ILLEGAL TENDER

US, 2007, 108 minutes, Colour.
Rick Gonzalez, Wanda de Jesus, Gary Perez.
Directed by Franc. Reyes.

Illegal Tender treads familiar ground, drug dealing in New York in the 1980s, drug dealing in Puerto Rico, the transition to the 21st century, the accumulation of wealth from laundered money, and, eventually, truth coming out.

Rick Gonzalez plays a young man from a wealthy household, Wilson, living in a mansion in Connecticut, going to the University. His mother is a wealthy woman, but rather profligate in her behaviour. There is a back story where Wilson’s father was murdered in the 1980s and Wilson’s mother, Millie, took the money and invested it.

When some criminals put the mansion under surveillance, and there is a stash of guns in the house, Wilson becomes suspicious and, after two intruders are shot, he decides to go to Puerto Rico to find out what really happened in the past. He confronts the drug dealer from the 1980s but is beaten. But he also learns the truth about his father, his father’s affair with a young woman, the drug dealers sister, and the reason for his father’s being killed.

There is a climax back at the mansion in Connecticut, some shootouts – and, while Wilson knows the truth, he does not tell his mother the story about the affair and the reason for her husband’s death.

1. A New York and Puerto Rico story? The 1980s, the Bronx, drugs? The contrast with Connecticut in the 21st century, mansions and wealth? Puerto Rico, clubs and drugs?

2. The location photography, the atmosphere in the Bronx, the neighbourhoods, drugs and squalor? Violence? The police? The contrast with the Connecticut landscapes and wealth, towns? Puerto Rico? The musical score?

3. The title, the focus on drugs, cash and investments? The use of the money for the resolution of the plot?

4. Millie, in herself, her relationships, Wilson, her son, the money laundering, Wilson and his being killed?

5. 20 years later, Randy as Millie’s older son, Wilson Jr, his relationship with Ana? His attitude towards his mother, her wealth, behaviour, sexual partners?

6. The mansion under surveillance, Wilson and his reaction, the guns, his mother wanting him to go, his staying with Ana, the two killers, the police and the defence against burglars?

7. Wilson, his character, righteous, with his girlfriend, university studies? The discovery about his family? Going to Puerto Rico? Consulting his aunt?

8. Going to the club, the encounter with Javier, the confrontation, his being beaten?

9. His mother, her character, the money from the 1980s, her investments, Microsoft? Wilson discovering the truth?

10. The siege, the house, the home invasion, the deaths?

11. Puerto Rico, Wilson learning the back story, his father’s affair with Mora, the club called after her, her love, realising Wilson loved Millie, her suicide? Javier and his attempted revenge? Wilson and his mother, his mother shooting Javier?

12. Wilson, learning the truth, but not revealing the full truth to his mother?