Illegal Tender (film)

Illegal Tender
Promotional film poster
Directed by	Franc. Reyes
Produced by	John Singleton
Written by	Franc. Reyes
Starring	Rick Gonzalez Wanda De Jesus Dania Ramirez
Music by	Heitor Pereira
Edited by	Tony Ciccone
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	August 24, 2007 (2007-08-24)
Language	English

Illegal Tender is a 2007 film written and directed by Franc. Reyes and produced by John Singleton. It stars Rick Gonzalez, Wanda De Jesus and Dania Ramirez, the film also marks the film debut of Reggaeton music star Tego Calderón.

Bronx, New York, 1985, where Millie and Wilson De Leon are expecting their first child. Wilson is a drug dealer working for Javier Cordero. One night, Millie shows Wilson that she has laundered his illegal drug earnings and made high quality investments, eliminating the need for him to continue his life of crime. Wilson goes to a meeting with Javier, who has him killed at the same time that Wilson Jr. is born.

Connecticut, 2006. Millie and Wilson Jr., along with Millie's illegitimate grade school son Randy, are living in a mansion in Connecticut. Wilson Jr. is in college with an adoring girlfriend named Ana. Wilson Jr. has a difficult relationship with his mother, bothered by the fact that she has multiple boyfriends. After seeing a friend from 1985 in a grocery store, Millie tells Randy that they must leave immediately. A heated argument ensues, with Millie finally telling Wilson Jr. that his father was a drug dealer and revealing a hidden stockpile of guns. Wilson is unbowed and stays in the mansion with Ana. That night Wilson Jr. uses the guns to fight off two assassins who attack the house. The Connecticut police do not react, and Millie and Randy return to the mansion. The family then see a suspicious man watching them while playing at a nearby park.

Wilson Jr., without telling Millie, travels to San Juan, Puerto Rico. He visits his Aunt Jessenia, who tells him that he can find Javier at a nightclub called "Mora's". Javier tells him that his mother stole $2 Million USD from him, has his thugs beat Wilson Jr. and drop him back at his hotel. Upon returning to Connecticut, Wilson finally questions the family's lavish lifestyle. Millie shows her son the investments made, including an unusually astute early investment in Microsoft. Wilson then admits to his meeting with Javier to which Millie becomes infuriated, knowing it was a trick so that Javier could track them down (despite the assassins who had already found them earlier at their mansion). The three De Leon's find themselves under attack at their mansion by two more assassins, including the man from the park, who knew how to find them before Wilson Jr.'s trip to San Juan. After another shootout, Millie and Wilson kill their attackers.