Rating: 
Summary: You can really FEEL Denzel's emotion...
Review: John Q is just such a good movie that you have to see it.
At a Little League baseball game, John Q.'s son collapses, and it turns out that the boy's heart is diseased. Point is, a B+ donor is neccessary. John (Denzel) is relieved that a transplant operation can be done, but B+ is a very rare blood type, and the hospital wants a $250,000 DOWN PAYMENT on the heart. John's insurance won't cover it, either. So what is John Q. to do except hold the emergency room hostage?
This movie focuses HARD on making the insurance companies out to be evil--If you're a lower class citizen, anyway.
The movie is clean, but contains some emergency room gore. I'd say that 16 is a good minimum age.
Rating: 
Summary: First big disappointment of 2002
Review: From the audiences' reaction at the end, I realize I'm probably going to be in the miniority here, and my review likely won't be received well, but I've got serious issues with this movie. As you might already know, John Q is about a father, faced with his son dying of a heart failure if a transplant isn't performed, resorts to violence and kidnapping when he ran out of options to help his son live. A good premise with a great cast, unfortunately the script and the direction was terrible, the negatives far outweighs the positives, which resulted in a disaster that is John Q.The most obvious fault with John Q is its believability, I've worked in emergency room before, and granted that the TV show ER is an exaggeration of what a normal day is like, but the hospital depicted in the movie is seriously understaffed. Furthermore, most of the hostages were actually happy to be stuck in the situation, who in their right mind would actually prefer to be kidnapped than being free? There are many other inconsistencies, but I can't list them without revealing some of the important plots. John Q also suffers from predictability, I don't recall the last time I've ever wanted to walk out in the middle of the movie. Although the film brought up important problems in healthcare, but it does not find any effective means of dealing with them, rather, the only thing the characters does is to complain and speculate on who's fault it is. In addition, the movie is emotionally manipulative, I realized that it was important to make the family likable enough so the audiences will actually care what happens to them, but instead of giving them depth, all we get are some tear inducing dialogues that often drags on endlessly. I have never felt more emotionally detached from a film since Battlefield Earth, and I'm the guy who cried in Pay It Forward, Schindler's List and even Lord of the Rings. John Q is a waste of talent for quality actors such as Washington, Duvall, Woods and Liotta, their performances were solid, but it wasn't enough to save the movie from being even remotely enjoyable. It had the guts to focus on a sensitive and controversial issue, but the film chickened out for a more popular ending, and all we're reminded of is that this is just another Hollywood production which will never happen in real life. I for one regretted spending the money to watch John Q, and I hope you find the experience better than mine, I strongly recommend skipping this and see Hart's War instead.
Rating: 
Summary: A Big Heart
Review: What a touching movie.This movie star's Denzel Washington(a terrific actor ), he plays the role of a caring father that would sacrifice his life for his son.
John Q. lives a normal life with his wife and 9 year old son.John's whole life is about to change all at his son's baseball game.at the game he uncovers that his son has a physical problem.he rushes his son to the hospital.the doctors tell him that his son has a deadly heart disease and will need a heart transplant.JOhn will stop at nothing to get a heart fof his son.It will cost $250,000 to do the surgery the down payment is $75,000 ,he cant come up with that amount of money.He makes many sacrifices but still does not even come close to that amount of money.
He decides to keep the heart surgeon hostage untill they put his sons name on the donors list.he ends up with the whole hospital hostage,all of this is happening while his son is dying
This movie has a great story and a terrific ending.Their were short scenes of a woman in a car accident she ties up with the whole story at the end.the interesting thing about this movie is that it is a true story!
a great quote is when John wants to kill himself because the chances for his son's heart is coming out pretty slim he says "I will die, but my son will live......"
Rating:
Summary: The superb :"John Q" with Denzel Washington
Review: JOHN Q was an amazing , important piece of work by Nick Cassavetes. Wow. Seems both sad and ironic that I watch this during Fourth of July weekend, when we boast again about our Independence from England, yet our country is in a pitiful mess. This is a great performance by Denzel ranking up there with "Training Day", "Glory" and "Philadelphia". A couple of times he goes over the top as John Q, but his acting and emotions make his character believable. John Q is a working man, whose family is just getting by, you can say their poor, as when his wife car becomes repossessed by the bank. His family has medical insurance, where he pays $100 a month or so, although as we learn doesn't mean a damn thing when it REALLY MATTERS. His kid becomes sick and we learn that he has a bad heart. Q's only recourse is to give his kid a heart transplant at the behest of a greedy HMO Chiropractor played James Woods and the greedy , white hospital director Rebecca Payne played Anne Heche. These are some vile characters. Despite the claims that Hope Memorial hospital helps out everyone, in reality they help out the rich with fat checkbooks. Q learns that PPO former medical plan has changed and that the hospital wont offer any help. So basically he has to watch his son die with the Hospital Director with her million dollar salary and others not giving a damn. Aint that sweet Capitalism and Greed triumphs over Loyalty and Values in America. Q takes matter into his own hands and well the rest is history. Nick Cassavetes through this powerful, great film brings into the focus the Disarray , and Greed in Medical Care in America. Despite the fact that we boast about being the greatest superpower, WE CANT even take care of our people and, sadly it seems that the person in charge don't care. Talk about impact this movie makes it. Sad to say I don't think the situation will change whether a Democrat or Republic will take office. See John Q!!! I bet Michael Moore has as his next movie will supposedly tackle the Health Care Industry. Cassavetes does a great job here I wouldn't be surprised if Moore borrows a lot for that films from this one. Also look for James Woods as the equally vile rich pathetic
Dr. Raymond Turner. He is the other part of the problem in
this epidemic of greedy HMO's who don't care about the patient. Ray Liotta coming his pathetic performance in "Hannibal" gives
a somewhat better average performance as the corrupted Chief
Police along with his main kissbutt sidekick LT. Frank Grimes
played by Robert Duvall.
