BLANK CHECK
A film review by Mark Takacs
Copyright 1994 Mark Takacs
Walt Disney Pictures / rated PG
Starring: Karen Duffy James Rebhorn Jayne Atkinson Brian Bonsall
Miguel Ferrer Tone Loc Michael Lerner
Tak Classification: Disney Comedy
Tak Rating: wait for video
One-Line-Summary ---------------- Eleven-year-old Preston gets a million dollars, has lots of fun, and draws wanted and unwanted attention from the FBI and some thugs.
Tak Plot Summary ---------------- Preston Waters (Brian Bonsall) is handed a blank check by a hurried crook named Quigley (Miguel Ferrer), fills in $1 million, and boldly cashes it at the local bank, where he is mistaken for a messenger by crooked banker (Michael Lerner). For the rest of the movie, he is smitten by teller Shay Stanley (Karen Duffy), gets himself chased by Quigley, the bank president, and thug Juice (Tone Loc), and has lots of fun spending the money with his personal chauffer (Rick Ducommun).
Tak Thoughts ------------ BIG. Remember that movie? Little kid gets turned into an adult, plays like crazy, spends lotsa cash, gets a woman, and turns back into a kid? Well this has a similar feel--lots 'o cash is spent, much fun is had, and there's a serious crush on Shay (Karen Duffy), though this is Disney so nothing really happens.
The plot's nothing really special. It provides laughs and smiles and a minimum of groans. It does have a few itty-bitty twists, so I'll turn my attention to the characters.
What Disney film would be complete without bumbling villains? The bank president is the classic bumbler, but Quigley and Juice are pretty respectable. This is due in large part to (believe it or not), Tone Loc. According to the production notes "No one in his right mind would believe I had any reason to fear [Quigley]...", so he helped them come up with a plausible alternative to the bumbling sidekick that he was originally to play. Good move Tone Loc.
Brian Bonsall (brother Andrew from "Family Ties," Worf's Klingon son, Alexander, on "ST:TNG") is in almost every single scene and plays a very smart, resourceful character whose only flaw is being eleven years old. I was very impressed--an intelligent kid character.
Actor and comedian Rick Ducommun plays the chauffer, and is responsible for a lot of the humor and jokes as he plays, wisecracks, and jokes with Preston.
And I couldn't leave this review without mentioning Karen Duffy, who plays the bank teller. Wow! No wonder the kid had a crush on her. There's one scene involving a fountain and a wet dress that was quite a treat. Ahem. I think those Disney censors were paid off for that one. Karen Duffy's certainly not a fantasy limited to eleven-year-old boys. The "chemistry" between them is oddly believable, though. He is smitten; she is very flattered, but always takes him seriously (though there are extenuating circumstances) without asking us to believe she could fall in love with an eleven-year-old.
Tak Rating system: ------------------ My rating system is set up differently than most, and it's time I explained it. Other reviewers try to rank movies on some sort of scale as to how good they are. This presents a problem for me, 'cause I like almost all the movies I see. So how do I give people an idea of the merit of the film? When friends ask me how I liked a movie, my reply is usually "it was okay" or "it was good", usually followed by a recommendation "wait for video", or "don't pay full price", or "I'll go see it again with you!". So there's where my rating came from.
That said, I recommend BLANK CHECK as a VCR movie, or maybe something to show the kids you're babysitting as a matinee. I laughed, had some chuckles, and ogled Karen Duffy, but recommend you do it at home.
avoid at all costs
watch it on cable
X wait for videotape
see once as a matinee
see several times (w/friends) as matinee
see once at full price
see it several times - full and/or matinee
see many times at full price
.
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