chevrolet. It features Nicky Nome, who also appeared in the previous Chevrolet films '' A Coach for Cinderella'' and '' A Ride for Cinderella'', as well as '' One B ...

''.

Jake and Murray

The first story focuses on a science whiz teenage boy at Waterbury High School named Jake Logan ( Nick Robinson) who is best friends with his dog, Murray (Winston). A popular girl named Julianne (

) tries to come between them as she tries to get Murray out of her way as Murray sees right through her ruse. Determined to get another "A", she hatches a plan to get Murray out of her way for good. She steals Jake's national prize certificate in molecular astrophysics from NASA, drenches it in her perfume, and drops it through the mail slot in Jake's front door. Just as Julianne expected, Murray mistakes Jake's NASA certificate for one of the love letters Julianne had been giving Jake, takes into the bathroom and attempts to flush it. Jake, who is able to save his certificate, gets angry and yells at Murray to go away. Murray follows his command and runs away from home. A classmate named Savannah O'Neal (

), who loves to skate board and has a crush on Jake, finds Murray and takes him to her house. The next day, Jake starts to worry that Murray might not return, but manages to finish his and Julianne's science project. At school, Jake attempts to dress cool to impress his classmates but Avalon comes and criticizes his outfit and changes it. But when he discovers Julianne's scheme, Jake refuses to give her the project. Savannah uses this opportunity to expose Julianne's ruse of using "people" to get A's, which results in Julianne being caught. Murray runs in and knocks over Julianne and the science project. Although the project is destroyed, Jake is happy to see Murray and they become best friends again.

Avalon and Halley

The second story focuses on two female teens, Avalon Greene (

) and Halley Brandon (

) who created a web magazine called "GeeklyChic." In the school library, Halley gets a call from her and Avalon's favorite New York City publishing company, Burns Publications, run by the stunning Cherie St. Claire (

Jessalyn Wanlim Jessalyn Wanlim (born September 3, 1982) is a Canadian-American actress and model. She played Evie Cho on the science fiction television series '' Orphan Black'', as well as Jenny Matthews on the sitcom ''Workin' Moms''. She had a recurring role ...

). Halley thinks her older brother Kendall (

), who is into men's fashion, is playing a prank on her until she sees him doing a service project right out the window of the library and realizes she really has received a call from Cherie. Cherie invites them to go to the publishing company's headquarters in Manhattan to ask them something that could change their lives. During the talk, Cherie tells Avalon and Halley that she likes their web magazine and offers to buy it, but decides to only let one of them be the senior editor, because she believes that the quality of the writing will be better. Cherie decides to let each of them write a cover article and will judge who wrote the best article as that writer will become the senior editor. At school, Avalon encounters with classmate Walker (

), who allows her to contact a French singer named Jean Frank. Now, the two girls decide to interview Jean after his first American sold-out concert which leads them to become frenemies. Meanwhile, Jean reveals himself to the girls that he's American and his real name is Johnny Frankewski. At the end, they decide that they will share the article. Cherie becomes angry and decides not to hire either of them, because of their immaturity with the situation. The television show "Teens Now" picks up their article about Johnny changing his image as he was only posing as a singer from Paris. "Teens Now" also broadcasts their blog's website for their audience to check out. Seeing that their web magazine has gone global on their hit counter map, Avalon and Halley make up as best friends again.

Savannah and Emma

The third and final story of the film focuses on Savannah O’Neal and Emma Reynolds-teenage alter egos (both roles are played by Mary Mouser) who trade places because they each believe the other's life is better. Savannah is a teenage tomboy who loves skateboarding and lives with her dad and three brothers. She has a crush on Jake Logan and attends Waterbury High School with Avalon, Halley, Jake, and Julianne. Emma is a teenage rich girly-girl who goes to a private school. Thinking the other has the better life, they trade places (under the persuasion of Halley and Avalon) when they meet at the mall. They soon discover the other didn't have the glamorous life that they thought the other had. Emma (disguised as Savannah) gets a date with Jake and during the date Emma starts acting romantic, causing Savannah to get mad and say "That's (meaning Jake) my boyfriend!" which leads to Emma getting upset when she finds out that Savannah went out with Lance (

) who was Emma's previous boyfriend and the two start fighting and Savannah storms off. Later, at Emma's birthday ball, "Emma" (really Savannah) dumps Lance. The real Emma is overjoyed when she hears about this, because she had been trying to get rid of him ever since they started dating; however, she had never gotten the courage to do so. The girls forgive each other and switch lives once more. Avalon and Halley then lead everyone in a lively dance to "Pose" (by

) as the film ends.

Cast

as Avalon Greene *

as Halley Brandon *

as Savannah O'Neal / Emma Reynolds * Nick Robinson as Jake Logan *

as Julianne Bryan *

as Walker *

as Kendall Brandon *

as Lance Lancaster * Kathryn Greenwood as Lisa Logan * Doug Murray as Roger O'Neal * Clive Walton as Walt Reynolds *

Natalie Radford Natalie Radford (born 24 June 1966) is a Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of thes ...

as Jacqueline Reynolds *

as Cherie St. Claire * Jesse Bostick as Emmett * Julian Kennedy as Owen

Songs

Stefanie Scott and Carlon Jeffery - Pose

Production

The film was shot from April 11 to May 16, 2011, in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. It was filmed at Our Lady Queen of the World Catholic Academy with current grade 11 drama students as extras.

Reception

It premiered on Friday, January 13, 2012, on Disney Channel and garnered 4.207 million viewers. In the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

and

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

it had 394,000 viewers.

Accolades

Broadcast

Worldwide the movie aired on Disney Channel. In

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

it premiered on January 13, 2012, and in the

and

it premiered on March 2, 2012. It aired in Australia and

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

on April 13, 2012, in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

on April 28, 2012, and in the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...

, and

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

on June 4, 2012.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Frenemies (film) 2012 television films 2012 films 2012 comedy-drama films 2010s teen comedy-drama films Alloy Entertainment films American teen comedy-drama films American comedy-drama television films Disney Channel Original Movie films Films directed by Daisy von Scherler Mayer Films shot in Toronto American drama television films 2010s American films Films based on The Prince and the Pauper