Blank Check

Blank Check has quietly become one of the more dependable comedies currently available in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the US on Disney Plus. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. 544 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Brian Bonsall leads a cast with real comic timing. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Disney Plus.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Blank Check is worth clearing space for. Sharp writing and a well-matched ensemble are what separate Blank Check from the crowd. Bullied by his siblings and nagged by his parents, 11-year-old Preston Waters is fed up with his family — especially their frugality. But he gets his chance to teach them a lesson when a money-laundering criminal nearly bulldozes Preston with his car and compensates the boy with a blank check. Preston makes the check out for $1 million and goes on a spending spree he'll never forget. Brian Bonsall and Karen Duffy lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1994. Blank Check earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Comedy fans looking for a reliably funny watch will find it in Blank Check. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Brian Bonsall is funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. Put it on when you need something guaranteed to land.