Blank Check

Eleven-year-old Preston Waters feels humiliated by his wealthier brothers and a frugal father who compares him unfavorably to their ventures. His brothers repeatedly invade his bedroom to run their home business, underscoring his financial insecurity. The tension at home fuels Preston's longing for a bigger, more exciting life.

Preston attends classmate Butch's birthday party at Cliffside Fun Park but can only ride the kiddie rides because he can't afford more. The party highlights his social embarrassment stemming from his finances. He longs for a way to change his life.

Preston's bike accident brings him into contact with Carl Quigley, who has escaped custody. Quigley leaves a Zero Halliburton briefcase full of stolen cash with the bank president to launder and retrieve later. In a rush, he hands Preston a signed blank check to help him cover his tracks.

Preston uses his computer to fill the blank check for $1,000,000. He is taken to Edward Biderman, who believes Preston is the associate named Juice that Quigley spoke of. Biderman fills Preston's backpack with $1,000,000 in clean money, and Preston exits the bank just as the real Juice arrives to claim the money.

Quigley and Juice pursue Preston to reclaim the money and threaten Biderman's family unless he cooperates. The pursuit escalates as the criminals converge on Preston's life and the Macintosh story begins to unfold. Preston stays ahead by using the new wealth to his advantage.

Having access to the money, Preston buys a large house and hires a limousine service with a chauffeur named Henry. He fills the house with toys and gadgets for his made-up employer Macintosh, using MacSpeak as the voice for calls while posing as Macintosh's assistant. The line between Preston and his alter ego blurs as his wealth grows.

Shay Stanley, a bank teller and undercover FBI agent, tracks the sudden cash flow through Biderman's bank and follows the Macintosh trail. She pursues leads and attempts to meet Macintosh, wary of the impostor. Her pursuit marks the first official challenge to the ruse.

Denied a direct meeting with Macintosh, Preston claims to handle some of Macintosh's financial affairs and agrees to a business date. They meet in a setting that involves phone calls and financial planning, with Preston orchestrating the illusion of Macintosh. The encounter tightens the investigation's scrutiny.

Preston throws a lavish birthday party for himself and Macintosh, paying for a planner with cash but miscalculating the funds. The planner quotes a total of $100,000, and Preston learns he only has about $332 left to cover it at the end. The party's excess reveals the cost of his fantasy.

During the party, Preston's dad appears and warns him not to let money erase his sense of fun and family. The father expresses fear over losing his son to wealth and urges him to embrace life. The moment grounds Preston's runaway fantasy in family love.

Quigley, Biderman, and Juice arrive to reclaim the money, forcing a chase across the property. Preston uses his new purchases to fend off the pursuers, creatively turning his toys and gadgets into makeshift defenses. The criminals close in as the stakes escalate.

The FBI, led by Shay, arrives to save Preston from the criminals. Quigley declares himself Macintosh, trying to claim the life he seeks, but agents arrest him along with Biderman and Juice.

Preston returns home to his family to celebrate his birthday and reflects that money cannot buy happiness. He understands that family and simple joys matter most. The story ends with Preston embracing his loved ones and renewed gratitude.