Anyone who has ever seen Blank Check, which was one of many definitive ‘90s movies thanks to its 1994 release, has wanted to live a life similar to Preston’s adventure. When he is given a blank check by a bank robber posing as a real estate agent, he does what any 11-year-old would do and fills it out for $1 million, which he then cashes at a bank. He proceeds to live his best life as a kid millionaire without thinking of the repercussions and since he’s just a kid, you can’t really blame him.
Although the young actor who played Preston in Blank Check isn’t exactly a household name, other actors who appeared in the movie, like Michael Lerner and James Rebhorn, made the movie a little more approachable for some adults. And despite being released domestically only rather than worldwide, the movie was met with decent success for its time.
If you ever wondered about streaming Blank Check, the good news is that thanks to the Disney+ app, you’ll be able to re-watch Preston’s spending spree over and over again. Maybe you were never really a ‘90s kid and didn’t watch the movie when it was originally released. Or, it was one of the films which were part of your childhood. But either way, you might be wondering about how to watch Blank Check online. And here’s how to stream Blank Check right now.
How to Stream ‘Blank Check’ – Exclusively on Disney+
Black Check is one of the classic ’90s live-action Disney movies that is streaming exclusively on Disney’s new subscription streaming service, Disney+.
You can stream Blank Check and hundreds of other movies and shows on your computer, phone, tablet, smart TV or streaming device. The service costs $6.99/month. You may also opt for this discount bundle of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ for $12.99/month.
- 1. Sign up for Disney+ here
- 2. Go to Disneyplus.com or download the Disney+ app on your device
- 3. Log in using your information
- 4. Search for “Blank Check”
- 5. Start streaming
Disney+ also boasts a vast library of Disney-owned movies and series — plus several new original series coming soon. The service includes unlimited downloads so you can watch offline whenever and wherever you want. The list of compatible devices and smart TVs includes iPads, Apple TV, Amazon devices, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Chromecast, Roku, PS4, and Xbox One.
‘Blank Check’: Overview
Release Date: February 11, 1994
Creators: Blake Snyder and Colby Carr
Director: Rupert Wainwright
Starring: Brian Bonsall, James Rebhorn, Michael Lerner, and Tone Loc
Rating: PG
Synopsis: When an 11-year-old boy gets his hands on a blank check, he uses it to inadvertently spend $1 million which originally belonged to a group of criminals.
How Long Is ‘Blank Check’?
The original theatrical release of Blank Check was one hour and 33 minutes long.
‘Blank Check’ Plot
Although Blank Check revolves around 11-year-old Preston’s adventures with a million-dollar check, the movie starts off by showing how the money itself comes to be. Carl Quigley, a prison escapee who was convicted of bank robbery, heads to a warehouse where he hid $1 million in cash. The movie then introduces viewers to Preston, who is lost in his family between bullying older brothers and a frugal dad who makes him write a paltry $11 on a blank check he receives from his grandma for his birthday.
Meanwhile, Quigley goes to a bank, where he hatches a plan with the crooked bank president Edward Biderman to trade the cash for unmade and untraceable bills. He tells him that his associate by the name of Juice will be there to cash a check for the unmarked bills.
Afterward, Preston inexplicably receives a blank check from Quigley himself when the criminal runs over Preston’s bike. The check is for Preston’s dad to fill in to replace the bike, but instead, Preston fills it out for $1 million and takes it to the bank to cash. Biderman, thinking that Preston is Quigley’s associate Juice, hands him over the cash and Preston embarks on his adventure.
He convinces his parents he is working for a millionaire named Macintosh. Unbeknownst to Preston, however, he is being actively investigated by the FBI for using bills that were watermarked, which Biderman hadn’t known himself. At the end of the movie, Quigley tries to take over the identity of Preston’s fake boss, but because the elusive Macintosh was being investigated, Quigley is arrested and Preston goes home to his family.
‘Blank Check’ Cast
Like plenty of other movies from the ‘90s, Blank Check featured mostly unknown young actors and a few big names parents or other adults knew a little better than children who saw the movie. But it was also a time when it wasn’t so important for the movie to feature big names in comedy or drama and instead feature a unique story. While Blank Check doesn’t have many present-day A-listers in its core cast, the stars still helped make the movie what it was.
Brian Bonsall as Preston Waters
Preston is the youngest child in his family and feels constantly overlooked by his parents. He also feels stifled by his dad’s frugal tendencies and has a mischievous personality by nature. But by the end of the movie, Preston sees more value in his family than what money can buy him. After Blank Check, Brian Bonsall’s TV and movie career was short-lived, but he might be best known for his role as Andy on Family Ties which came years before he played Preston in Blank Check.
