| Illegal Tender | |
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Promotional film poster |
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| Directed by | Franc. Reyes |
| Produced by | John Singleton |
| Written by | Franc. Reyes |
| Starring | Rick Gonzalez Wanda De Jesus Dania Ramirez |
| Music by | Heitor Pereira |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
| Release date(s) | August 24, 2007 |
| Language | English |
Illegal Tender is a movie written and directed by Franc. Reyes and produced by Academy Award nominee John Singleton. It stars Rick Gonzalez, Wanda De Jesus and Dania Ramirez, the movie also marks the film debut of Reggaeton music star Tego Calderón.[1]
Contents |
The film opens up in Bronx, New York, 1985. Millie De Leon and her husband Wilson De Leon Sr., are expecting their first child, a son. Wilson is a drug dealer who works for a man named Javier Cordero. One night, Millie sits Wilson down and shows investments that they had made; thus, not having to worry about money. Wilson leaves to meet with Javier anyway and ends up killed by Javier's hench-women, the same night Wilson Jr., is born.
Twenty-one years later, Wilson De Leon Jr., is a college student with an adoring girlfriend named Ana with no knowledge of how he has such a lavish lifestyle. However, Wilson has a difficult relationship with his mother, Millie. Millie has gone "man-crazy" and now has an out-of-wedlock son named Randy. After seeing an "old friend" in a grocery store, Millie begins another move to which Wilson strongly objects. A heated argument ensues, with Millie telling Wilson about his late father. Wilson is uncowed and stays in his mother's old house with Ana.
Dangerous things occur within the family: Wilson and Ana are nearly killed by a couple of assassins, the family seeing a suspicious man in the park, etc. All of the events lead up to Wilson leaving for San Juan in Puerto Rico to see Javier himself (He visits his Aunt Jessenia). Javier claims that his mother stole $2 Million USD from him and tells him to "go back and speak with your mother". Wilson is beaten up by Javier's thugs and is strangely taken back to his hotel in El San Juan. Upon returning to Connecticut, Wilson begins questioning the reason why everything is occurring and why the family has such a lavish lifestyle. Millie shows her son the investments made and stocks created. When asked how he ended up bruised, Wilson admits to his meeting with Javier to which Millie becomes infuriated. Then, the De Leon's find themselves under attack. After some struggling, Millie and Wilson subdue their attackers. Tearfully, Millie tells Wilson she'll do anything for him and that he is her heart.
Ana, is distraught over her boyfriend (with his mother) leaving for Puerto Rico a second time to which he replies "It has to end".
In Mora's, the nightclub owned by Javier, Wilson learns the real truth about his late father:
Javier sent Wilson to look after his 17-year-old sister Mora (for which the nightclub is named). Instead, Wilson had cheated on Millie with Mora (a sexual affair) and went so far as impregnating her. Mora had called her brother and explained the affair, expressing her love for Wilson but his love for Millie. Unable to live with the pain, Mora took several sleeping pills and committed suicide (The unborn baby was one month).
Javier thought that by killing Wilson Sr., he would find relief in losing his sister. He exclaims that his father took away the one person he had left in the world and has realized that if Wilson Sr. was alive, Wilson Jr. would be the one person he loved most. As Javier pulls out a gun on Wilson, Millie shoots him before he has the chance. Javier falls under the picture of his sister. With anger inside of her, Millie tells Javier to "look at her...take a good look, this is as far as we go" before killing him with a shot to the head. Millie and Wilson flee but are stopped by Choco, who lets them leave after a brief conversation. Wilson later lies to his mother, saying that "It was about the 2 million, just like you said." They reunite with Randy and Ana, thus ending the film.
A soundtrack for the film was released to promote the film. It's only available on iTunes, and it includes one song by Tego Calderón.
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