Blank Check is a 1994 American comedy film that was released on February 11, 1994.
February 11, 1994
Storyline
11-year-old Preston Waters laments his relative lack of money compared to his entrepreneurial older brothers and his working class father, an investor. His situation regularly leads him to humiliating situations including having his brothers, 16-year-old Damian and 15-year-old Ralph, commandeer his bedroom as an office for their home business. He is also forced to attend his bully Butch's birthday party at Cliffside Fun Park, where he is unable to afford anything other than the kiddie rides because his father is very frugal with money.
One day, he gets involved in a bike accident with escaped convict Carl Quigley, who had just left a Zero Halliburton briefcase containing $1,000,000 in stolen cash in the care of bank president Edward H. Biderman to be laundered and retrieved by an associate the next day. Afraid of drawing attention from the police, Quigley hastily hands Preston a signed blank check and flees the scene.
Preston uses his computer to fill out the check himself for $1,000,000 and attempts to cash it the next day. He is taken to Biderman, who believes Preston is the associate named “Juice” that Quigley told him he was sending. Believing this is part of Quigley's plan, Biderman fills Preston’s backpack with $1,000,000 in clean money and Preston leaves the bank just as the real Juice arrives for the money. An angered Quigley sets out to find Preston with Juice hoping to reclaim his stolen money and threatens Biderman with death unless he comes along. Meanwhile, Preston goes on a spending spree, purchasing a large house and a limousine service with a chauffeur named Henry, and then fills the house with toys, gadgets, and electronics all in the name of a mysterious employer he creates named "Macintosh", after his brothers' computer. Preston uses a computer program called MacSpeak as the voice of Mr. Macintosh in order to buy a house over the phone.
Shay Stanley, a teller from the bank, seeks out Preston and his employer Mr. Macintosh, after the realtor who sold the house to Macintosh deposits $300,000 cash with her bank. Shay, an undercover FBI agent investigating Biderman for money laundering, is suspicious of the sudden flow of cash that has come through Biderman’s bank and follows the trail to Preston/Macintosh. Denied a meeting with Macintosh, Preston claims that he handles some of Macintosh’s financial affairs and the two end up going on a business date. Later, Preston throws an expensive birthday party for himself and Macintosh for which the party planner Yvonne takes at least $40,000 in cash from Preston, claiming it covers the fees for the event. Yvonne later gives Preston the party planning bill and cost which is $100,000. Preston invites Shay and Henry to the party, with many others showing up. At the party, Preston learns that he only has $332 left and that he cannot pay the planner what he owes for the party.
Still checking on the computer, his dad shows up talking to the so-called Macintosh. He tells him that if he sees Preston, to send him home because it is his birthday. Preston's dad talks about how he puts pressure on his son and how he doesn’t listen to Preston about not having money. He leaves just before Preston starts crying. The planner shuts the party down, leaving Preston alone in the empty house. Quigley, Biderman, and Juice arrive and demand Preston return the money, only to find out Preston has spent all of it in six days; Biderman tells Quigley about helming the Macintosh name in hopes of inheriting the new life he was hoping for. After pursuing Preston throughout the property when the latter tries to escape, the FBI shows up with Shay in time to save Preston.
Quigley announces that he is Macintosh, thinking that assuming the false identity would grant him the new life he was seeking after escaping prison. However, the FBI arrest Quigley for numerous crimes they intended to charge to Macintosh, along with Biderman and Juice as accomplices. Preston says goodbye to Shay and Henry before returning to his family to celebrate his birthday, now understanding that money cannot buy happiness and that family is what matters most.
Sound Effects Used
- Hollywoodedge, Horses Several Whinn PE025201 (5th whinny)
- Roger Rabbit Ahooga Sound (Heard once from the television during the final battle.)
- Sound Ideas, ANIMAL, BIRD - ROOSTER CROW 03 (Heard once from the television during the final battle.)
- Sound Ideas, BOING, CARTOON - TIMP RISE AND BOING (Heard once from the television during the final battle.)
- Sound Ideas, ELECTRICITY, SPARK - HIGH VOLTAGE SPARK, ELECTRICAL 01 (Heard once from the television during the final battle.)
- Sound Ideas, PLINK, CARTOON - SOUR PLINK (Heard once from the television during the final battle.)
- Sound Ideas, SPACE, ZAP - FAST ZAP, GUN, CARTOON
- Sound Ideas, SPACE, ZAP - LASER SHOT, ELECTRONIC
- Sound Ideas, THUNDER - THUNDER CLAP AND RUMBLE, WEATHER 01 (Series 6000)