जॉन Q

It's no secret that America has a health care crisis where about 50 million people are uninsured in this country. The story about John Q. is about his battle to save his son's life when the hospital and health insurance companies have failed his young son by declining to put his name on the heart transplant list. Two time Oscar Winner Denzel Washington does his best to bring life into this character that any other actor would not be able to do. Kimberly Elise is also admirable in her role as his wife. Anne Heche's performance as Rebecca Payne, the hospital administrator, is quite sickening because she plays the bureaucracy part of the role but she does it well. She can act as well. James Woods plays the rich, blood-sucking doctor who John Q. takes hostage along with other innocent bystanders and hospital staff but John Q. has a heart too. Ray Liotta and Robert Duvall have supporting roles as the police chief and hostage negotiator trying to get John Q. to end the standoff. The actions are understandable since a parent would do anything to save their child's life from known death.

Denzel Washington continues to prove why he is one of the best actors in the business with his performance in JOHN Q, a moving, emotional, and tension-charged drama about a family man whose son needs a heart transplant; however, due to financial problems, his insurance won't cover the cost of getting his son on the donor list so John Q decides to take hostages in the hospital until someone arranges for his son to be on the donor list. Despite a preachy and simplistic screenplay, the intense direction and first-rate performances make this film work. I particularly loved Denzel's work here because this was a character unlike he had ever played before...Denzel usually played well-educated, intelligent lawyers and/or businessmen (with the obvious exception of TRAINING DAY), but here Denzel is playing an average Joe...a working stiff, struggling to pay bills and keep food on the table and a roof over his family's head who is driven to extreme measures to protect the family he cherishes so dearly. Washington gets strong support from Robert Duvall, solid as always as the hostage negotiator, James Woods as a wimpy surgeon, Anne Heche as an unsympathetic hospital administrator, and especially Kimberly Elise as John's wife. An emotional drama, wrought with tension, that will rivet you to the screen.

Once again Denzel Washington has outdone himself in this delightful movie. I am getting spoiled when ever I go to see one of his pictures, as his depth is constantly great. Mr. Casavettes does a fine directing job in this poinient story, but with bits of humor thrown in to break up the tension. This may not be academy award material, but it certainly is worth the price of a ticket. Go see it, you won't regret it.

Denzel Washington's portrayal of a desperate dad is excellent and compelling as he struggles to find a way to get his son to be treated and operated immediately, no matter what cost. He takes the whole hospital hostage until he gets it. One may say what he is doing is bad and illegal, but at the same time he stands up to the system, and fights the odds, but hey, he's doing it for his son. I praised him when he said "I don't want to bury my son, I want my son to bury me!" In a way, he's willing to sacrifice himself to save his son. The hostages he takes, seems to support him and the mass of audiences viewing are on his side. And he also seems to be calm and friendly to them too. The ending was also perfect, and overall a great film, and not to mention the great performances from Robert Duvall, James Woods and Ray Liotta of The Good Fellas, who uses his Tommy Vercetti voice again! Gotta love that guy, gotta love that Denzel Washington, recommended for those who love him.

John Q (Denzel Washington) is just an average man, he works at a factory and his wife and his son Michael are his whole world. When his son is taken ill and needs an needs an urgent heart transplant, he soon learns that his insurance won't cover the bills and he has no real hope of raising the cash himself. In an act of desperation he holds the emergency room hostage, it's all he can do to get his son the care he needs.

I felt the film was fundamentally flawed, yet it was made and performed with such passion and realism, what at first seems like a far-fetched plot is soon forgotten about, and you have to just go with the flow of this emotionally charged drama.

The cast is very strong, and the direction holds the story together very nicely; but most of all it achieves what it sets out to do, and that is move the audience.

7/10