Illegal Tender (2007)

Director:

Franc. Reyes

Writer (WGA):

Franc. Reyes (written by)

Release Date:

24 August 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Always protect the family.

Plot:

When the thugs who killed his father come looking for him, a young Latino man and his mother flee from their home.

Plot Keywords:

College Student | Blood | Revenge | Sunglasses | Betrayal

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Michael Philip Del Rio	...	Lugo
Samuel Molina	...	Older Man
Rick Sepulveda	...	Joey
Manny Perez	...	Wilson DeLeon Sr.
D.C. Benny	...	Ceasar
Mercedes Mercado	...	Latina Killer #1
Carmen Perez	...	Latina Killer #2
Zulay Henao	...	Mora
Jessica Pimentel	...	Young Millie
Angelic Zambrana	...	Young Jessenia
Julie Carmen	...	Nilsa
Ronald Escobar	...	Javier's Man #1
Gary Perez	...	Javier Cordero
Rick Gonzalez	...	Wilson Jr.
Dania Ramirez	...	Ana
Sherionne Lanier	...	Ana's Friend
J. Tom Archuleta	...	Ana's Dad (as Joaquin T. Archuleta)
Wanda De Jesus	...	Millie
Benny Nieves	...	Ralph
Antonio Ortiz	...	Randy
Selenis Leyva	...	Wanda
Atanacio Hernandez	...	Connecticut Hitman
Stracy Diaz	...	Connecticut Hitwoman
Miguel Ángel Suárez	...	Soloman
Delilah Cotto	...	Jessenia
Tego Calderon	...	Choco
Sanya Merced	...	Female Escort #1
Jessica Reyes	...	Female Escort #2
Virginia Romero	...	Crazy Latina
Mario D'Leon	...	Long Island Hitman
Elliot Santiago	...	Hitman
Angel DeCastro	...	Taxi Driver
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Evan Hart	...	Bobby (scenes deleted)

Directed by
Franc. Reyes

Writing credits (WGA)
Franc. Reyes		(written by)

Produced by
Jill Footlick	....	associate producer
Sueann Han	....	associate producer
Preston L. Holmes	....	executive producer
John Singleton	....	producer
Dwight Williams	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Heitor Pereira

Cinematography by
Frank Byers

Film Editing by
Tony Ciccone

Casting by
Sig De Miguel
Stephen Vincent

Production Design by
Keith Brian Burns

Art Direction by
Liba Daniels

Costume Design by
Rahimah Yoba

Makeup Department
Dominique Borrel	....	additional makeup artist
Martha Callender	....	makeup artist: Ms. de Jesus
Marta Lila Cintron	....	additional makeup artist
Mary Cooke	....	department head hair (as Mary Cook)
Loida E. Jeannot	....	key assistant hair stylist (as Loida Jeannot)
Laura Leppanen	....	makeup department head
Marielena Ramirez	....	key makeup artist (as Marielena Ramírez)
Bradley Stenson	....	makeup artist: New York (as Bradley Stenston)

Production Management
Terra Abroms	....	post-production supervisor
Colin Cumberbatch	....	production supervisor
Ines Mongil-Echandi	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
J. Tom Archuleta	....	first assistant director
Giovanni Cotto	....	day player second assistant director: second unit
Louis Guerra	....	second assistant director
Alexander James	....	first assistant director: second unit
Alexander James	....	second second assistant director: New York
Katie Mulligan	....	dga trainee
Shanalyna C. Palmer	....	second assistant director: second unit
Juan Esteban Suárez	....	second second assistant director: Puerto Rico

Art Department
Angel Acosta	....	property master
Luis Colon	....	set dresser
Kaem Coughlin	....	scenic artist
Warren Drummond	....	storyboard artist
Emily Gaunt	....	charge scenic artist
Juan Guallini Indij	....	assistant property master
Malchus Janocko	....	assistant art director
Luis E. Maldonado	....	on-set dresser
Brian Markey	....	construction coordinator
Alejandra Martinez	....	charge scenic
Francisco Martinez	....	set dresser
Celia Parker	....	camera scenic artist
Wilhem Perez	....	painter
Chris Scher	....	construction foreman
Joan Winters	....	graphic designer

Sound Department
Christopher Alba	....	sound effects editor
Bobbi Banks	....	supervising adr editor
Antonio Betancourt	....	production sound mixer
Chris Carpenter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mik Cribben	....	sound: second unit
Mark DeSimone	....	adr mixer: New York
Rickley W. Dumm	....	sound effects editor
Kevin Globerman	....	digital recordist
Paul Hackner	....	dialogue editor
Greg Hedgepath	....	supervising sound editor
Shawn Kennelly	....	supervising foley editor
Andy Koyama	....	sound re-recording mixer
Luis Antonio Landrau	....	boom operator
Laura Macias	....	foley artist
Travis MacKay	....	adr recordist
Nancy MacLeod	....	foley editor
Bill Meadows	....	sound recordist
James Morioka	....	sound effects editor
Chris Navarro	....	adr mixer
Vince Nicastro	....	foley artist
Tom Ozanich	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
Tom Ozanich	....	co-supervising sound editor
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer

