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John Q (2002)

PG-13  |   |  Crime, Drama, Thriller  |  15 February 2002 (USA)
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Ratings: 7.0/10 from 92,477 users   Metascore: 30/100
Reviews: 390 user | 129 critic | 33 from Metacritic.com

John Quincy Archibald takes a hospital emergency room hostage when his insurance won't cover his son's heart transplant.

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gabriela Oltean ...
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Ron Annabelle ...
Tow Truck Driver
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Jimmy Palumbo
Barry G. King ...
Employee Manager
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Gina Palumbo (as Laura Elena Harring)
...
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Dr. Ellen Klein
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Registered Nurse
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Admitting Nurse
James Finnerty ...
Nurse Reggie
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...
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Storyline

John Quincy Archibald's son Michael collapses while playing baseball as a result of heart failure. John rushes Michael to a hospital emergency room where he is informed that Michael's only hope is a transplant. Unfortunately, John's insurance won't cover his son's transplant. Out of options, John Q. takes the emergency room staff and patients hostage until hospital doctors agree to do the transplant. Written by Anonymous

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

Give a father no options and you leave him no choice.

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for violence, language and intense thematic elements | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

|

Release Date:

15 February 2002 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

John Q.  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Box Office

Budget:

$36,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$23,612,171 (USA) (15 February 2002)

Gross:

$2,606,250 (Japan) (10 January 2003)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

| |

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The message "For Sasha" appears just before the end credits. This refers to Sasha Cassavetes, daughter of director Nick Cassavetes. See more »

Goofs

Police are allowed to lie especially to resolve hostage situations. There's no reason they couldn't just tell John his son's name is on the list and then arrest him as soon as he walks out. This was actually suggested by an officer in the film, but simply ignored by everyone. See more »

Quotes

John Q. Archibald: Just try to stay awake for a minute, son, I need to tell you a few things.
Mike Archibald: Okay, Dad.
John Q. Archibald: You always listen to your mother, understand? Do what she tells you to do. She's your best friend. Tell her you love her every day. You're too young for girls right now but there's gonna come a time, and when it does, you treat them like princesses, because that's what they are. When you say you're gonna do something, you do it. Because your word is your bond, son, that's all you have. And money, you make ...
[...]
See more »

Connections

Remade as Tathastu (2006) See more »

Soundtracks

Ave Maria
Written and arranged by Aaron Zigman
Performed by Ana Maria Martinez
See more »

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User Reviews

John Q. is solid.
10 August 2002 | by (USA) – See all my reviews

***

Starring: Denzel Washington, Kimberly Elise, Robert Duvall, and ray Liotta.

John Q. is basically what the tagline says it is. You leave a father no options, you leave him no choice. That's pretty much true. Washington plays John Q. Archibald, a loving husband and caring father who must come up with 250,000 dollars to pay for his son' heart transplant or watch him die. You got to see how the hospital is unfair to John. He even states that it gives 75,000,000 dollars worth of heart transplants for free to a certain amount of people and they wouldn't give it to him from good will. John an his family are very poor and you see how hard it is for him to do this. He takes the hospital hostage to get his son a heart transplant. The movie is very solid and intelligent. There couldn't have been a better actor for John than Denzel. He is one of the greatest actors of our time and he helps prove it here. Don't listen to what Ebert says and go rent this movie.


29 of 47 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

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