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JOHN Q (PG-13)

Plot Summary: A desperate father takes a hospital emergency room hostage to try to get his dying son a heart transplant.

Reason for the Rating: Violence, language, and intense thematic elements.

John Quincy Archibald (Denzel Washington, Remember the Titans, The Hurricane) is out of luck and feels like he’s out of options. His young son needs a heart transplant, but his HMO won’t cover the cost of the surgery. So he storms an emergency room, chains the doors, and tells police he’ll start killing hostages if his son isn’t added to the heart recipient waiting list.

It’s an interesting premise. Director Nick Cassavetes (Going after Cassiato, She’s So Lovely) does a great job of making us feel John’s growing frustration, so that when he chains the ER doors, it almost feels inevitable, even admirable. Having Denzel around doesn’t hurt the movie’s appeal, either. Robert Duvall (The Apostle), Anne Heche (Six Days, Seven Nights), and James Woods (Riding in Cars with Boys) round out an impressive cast.

But make no mistake, JOHN Q is an “issue movie.” The issue is the rising cost of healthcare and the apparent decrease in what insurance companies will cover. There are several scenes in which characters sit around talking about HMOs and physician kickbacks and how the wealthy get preferential healthcare over the poor. You almost have to throw in a hostage situation just to keep people from dozing off during the sermon.

The most disturbing element of this film is its message. A man gets frustrated and resorts to violence and lawlessness. He threatens to kill several people to save one. This is presented as heroic in the eyes of the public, and the police officers tasked with ending the hostage situation are depicted as the bad guys. And in the end, everything works out great.

What’s the moral? If you’re frustrated, resort to violence and lawlessness and things will work out fine for you, too. How long will it be before someone actually attempts to copy this movie in real life?

JOHN Q works as a film. Technically it’s a success. And if you’re a fan of Denzel, by all means go see it. If you don’t mind the lecturing and you can strain out the misguided message, you should enjoy the show.

FamilyFans.com Recommends: Wait for the video. Rent Remember the Titans instead.

After the Show…If members of your family choose to view this movie, use these questions to spark discussion about it afterward:

---Have you ever been so frustrated with something that you were tempted to break the rules? What did you do? Could you have handled it another way?

---At one point in the movie, John advises his son to grow up and do whatever he has to do to make lots of money. What do you think of this advice? Explain your answer.

---What do you think would be an appropriate course of action for a Christian in John’s situation?

Jefferson Scott

Note: All movie-related graphics in this column are standard publicity/promotional shots and are owned by their respective movie studios.