Visual Effects by
Glenn Allen	....	visual effects producer: Brainstorm Digital
Alastor Arnold	....	digital intermediate editor
Brent M. Bowen	....	visual effects artist
Tony Ciccone	....	digital effects artist
Chadd B. Cole	....	visual effects supervisor
Carin Davis	....	visual effects producer
Harry Eisenstein	....	visual effects artist
Steven Fahey	....	visual effects artist
Richard Friedlander	....	visual effects producer: Brainstorm Digital
Peter Gend	....	visual effects artist
Derek Ledbetter	....	digital compositor
Derek Ledbetter	....	visual effects artist
Scott Minter	....	lead compositor
Eric J. Robertson	....	visual effects supervisor: Brainstorm Digital
Carol VanHook	....	visual effects artist
Andrea Yomtob	....	visual effects artist

Stunts
Mario D'Leon	....	stunts
Manny Siverio	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Edgar Colón	....	Steadicam operator
Edgar Colón	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Edgar Colón	....	director of photography: second unit
David Kurt Harris	....	company electric
Alec Jarnagin	....	Steadicam operator: second unit
Alec Jarnagin	....	camera operator: second unit
Denny Kortze	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera, New York
Deborah Lipman	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Santiago Benet Mari	....	lighting board operator
Jamie A. Marlowe	....	assistant camera: second unit
Christian May	....	electrician
Dave McAllister	....	key grip
Abner Medina	....	first assistant camera
Tim Metivier	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera, New York
Toby Miller	....	additional electrician
Willie Montañez	....	camera loader
Angel Pastrana	....	key grip
Steve Peloquin	....	best boy grip
Javier Pesquera	....	still photographer
Bill Quigley	....	grip truck
Flaherty Red	....	rigging truck
Ray Richards	....	electrician
Ken Shibata	....	gaffer
Franz Wise	....	electrician
Zenfeek	....	additional grip: New York

Casting Department
David H. Kramer	....	adr voice casting
Winsome Sinclair	....	extras casting
Kyle Stephen	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ngina Bowen	....	key costumer: NY
Pashelle Clayton-Robinson	....	costume supervisor
Dahlia Foroutan	....	assistant costume designer
Carola Gonzalez	....	personal costumer: Tego Calderon
Nacha Zurinaga	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Don Broida	....	first assistant editor
Mato	....	color timer: film
John Nicolard	....	digital intermediate supervisor
Bill Schultz	....	digital intermediate executive
Walter Volpatto	....	digital intermediate colorist
Chris DeLaGuardia	....	color timer (uncredited)

Music Department
John Samuel Hanson	....	engineer to composer
Steven Kofsky	....	music production services
Anzu Lawson	....	playback singer (as Cristina Lawson)
Frankie Needles	....	music supervisor
Kathy Nelson	....	executive in charge of music: Universal Pictures
Michael Raco-Rands	....	assistant to composers
Peter Rotter	....	orchestra contractor
Shie Rozow	....	music editor
John Singleton	....	music supervisor
Booker White	....	head of music preparation

Transportation Department
Peter S. Cassella	....	electric truck driver
Richard Curry	....	transportation captain
Frank Fennimore	....	genny driver
Larry Flaherty	....	production driver
Tom Flaherty	....	driver: star trailer
Victor González	....	driver: construction department
Stapleton Joe	....	driver: honeywagon
Luis 'Cuba' Medina Sánchez	....	driver
Bill Quigley	....	production driver
Joe Quigley	....	driver: star trailer
Frank Röth	....	driver
Frank Röth	....	driver: camera truck
Maffia Sal	....	talent driver

