John Q

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

2002

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Generally unfavorable reviews based on 33 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 84 Ratings

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6.5

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6.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 84 Ratings

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John Q

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Movie Details & Credits

New Line Cinema | Release Date: February 15, 2002 | PG-13

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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Critic Reviews

Kevin Thomas

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

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

Jay Carr

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

Jonathan Foreman

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

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

A.O. Scott

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

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 3 users found this helpful21

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

FilipeNeto

Feb 12, 2022

This film exceeded my expectations, giving us a pleasant family drama around a son's illness and a father's difficulties in getting the treatments he needs because he can't afford them. In fact, the US is a particularly ungrateful country for people who, unfortunately, find themselves inThis film exceeded my expectations, giving us a pleasant family drama around a son's illness and a father's difficulties in getting the treatments he needs because he can't afford them. In fact, the US is a particularly ungrateful country for people who, unfortunately, find themselves in need of expensive and ongoing medical care. The absence of a public health system that tends to be free of charge, along the lines of those in most of Europe, limits the care that is available to those who have no money, and makes private health insurance particularly powerful, to the point where they can decide whether it is worth paying for the treatment of someone who is sick and needs help. What this film does is fiction, but I felt that its story can find reflection in many stories of real people, if we look for them.

In this film, John Quincy Archibald and his wife Denise must secure an urgent and very expensive heart transplant to save their son's life. It turns out they don't have the money, and health insurance refuses to cover the treatments. With the hospital already threatening to discharge the boy because his parents can't pay, John gives up on acting rationally and, in desperation, takes a pistol and barricades himself in the hospital's emergency room, with several hostages, including the heart surgeon responsible for his child.

The film may seem exaggerated or melodramatic, but it manages to make us put ourselves in that father's shoes, making us think a lot about what we are seeing. That's what happened to me, at least, and it helped to make the movie more serious and uncomfortable. In the midst of all this, however, there are weaknesses: what bothered me the most was John's exaggerated kindness, really caring about not hurting the people he's arrested. That looks good, makes the character palatable, but it wouldn't work in real life. The way in which the hospital director changes her mind about including the boy on the waiting list for organs also seems forced, as do many other situations that arise during the film.

Nick Cassavetes' direction proved to be effective, although not without flaws or criticism. The cast is led by a powerful and pleasant Denzel Washington, an actor who manages to give the character charisma and presence without losing a human touch. Robert Duvall works well in the role of a policeman in charge of negotiating with John, but he is far from having real relevance. The rest of the cast is average: Kimberly Elise just needs to cry and look grief-stricken, Anne Heche is worthy of our deepest contempt, James Woods just needs to look very hypocritical, and Ray Liotta says nothing more than a few cynical words.

Technically, it's a standard Hollywood drama film, with a reasonable budget and a relatively middling set of production values. With competent cinematography and good filming locations, the film combines good editing and satisfactory sound work. It's not a film that stands out for its technical aspects, but it has what it takes to work.… Expand

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 2 users found this helpful02

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 2 users found this helpful02

[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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71	#71 Most Discussed Movie of 2002
45	#45 Most Shared Movie of 2002