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Movies / On DVD / John Q
John Q

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John Q (2002)

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Reviews Counted:127

Fresh:28

Rotten:99

Average Rating:4.4/10

Consensus: Washington's performance rises above the material, but John Q pounds the audience over the head with its message.

Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for violence, language, and some intense thematic elements

Runtime: 1 hr 52 mins

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:Feb 15, 2002 Wide

Box Office: $71,026,631

Synopsis: John Q. Archibald (Denzel Washington) is struggling through a recession trying to provide for his son Mikey (Daniel E. Smith) and his waitress wife (Kimberly Elise). Mikey collapses at a Little... John Q. Archibald (Denzel Washington) is struggling through a recession trying to provide for his son Mikey (Daniel E. Smith) and his waitress wife (Kimberly Elise). Mikey collapses at a Little League game and is rushed to a hospital. The situation is bleak. Only a heart transplant will save Mikey's life. John's HMO refuses to cover the expensive surgery. With the hospital and his insurance provider unwilling to help and his wife pleading with John to act, he takes matters into his own hands, holding the hospital's renowned heart surgeon (James Woods) and several others hostage in an emergency care wing until the surgery will be performed. Nick Cassavetes directed this attack on the American health care system. Like his previous feature, SHE'S SO LOVELY, Cassavetes proves adept at mining the political ramifications out of human drama. The film criticizes hospitals and health care providers for working in collusion against the working class. This moving drama is propelled by the intense lead performance by Washington as one man against an unjust system. [More]

Starring: Denzel Washington, Robert Duvall, Anne Heche, James Woods

Starring: Denzel Washington, Robert Duvall, Anne Heche, James Woods, Ray Liotta, Kimberly Elise, Daniel E. Smith, Shawn Hatosy, Eddie Griffin, Kevin Connolly, Troy Winbush

Director: Nick Cassavetes

Director: Nick Cassavetes
Screenwriter: James Kearns
Producer: Mark Burg, Oren Koules
Composer: Aaron Zigman
Studio: New Line Cinema

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Release:

Jul 16, 2002

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for John Q

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1 - 20 (sorted by comments)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

The movie comes dangerously close to saying that the solution to a personal grievance is, well, terrorism, when you get right down to it.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment 1 Comment
09/24/07
Rob Gonsalves
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com

This preachy, painfully obvious man-against-the-system saga has its heart in the right place -- but its brain got left on the operating table.

Full Review Source: E! Online | comment Comment
02/15/02
E! Online
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch | comment Comment
02/16/02
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

I dig the message but prefer a better use of Mr. Washington's many talents.

Full Review Source: BeatBoxBetty.com | comment Comment
02/19/02
BeatBoxBetty.com

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Hollywood.com | comment Comment
03/02/02
Hollywood.com
N/R

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Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
03/27/02
Boston Phoenix
N/R

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Full Review Source: FilmFour.com | comment Comment
04/30/02
FilmFour.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
05/13/02
Guardian [UK]

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Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/08/02
Film Threat
N/R

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Full Review Source: FilmStew.com | comment Comment
02/01/04
FilmStew.com

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Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Film Threat

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Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Film Threat

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Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Film Threat

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Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
12/30/06
Empire Magazine

A profoundly bad movie, managing to incorporate every cliché in the hostage-drama genre into its skimpy narrative.

Full Review Source: eye WEEKLY | comment Comment
02/16/02
Adam Nayman
Adam Nayman
eye WEEKLY
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: This is London | comment Comment
12/15/03
Alexander Walker
Alexander Walker
This is London

Shameless anti-HMO propaganda...Only Washington's performance salvages a hint of entertainment value.

Full Review Source: Radio Free Entertainment | comment Comment
02/19/02
Andrew Manning
Andrew Manning
Radio Free Entertainment

A film that might have made its points more convincingly if its makers hadn't felt obliged to underline and spell out at length every one of those points.

comment Comment
02/22/02
Andy Klein
Andy Klein
New Times

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.

Full Review Source: Arizona Republic | comment Comment
03/04/02
Bill Muller
Bill Muller
Arizona Republic
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Washington overcomes the script's flaws and envelops the audience in his character's anguish, anger and frustration.

Full Review Source: Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN) | comment Comment
02/19/02
Bob Bloom
Bob Bloom
Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)
 
 
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Latest News for John Q

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