Other crew
Jose Arribas	....	key set production assistant
Nadia Barbarossa	....	assistant: Franc. Reyes
Cassandra Barbour	....	rights and clearances
Danielle Blumstein	....	production coordinator
David Booth	....	laser film recording
Paola Cambo	....	location manager
Eric Canada	....	production assistant
Nick Carr	....	location scout
Giovanni Cotto	....	production assistant
Angela Cutrone	....	production assistant
Yesenia De Avila	....	unit publicist
María de Orduña	....	location assistant
Roody Dorsainvil	....	key office production assistant
Uzoma Emukah	....	production assistant
Lauren E. Enfield	....	production assistant
Steve Faughnan	....	location scout
Bennett Fidlow	....	production legal
Rey Figueroa	....	location assistant
Jill Footlick	....	production consultant
Aquil Fudge	....	key accountant
Catherine Generous	....	assistant accountant
Sebastian Iervolino	....	production assistant
Tatiana Lamela-Rabell	....	production assistant
James Lesage	....	production assistant
Luke Luckett	....	production assistant
Tunga Kalinda Mbia	....	production assistant
Catherine A. McCabe	....	production coordinator
Liliana M. Molina	....	script supervisor
Mariella Navarro	....	production office coordinator
Modesto Pagan Jr.	....	production assistant
Raquel Medina Rampolla	....	production coordinator
Jumaane A. Ray	....	production assistant
Giancarlo Rebella	....	location assistant
Vivian Rebella	....	location manager
Gabriel Reyes	....	publicist
Andres Rivera	....	caterer
Morgan Roche	....	office production assistant
Jesús A. Romero	....	key set production assistant
David Rosenthal	....	digital film I/O supervisor: Fotokem
Maurice Sessoms	....	key set production assistant: New York
Laura Sevier	....	rights and clearances
Collin Smith	....	location manager
Julie Solomon	....	location manager: New York
Mitch Spacone	....	system support: FotoKem
Tim Stacker	....	assistant location manager
Josias Tapia	....	location manager: Puerto Rico
Priti Trivedi	....	production secretary: New York
José R. Varona	....	set medic
Yesenia Velez	....	office production assistant: Puerto Rico
Tania Villalon	....	assistant to executive producer (as Tania Villalón Rivera)
Meghan K. Wicker	....	production office coordinator: New York
Danielle Wilson	....	craft service
Jamie H. Zelermyer	....	production consultant

Thanks
Jimmy Smits	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• New Deal Productions

Distributors

• Universal Studios (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• Universal Pictures (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Brainstorm Digital (opening scene visual effects)
• Film Roman Productions (visual effects)
• Keep Me Posted (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes
• Danetracks  sound design and editorial
• Entertainment Clearances  rights and clearances
• FotoKem Film and Video  digital intermediate
• Rockbottom Rentals  cell phone rentals
• Rockbottom Rentals  modem card rentals
• Rockbottom Rentals  walkie rentals
• Runway  post-production
• Widget Post Production  sound post-production
• Wildfire Studios  ADR Recording Facility
• Wilshire Stages, The  ADR recording facility

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, language and some sexuality.

Runtime:

USA:108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:R | Singapore:M18 | Netherlands:16 | South Korea:18 | Australia:MA (cable rating) | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Hillsdale, New Jersey, USA

Company:

New Deal Productions

Trivia:

The film was shot in just 28 days with locations in New York and Puerto Rico.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Randy is "playing" on his Xbox 360, there are no working control pads connected to it. There are no wired controllers plugged in to it, and if he is using a wireless controller, the controller light on the front of the Xbox should be on. It isn’t.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Making of 'Illegal Tender' (2008) (V)

Soundtrack:

LIVING

Nice visuals, Good acting but Flawed script, as would've been expected for a script with a 1 month deadline.

I always liked RICK GONZALES in basically everything he has done, even in bad movies he's able to bring something interesting to the table so when I saw that he finally had a lead-role I had to check it out.

And when I also noticed that Franc Reyes the man behind one of the better of the newer gangster-movies EMPIRE was behind it it was a done deal.

And although it has nice visuals as would've been expected and mostly good acting, especially from Rick Gonzales the script is a little flawed.

It has got some great scenes, like the home-invasion scene is pretty darn excellent but once the motives of the bad guys are revealed it leaves a lot of confusion because it just doesn't make that much sense, I won't spoil it of course but I felt like they could've come up with a better reason.

I checked out the making of and John Singleton (the producer) said that he gave FRANC REYES one month to write the script, I mean what's that about? It's much better to take as long time as it needs to write a great movie then to give it a dead-line on one month, which really isn't that much of time considering that a script needs to have not only events but also good dialog and well-written characters.

So obviously this is probably the main reason why the script wasn't as good as it could've been.

I also thought that, since Rick Gonzales character was basically raised in the fine suburbs with a lot of money (judging by his nice car, nice college and beautiful home) that his character should've been a little less "ghetto", I don't have a problem with people from the ghetto it would just make a lot more sense, and I think the script would be a little more interesting then as well.

The beginning where they introduced Rick Gonzales father was also a little to long since this movie is mostly about Rick, and I also thought it was idiotic to make it look like his father had 5 or 6 women with tight clothes and silicon-breasts that seemed to do nothing but to count their drug-money, oh yes 2 of them also where doing gangster-stuff with the same tight outfit where they could show off their "talents", ridiculous.

But overall it's an okay movie with nice visuals and good acting, it's just that it's a shame that they didn't give Franc Reyes more than one month to write the script because it could've been so much more than just okay.