Rating:
Summary: THE MOST DRAMATIC MOVIE I'VE SEEN ! ! !
Review: An extremely powerfull movie staring DENZEL WASHINGTON. One of my favorite actors to this day. I think his performance is mind-blowing and powerfull. If you like those movies in which you cry and whimper a lot, then watch this one. I loved it.
Buy this one today.
Rating:
Summary: Good Movie -- Just fast forward through some at the end.
Review: John Q is about a working-class man whose young son, Mikey is in need of a heart transplant, which his insurance will not cover. Thus John (Denzel Washington) does the only thing he can think of: he holds the emergency room hostage, and even intends to commit suicide to allow his heart to be transplanted into his son.
The acting is superb. In addition to Washington, the cast includes Robert Duvall as a police negotiator and James Woods as a heart surgeon, both of whom do an excellent job. Anne Heche as a hospital administrator is good, while Ray Liotta's portrayal of the cheif of police can be questionable at times. The only bad acting, in my opinion, is done by the man who portrays the newscaster; he seems very over-the-top and cheesy.
The dialogue is well-written, and you can judge for yourself on how realistic the premise is.
What caused me to give the film 4 stars instead of five (and even came close to bringing it to 3) is the preaching about the sorry state of America's healthcare system in the penultimate segments, with leftists such as Hilary Clinton and (if I recall correctly) Jesse Jackson giving speeches about how America needs more socialism in not so few words. In doing this they alienate a large portion of the potential audience. Without it, a veiwer could draw what conclusions he feels are appropriate; perhaps just a portrait of a father's love for his son, rather than a call for socialism.
It is also surprising that two of the few conservative actors in Hollywood -- Duvall and Woods -- and others who, as far as I know, tend to keep their views on politics to themselves would star in a film that comes close to left-wing propaganda toward the end.
All in all though, it is a well-made film. Just fast-forward through the soapbox segments near the end.
Rating:
Summary: Most of the poor reviews are probably rich people
Review: Sure, 85% of people in America can afford health care to take care of most of the issues llike that. Well, this movie was about the 15% that can't. This movie was about my mother, whose mother's health care was not enough to cover her intense lung surgery. My mother who had to let her mother pass away in a hospital bed when they told us too late that we can work out a financial plan. this movie is about my Xgirfriend who. Had to use the money she had been responsibly saving to go to Yale Law School, because she had to pay nine and ten thousand dollar hospital bills time after time. This movie was about that 15% that it actually does happen to. How about you check the DVD additional feature documentaries and tell me how fake this movie was. John Q, my top five all-time greatest movies. It is something that all us "commonfolk". Middle class people can relate to. thank you
Rating: 
Summary: It is what it is. Unrealistic and a tearjerker
Review: It is offensive that Hollywood would make this movie and not donate the profits to people like John Q. Imagine the medical care Denzel Washington's salary alone would pay for? Probably at least one kidney transplant.
There should be a purpose to a movie like John Q., and there just wasn't one in this film. The plot was very unrealistic with the free care, welfare, and other hospital-assisted funding programs out there. We should thank heaven above we are living in the United States of America where we still have some of the very best healthcare services available to everyone.
I thought this movie made hospitals the bad guy just to make John Q. more sympathetic. I gave the movie two stars vs. one star because of Denzel's performance.
Rating:
Summary: What would you do?
Review: John Q is well acted by Denzel Washington. Amidst the drama and comedy of this film is a disturbing question. What do you do when you're faced with a catastrophic illness and have no medical coverage? It's a question that many in this country face everyday. Washington as Q is pushed to the breaking point and makes some decisions that bring dire consequences upon himself. His son has a bad heart and needs a transplant. He loses his job and sells almost everything he owns to pay for his son's hospitalization. While the film does demonize the hospital staff and the police department by putting them in the role of the bad guy, there are some truths that must be faced. Who should pay when you can't? Should doctors donate their time to every hard luck case?
I'm glad there is some comedy relief in this film. It keeps things from getting too intense. This film a worth having in your library.
Parental advisory: There is no nudity or sex. There is some violence and coarse language. I suggest a viewing age of 13 and over.
Rating:
Summary: MATTERS OF THE HEART
Review: JOHN Q is shamelessly manipulative film; it pulls all the right buttons at all the right times, but in essence, it's a well done and evocative drama fueled by a powerhouse performance from Denzel Washington. His dilemma is carefully etched and his solution, while not the right one, ultimately brings about the dramatic miracle Washington so valiantly seeks. While a bit preachy about the health care situation, the movie makes its point for Washington's case. The life of a little boy is certainly more important than bureaucratic red tape, and hospital hierarchy. Washington is supported by a fine cast: Kimberly Elise as his devoted wife; James Woods as the heart surgeon who undergoes a change of heart; Shawn Hotosy as an ER hostage with his own problems; Robert Duvall as the crusty police negotiator; Ray Liotta as the egotistical chief of police; David Thornton as Denzel's friend Jimmy; and Anne Heche as the apparently coldhearted hospital administrator.
Yes, there are cliches but the movie's message rings clear and it's so well done, it can't help but move you.
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