Watch John Q

John Q is a 2002 drama film that stars Denzel Washington as a man named John Quincy Archibald, who finds himself in a desperate situation after his son collapses during a Little League baseball game. After taking his son to the hospital, John is told that his insurance won't cover the costs of a heart transplant, and his son will die unless he receives one.

Unable to come up with the money needed to pay for the transplant, John takes matters into his own hands and takes the hospital's emergency room hostage, demanding that his son be put on the donor list for a heart transplant immediately. With the help of a sympathetic police officer, Frank Grimes (Robert Duvall), John works to negotiate with the hospital staff and medical professionals to save his son's life.

Throughout the film, John's actions draw attention to the flaws within the American healthcare system, as he is forced to fight against a corrupt hospital administration who are more concerned with making money than saving lives. Despite his extreme actions, John is portrayed as a sympathetic character who is fighting for what he believes is right, and his desperation and willingness to risk everything for his son's life make him a relatable and compelling protagonist.

At the heart of the film is the relationship between John and his son, Mike (played by Daniel E. Smith), whose love for each other drives John to take the extreme actions he does. The film also explores the relationships between other characters, such as John's wife, Denise (Kimberly Elise), and the police negotiator, Grimes, which add depth and emotion to the storyline.

Denzel Washington delivers a powerful performance as John Quincy Archibald, conveying the character's desperation, anger, and vulnerability with great skill. His performance is matched by that of Robert Duvall, whose portrayal of Grimes as a world-weary, sympathetic cop who sees the humanity in John's actions adds nuance to the film.

The film is well-paced, with tension and drama building throughout the narrative as John's hostages begin to turn on him, and the hospital administration becomes more ruthless in their efforts to undermine his demands. The film's climax is emotional and suspenseful, and the resolution of John's storyline is satisfying without being overly sentimental.

Overall, John Q is a gripping and thought-provoking drama that tackles important issues within the American healthcare system while also delivering a compelling and emotionally resonant storyline.

John Q is a 2001 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 58 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.1 and a MetaScore of 30.