Illegal Tender (2007)

The movie while having a few actors that I've never heard of before, had a decent plot line and a halfway decent acting cast. Like any other gangster/drama/revenge movies, it is centered around the typical genera of any other movie. Money,payback and settling old scores.I was not expecting a whole lot from the movie, but I was rather impressed with the acting skills of the female actress and the commanding presence for a female actress in a lead role.Definitely a shocker, worth renting with a decent plot line and cast and crew. Starts off kind of slow, but it leaves you anticipating whats going to happen next.I won't go into detail, why spoil it, rent it and see what you think for yourself.

I watched the gun fight scene and wanted so badly to shoot myself. Unless this drug king pin hires the most retarded and inept hired guns in the world what kind of retards shoot randomly into a house. Even dumber than that is the main character's family, first the little brother crying "mommy, mommy" in the middle of a gun fight, someone should have knocked that kid out for his own good. The main character missing an open shot on two man sized targets at 20 ft, I thought you had to try to shoot that poorly. Then the mom, "Rawr" raging mother kills two career criminals in a fit of rage. I've never seen a less believable and horribly shot gun fight in my life.

I applaud this film for portraying the Puerto Rican heritage and culture with respect. The producer is trying to bring it into more prominence in the film industry. The family values portrayed by the actors are not typical, but they are commendable nevertheless.The actors are credible in their roles as mother, son, and girlfriend. The supporting cast is not quite so good. Dialog is stilted and delivered like a stage production.It moves along pretty well and the back story is well done, although it is not clear why the money is such an issue until very late in the film, and then it's clear that the money is NOT the issue.The problem I have with the film is the incredible plot leaps of faith where a hostile faction (MOM) is able to penetrate a heavily guarded establishment without being discovered and then ice the villain and escape easily.Mothers skill with the pistols is absolutely over the top and not credible.The 'assassins' are totally incompetent and couldn't hit the broadside of a barn when standing next to it.Those things bothered me, but not enough to miss the true point of this film: a mother's love is the fiercest love of all. She will do anything to protect her children.

This movie was entertaining, but the acting was horrible. I expected way better work from John Singleton and from actors like Wanda DeJesus, Dania Ramirez and Rick Gonzalez. There were so many holes in the plot that dramatic scenes were turned into slapstick comedy. There were also many anachronisms (a bodega scene in 1985 featured candy and snacks with 2007 packaging) and continuity errors (Wilson's little brother bruised his face after falling off his bike; the bruise was healed later that day. Wilson grew up speaking English, but managed to speak fluent Spanish once he arrived in Puerto Rico). I did like the music in the film, though, and I'll probably buy the soundtrack. I think I understand the vision that John Singleton may have had in making this film, but unfortunately he used a formula that was successful in the '90s and it doesn't work for Illegal Tender.