John Q (2001)
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23% of critics liked it
(129 reviews) -
83% of users liked it
(150,196 ratings)
A national health care crisis in the United States yields this tense drama from screenwriter James Kearns and director Nick Cassavetes, who experienced a real-life dilemma with his daughter's congenital heart disease that mirrors the one in this film. Denzel Washington stars as John Q.… More A national health care crisis in the United States yields this tense drama from screenwriter James Kearns and director Nick Cassavetes, who experienced a real-life dilemma with his daughter's congenital heart disease that mirrors the one in this film. Denzel Washington stars as John Q. Archibald, a factory worker facing financial hardship as a result of reduced hours in his workplace. When his young son, Michael (Daniel E. Smith), is stricken during a baseball game, John and his wife, Denise (Kimberly Elise), discover that their child is in need of an emergency heart transplant. Although the Archibalds have health insurance, they are informed by hospital administrator Rebecca Payne (Anne Heche) that their policy doesn't cover such an expensive procedure. Unable to raise the money himself, John persuades the hospital's compassionate cardiac surgeon, Dr. Raymond Turner (James Woods), to waive his lofty fee, but is still left with too much of a financial burden to bear. With no recourse but to take his son home to die, John snaps and holds the staff and patients of the hospital's emergency room hostage at gunpoint. John is soon a media hero, the focus of intense news coverage, even as police chief Gus Monroe (Ray Liotta) and hostage negotiator Frank Grimes (Robert Duvall) try to resolve the situation before it leads to bloodshed. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Directed By
- Nick Cassavetes
- Written By
- James Kearns
- Genres
- Drama
- In Theaters
- Feb 15, 2002 Wide
- Studio
- New Line Cinema
Critic Reviews
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Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune
A polemic in search of a plot.
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Rex Reed, New York Observer
Manipulative sentimentality, contrived plot and phony climax.
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Bill Muller, Arizona Republic
A sappy, melodramatic Denzel Washington vehicle that ensnares you in the standard hostage-movie scenario and doesn't let go until the director runs the whole playbook.
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Peter Rainer, New York Magazine
It pulls out more stops than that old silent serial The Perils of Pauline. Unfortunately, it's a talkie.
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Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
Cassavetes thinks he's making Dog Day Afternoon with a cause, but all he's done is to reduce everything he touches to a shrill, didactic cartoon.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Denzel Washington
as John Q. Archibald
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Robert Duvall
as Frank Grimes
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James Woods
as Dr. Raymond Turner
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Kimberly Elise
as Denise Archibald
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Daniel E. Smith
as Mike Archibald
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Anne Heche
as Rebecca Payne
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Ray Liotta
as Gus Monroe
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Eddie Griffin
as Lester
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Shawn Hatosy
as Mitch
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Paul Johansson
as Tuck Lampley
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David Thornton
as Jimmy Palumbo
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Kevin Connolly
as Steve Maguire
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Ethan Suplee
as Max
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Heather Wahlquist
as Julie
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Troy Beyer
as Miriam
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Obba Babatundé
as Sgt. Moody
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Troy Winbush
as Steve
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Laura Harring
as Gina Palumbo
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Larissa Laskin
as Dr. Klein
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Dina Waters
as Debby Utley
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Martha Chaves
as Rosa
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Shera Danese
as Shelby's Wife
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Scott Bloom
as Desk Guard
- Keram Malicki-Sánchez
- Vanessa Branch
- Dina Spybey
- Jeff Douglas



