spawn777

I managed to get into a free screening of this film expecting the worse in Hollywood sentimentality. Instead we got some of the best of Hollywood sentimentality care of the only major star that could pull this off: Denzel Washington. The initial portion of the story was cloying, as it beat you over the head with how downtrodden the family was, but they were careful to point out that cliches are called cliches for a reason; they happen.

Once he takes the hospital, you realize that you have your typical motley band of characters inside the hospital, and the usual suspects outside the hospital. You are aware that this is the usual Hollywood setup, but the pacing is so good, the writing is competent and the casting was done so well, that you are still massively entertained as John Q pleads his case. Eddie Griffin really stands out as a good example of this. It's obvious that he's there for comic relief, but it's heavily implied that he's probably the most sagacious one in the room. And he's written for SO well, that everything he said lit up the crowd.

For the first half of this movie, I couldn't believe that Anne Heche would take a role like this, in the current state of her career and public opinion, but as her character progressed (easily the most annoying stock character), it made a little more sense. I did like the usual glory-seeking police chief (Liotta) and wise old negotiator (Duvall) situation. It starts off with the usual and ties up in a little better than the usual way. It was also weird to see Ted Demme on Politically Correct in a commentary on health care in a movie about a kid with a bad heart, right after he passed on due to a heart attack with cocaine in his system. (Call Alanis Morissette)

But despite deep casting of talent, this movie is about one thing: DENZEL WASHINGTON. I have always liked him. But in this movie, he is amazing. I realize it's hammy material, and maybe that's easier to get emotionally up for it, but he does it in such a human way, that I just can't imagine anyone else playing the role. Period.

The political point of this movie (inadequate health care in this country) was pounded home at the end, but along the way you are really pounded on with emotional moments (not all of them manipulative). I tear up at movies a lot, especially when it comes to father-son moments, but not only did I tear up at least a dozen times in this movie, but I actually found myself wracked with sobs twice. By the time we got to the manipulative crying scene in the hospital, I was out of tears. (I managed to find some for the final scene however [my second wracked moment]). I consider myself a manly man, but I couldn't pretend that "I had something in my eye" for the ENTIRE length of the movie!

All in all, this wasn't a bad flick for the soft-core genre. The acting was not great, but better than most movies of the this ilk. It tried to stake itself in believability, but lost its credence about halfway in when the novelist heroine kept putting herself in crazier and crazier situations.

Still, the movie was involving and featured some great sex. Usually, movies in this genre overlay some loud score over every scene, which while sugar-coating it, takes away much of the titillation. Not so in "Losing Control". You can hear everything during the passionate scenes, and it really adds a lot to the movie. Not a bad rental for you and a significant other if you are looking to generate some heat.

I just can't see how anybody cannot like this movie and it gets funnier with every viewing. Trey Parker and Matt Stone are the most consistently funny people on the face of the planet. They carry with them a certain goodness (even in South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut) that even they can't shake. It amazes me that they don't want to do more acting, choosing to simply produce their upcoming Comedy Central series. This film stands out that they (and Dian Bachar) are phenomenal on the big screen. MAKE MORE MOVIES!!