Blank Check (1994)

I wanted to but couldn't!

Did you people see the same film I saw?

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

It's a Home Alone ripoff that has about as much money and materialism as it lacks in character, personality, or anything remotely entertaining. I don't really need to say anymore, do I?Final Score: 21/100 (Cardboard Medal)

Its funny how I came across this movie. I was in a saloon in Orlando, USA getting a haircut and this movie was played there. I saw like first 15 minutes of the movie and loved it - the direction (the kind which used to be when I was little. I am 24 now and still loved the movie. LOL), the story, people in it etc. So, after I was done with my haircut I asked what was the name of the movie to the man who played it - "Blanck Check", he said.

Don'tcha just love nostalgia? Those warm, fuzzy and oft-forlorn feelings for days long since past. The yearning to revisit childhood favorites and return to a simpler, easier time. Everyone has those things from their past that bring back the memories and the magic. For many in my generation, it's all about the 90's- a peculiar time period indeed and a blur of experimentation and transition in the world of entertainment that supplied some classics... but also many duds.One film in particular is most certainly a bi-product of this odd period in time- the 1994 Disney release "Blank Check." It's a film that celebrates the excessive desires we all have as children, and for many of us watching it back in the day, it was the ultimate power-trip. A film that revolved around what any kid would do if they suddenly came across a million dollars. And we loved it! We loved seeing a child suddenly given near-limitless power, able to buy all the toys and video-games and play-things he wanted. It was pure magic.But at the same time, our parents would collectively roll their eyes, shake their heads and scoff at the complete and utter lack of realism and consequence presented. But we didn't care... what did they know?! They're not kids! They're stinky old adults! They just didn't understand the movie like we did! And we knew we'd treasure this film until the end of time! ...well, until we grew up ourselves, that is. Yes, it's a bit of a sad thing to admit, but these sorts of childhood power-fantasy favorites just don't hold up when you revisit them as adults. We enjoyed "Blank Check" at the time because it was tailor made for the 6-12 age demographic. But that enjoyment is wholly replaced by a general sense of apathy and sometimes even startling unease when going back and revisiting it as we enter our late 20's and early 30's. We start to see why our parents scoffed and rolled their eyes... because often, these types of films aren't nearly as good as we think they are.12-year-old Preston (Brian Bonsall) just can't catch a break. His family is incredibly frugal. He can't afford to do fun things with his friends. And he is bullied by other kids. All that changes when he is given a blank check one day after a man accidentally runs over his bike. Preston tries to capitalize on the opportunity by filling the check out for a million dollars, not realizing that the man who crushed his bike (Miguel Ferrer) is actually a career criminal! A seedy bank official actually gives Preston the money, assuming he's being used as a middle-man for cover. Now, Preston has a million dollars cash to use any way he wants- toys, games, you name it! But the men he stole it from might just come looking to get it back...The failure of "Blank Check" boils down to two huge fundamental issues I have with the story and execution of the film. That being the troubled and uneven storytelling on the part of director Rupert Wainwright and a frankly eerie and even disturbing tonality and focus that is impossible to ignore as an adult. The film is a complete and utter mess too often, to the point of distraction. Director Wainwright takes a simple enough premise but can't find an appropriate and consistent sense of pacing, composition or flow, leading to a frenzied and sometimes hackneyed final product that alternates between being filmed like a low-key police procedural and an Adrenalin-pumping music video. It's difficult to watch or let yourself get pulled in because it's completely scatter-brained, and the wonky storytelling also makes the many holes and gaps in logic in the script feel glaring and blatant. Wainwright also seems far too committed to making the film appealing to kids first and foremost, but it's to the detriment of the work. Too often he throws in kitschy camera angles and sped-up footage to emulate cartoons, and has the camera focus on comedic- relief characters (including a woefully unfunny Rick Ducommun who hams it up in the worst of ways) to the point it becomes transparent pandering. It's poor work, and a glaring example of how not to make a kids film. It feels like it's talking down to the viewers... not having fun with him.And then there's the creepy bits. Oh, boy... this film is not appropriate in the slightest. And I'm not talking about violence or profanity. I'm talking about tone and focus. This movie is a complete and utter nightmare to behold as an adult. From the presentation of our "hero" as a glorified thief who gets away with basically everything and faces little consequences until the final act (which I will not spoil), to making all of the adult characters the types of people kids will not respect, to a truly disgusting "love story"... this is not a good movie to show to young children. When I say "creepy bits", I'm not talking about potentially frightening scenes for children. I'm talking about incredibly uncomfortable scenes to watch for adults, including a prolonged subplot in which 12-year-old Preston goes on "dates" with the adult woman (the admittedly very sexy Karen Duffy) handling the finances, who openly seems to be "flirting" with a child. It's supposed to be played for "Aww, adorable!" moments... but the execution is just incredibly cringe-worthy and leaves you feeling unclean. As do the many moments where Preston openly manipulates, lies to and harasses people for his own amusement. It makes the film and the characters impossible to like."Blank Check" might benefit from a fun premise and a strong central performance thanks to its talented child-star. But it's an ugly film with a mean-streak, morally questionable moments that adults will find worrying and sub-par storytelling. It's not the film you remember it being. And I give it a very sub-par 3 out of 10.

If you love movies about young children this is the movie for you. It is great. It's about a young boy who soon inherits lots of money and goes crazy with it. Clearly this could never happen but it is a great movie to watch non the less. To see all the situations he gets himself into and all the crazy stuff he buys really makes the movie. You have to have an open mind when watching since it is very unlikely this would happen. I loved watching it as a young child and still do. It's a great movie for children. It will definitely make you laugh. It is a lot like the movie "Home Alone" in that it's also about a kid who has a house to himself and goes crazy. He also has to try and escape the bad guys who are after him.It's a great laugh and a good movie for the whole family to watch!