JOHN Q
Released: February 15, 2002
As if we needed a preachy film ordeal almost two hours long to drive home the message that the American health care system is incredibly messed up. A down-on-his luck father, whose insurance won't cover his son's heart transplant, takes the hospital's emergency room hostage until the doctors agree to perform the operation. Denzel Washington serves up at least one Oscar worthy scene with his sick kid but otherwise it's storyline by the numbers. Other actors who should know better than to accept roles like this are given thankless cardboard cutout characters to "play" - such as James Woods, Anne Heche, Robert Duvall and Ray Liotta. There's really no need for "John Q"!
118 Minutes
New Line Cinema/Warner Bros.