John Q

Name: John Q
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Crime
Released: February 15, 2002
Duration: 116 min
Rating: 30
Cast: Denzel Washington

2002

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 33 Critics

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 72 Ratings

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6.6

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6.6	Your Score
6.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 72 Ratings

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JOHN Q

Movie Details & Credits

New Line Cinema | Release Date: February 15, 2002

Starring: Denzel Washington

Summary: John Q. Archibald (Washington) is an ordinary man who must face the fact that his health insurance will not pay for the emergency heart transplant that is his son's only hope. Vowing to do whatever it takes to keep his son alive, John Q decides his only hope is a desperate gamble, and he takes the emergency room hostage. (New Line Cinema)

Director: Nick Cassavetes

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, Crime

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 116 min

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Awards & Rankings

65	#65 Most Discussed Movie of 2002
54	#54 Most Shared Movie of 2002

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Los Angeles Times - Kevin Thomas

An all-stops-out rabble-rouser that hurls a broadside at America's medical insurance crisis. Read full review

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) - Rick Groen

Like a tone-deaf singer at a benefit concert, John Q. is a bad movie appearing on behalf of a good cause. Read full review

Boston Globe - Jay Carr

A well-intentioned but self-defeatingly manipulative film that amounts to an impassioned commercial for national health care. Read full review

New York Post - Jonathan Foreman

Not a movie but a live-action agitprop cartoon so shameless and coarse, it's almost funny. Read full review

Chicago Sun-Times - Roger Ebert

The kind of movie Mad magazine prays for. It is so earnest, so overwrought and so wildly implausible that it begs to be parodied. Read full review

The New York Times - A.O. Scott

So lacking in shame that it finally seems laughable. Read full review

Wall Street Journal - Joe Morgenstern

Every so often a movie transcends stupidity and soars into the empyrean of true idiocy. John Q. is such a movie.

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User Reviews

Tss5078

Feb 24, 2013

The underrated Denzel Washington, gives an Oscar worthy performance as John Q, a man willing to do anything to save the life of his son. This movie shows two things. How heartless the rich and powerful can truly be and how one man can make a difference. This is a powerful movie that showsThe underrated Denzel Washington, gives an Oscar worthy performance as John Q, a man willing to do anything to save the life of his son. This movie shows two things. How heartless the rich and powerful can truly be and how one man can make a difference. This is a powerful movie that shows how strong the relationship between father and son can be and just how important it is for every person in the country to have health care.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

RetchelA.

Mar 19, 2007

I'm a nursing student from the Philippines. I watched the movie not because it was my choice but because it was a requirement in our nursing program. At first, I thought that the movie was all crap, just like what most movie reviews says..But they are mistaken because for me, Denzel I'm a nursing student from the Philippines. I watched the movie not because it was my choice but because it was a requirement in our nursing program. At first, I thought that the movie was all crap, just like what most movie reviews says..But they are mistaken because for me, Denzel Washington deserved the award that he got after doing the movie(best actor) because it was so good..Call it corny or anything like that but also admit that these kind of things can happen in the real setting, especially if you have the kind of family that John Q. had, a not-so-well-off family.. There was even a part of the movie where in I have to get out of the room just so I won't make myself be a laughing stuff and cry in front of my classmates!!! It feels so good to be able to watch a good movie like this after 'beyond borders'... This should be how fathers dedicate themselves in taking care of thier children.... Keep up the good work guys!!!(for all the members and crews of this movie).… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Meth-dude

Mar 27, 2018

With great acting performances, an interesting (although highly unrealistic) story, and a very emotional ending, John Q is a very underrated drama. Even though it's a very cheesy movie and even though the message the movie was going for was everything but subtle, it's still worth a watch.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Seriosity

Mar 22, 2013

A crowd-pleasing film that is shamelessly exploitative and manipulative. Denzel does his best, but his performance alone cannot lift a script so recklessly sappy.

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

30Cents

Aug 11, 2015

Denzel Washington is no stranger to cinema, with notable movies he has done in the past that includes "Malcolm X", "He Got Game", and "Training Day". He is a man of steel for his most famous roles; for collaborating with director Spike Lee on multiple occasions, and even starring with A-listDenzel Washington is no stranger to cinema, with notable movies he has done in the past that includes "Malcolm X", "He Got Game", and "Training Day". He is a man of steel for his most famous roles; for collaborating with director Spike Lee on multiple occasions, and even starring with A-list actors in a handful of his films. The same does not go for "John Q", who is a father of a son who is dying and needs a transplant as soon as possible.

The movie starts out rather keen, with John Quincy Archibald (Denzel Washington) and his wife Denise (Kimberly Elise) see their son collapse at a baseball game. Their son is immediately taken to the hospital; it is not long until they find out their son has an enlarged heart and needs a heart transplant. Unfortunately for John and Denise, they cannot afford it. Being the heroes they are, John and Denise break down and are afraid they will lose their sons life. John's anger and rage comes out of him as he threatens a hospital, he locks down the hospital with eleven people with him inside the building.

The whole "Dog Day Afternoon" scenario of the movie is the hostages themselves. They are all forced to follow John's orders and stay with him until his son's heart gets transplanted. Denzel Washington looks like he wants to play like Al Pacino's role from "Dog Day Afternoon", just looking very closely will become obvious. A handful of supporting roles come into play about thirty minutes into the movie, with actor Robert Duvall playing the chief of the local police station. We also get a few cameos by Ray Liotta and James Woods who only appear in a few shots unable to save the movie from more catastrophe.

John Q is a likable character, along with his son and his wife Denise. Unfortunately, the other characters do not help and are only there just to keep the film reel rolling for its nearly two hour running time. Another thing that does not help is the screenplay, this story has been done before in previous movies where there have been hostages in a building or someone kidnapping. There is simply nothing original in this story, even if the film makers were trying to hide it.

I did like Denzel Washington's strong performance, but I felt that the supporting actors were just there and not to actually try to make the movie better. Maybe this will find a perfect audience for some movie-goers who are looking to find a good-bad movie on television late at night. If that is not the case with some, then I do not know what is.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

BaganLeleo

Mar 15, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. While I liked the idea of the movie, and the message, I don't like this movie, first off Denzel Washington is the only tolerable actor I find, and the hospital takeover takes too long to get going and goes by too fast.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

[Anonymous]

May 28, 2006

One word to describe this movie "Corny". I got into this movie in for free, yet I felt like i should've got paid for watching it. My two friends like it. They thought it was a smart movie because they got the repetitive "message". But this is coming from a couple of bone heads thought One word to describe this movie "Corny". I got into this movie in for free, yet I felt like i should've got paid for watching it. My two friends like it. They thought it was a smart movie because they got the repetitive "message". But this is coming from a couple of bone heads thought "Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo" was a brilliant comedy.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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