James Rebhorn as Fred Waters
Fred is Preston’s dad and inadvertently one of the antagonists of the movie. He is an accountant and prides himself on underspending whenever he can. Unfortunately, it hinders his relationship with Preston. By the end of the movie, however, Fred realizes just how much he has missed his son and they are able to grow closer. James Rebhorn didn’t have the starring role in Blank Check, but he has been in plenty of notable films and TV shows over the years, including Independence Day and Law & Order, which have helped him prove himself as a multifaceted actor.
Michael Lerner as Biderman
Edward Biderman is a bank president, but also has some shady side dealings, which are made apparent when he meets with Quigley and then Juice. He also isn’t above going after children, which he proves when he and the two criminals try to find Preston. Although Michael Lerner has played a wide range of roles over the years, it seems like that of a no-nonsense type, like his character in the TV series of Clueless, is what he does best.
Tone Loc as Juice
Juice is a criminal who has worked with Quigley in the past but is otherwise known as the muscle behind the team rather than the brains of the operation. Outside of Blank Check, Tone Loc was known more for his rapping than his acting, but after he released a song pegged to Ace Ventura, which he co-starred in, he scaled back from music quite a bit.
‘Blank Check’ Songs and Soundtrack
The Blank Check soundtrack didn’t win any major awards and it isn’t as popular or iconic as the movie itself. It does, however, contain tracks by artists like Bow Wow Wow and Right Said Fred. And although the music featured on the soundtrack doesn’t include the movie’s score, Nicholas Pike was in charge of the music in Blank Check. And outside of the movie, he has won Emmy Awards for his music.
‘Blank Check’ at the Box Office
Curiously, Blank Check wasn’t released internationally, as other Disney movies have been. Instead, there is only box office data for the movie’s domestic release, which earned the film a total of $30,577,969. It might have had something to do with the other films Disney released in 1994, however, which may have garnered wider releases, whereas Blank Check did not. Since Disney also released The Santa Clause and The Jungle Book that same year, this could be the case. Still, with a budget of $13 million, Blank Check more than doubled it with its domestic release.
‘Blank Check’ Reviews – What the Critics Said
Despite being some of the quintessential ‘90s movies, Blank Check hasn’t been met with the best reviews in recent years. There aren’t any reviews floating around that came out around the time the movie itself was still in theaters, but the critic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes are in agreement that the movie leaves much to be desired. One critic review on Rotten Tomatoes said that Blank Check “manages to be entirely obnoxious with very little effort.” Another said the movie features “a brutal series of gags.” Still, it holds a special place int he hearts of some now grownup ‘90s kids — even if critics don’t love it.
Where ‘Blank Check’ Fits in the Disney Movie Pantheon
While critics might be quick to criticize the story in Blank Check, there are many who appreciate it for its sheer ‘90s nostalgia. Buzzfeed called it one of “the most underrated kids movies from the ‘90s,” proving how much some older fans of the movie can still appreciate it today. Blank Check is also considered noteworthy for some parents who want a family-friendly movie from their childhood rather than something R-rated that they can’t really enjoy with their kids. As is the case with some movies, Blank Check may not have been well-received by critics, but some fans are still loyal to it decades after its initial release.
‘Blank Check’ Trailer
‘Blank Check’ Trivia: 5 Fast Facts
It has been 25 years since Blank Check was released in theaters. If the movie was a human, it would be able to vote, get drunk, and rent a car. Preferably not in that order. But for some fans, the best thing about reminiscing about the movie is learning all of the fun facts and looking back on Blank Check with a different kind of attitude. It’s certainly easy to see it with a snarky lense, if only because of how dated it seems in some ways, but the trivia helps make some fans want to watch Blank Check online over and over again.
1. $1 Million Isn’t As Much Money As It Seems
Preston manages to buy a lavish house, hire a driver, and throw expensive parties with the money he gets from the bank. In real life, however, even in the ‘90s, it’s hard to believe that $1 million would really buy all of that with any money left over.
2. Shay Was In Another Movie
The actress who plays Shay, the undercover FBI agent in Blank Check, also appeared as a character of the same name in Dumb & Dumber, which was released the same year.
3. Two Of The Stars Have History With ‘Law & Order’
James Rebhorn doesn’t have many scenes, if any, with Michael Lerner in Blank Check. But Rebhorn was a Law & Order series regular for more than 10 years, while Lerner was in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
4. Preston’s Sad Amusement Park Party Experience Is Even Sadder Because Of Where It Was
At the beginning of the movie, Preston attends a birthday party for a classmate as an amusement park. His dad gives him just $6 to go on rides, but that paltry sum affords him fun on the kiddie rides only. In real life, the park scenes were filmed at a Six Flags, which makes it even sadder to know how much Preston missed out on.
5. The Castle Preston Buys Is A Real Castle — Sort Of
Preston spends $300,000 on a castle mansion in his neighborhood, which is already unbelievable enough in itself. But in real life, the castle exists in a neighborhood in Austin, Texas. Only it is valued at a lot more than $300,000.