There is a scene in this film where John Q. Archibald (Denzel Washington) is applying for a job where the interviewer says, `Your qualifications are very impressive, as a matter of fact you may be overqualified.' That should have been a quote from his casting interview.
This is a horrible script with vapid dialogue and a bleeding heart so big that it is this film that needs a transplant; a brain transplant. Films trying to make a political point (in this case an emotional appeal for National Health Care) are usually deft enough to bury the message in the subtext. This one oversimplifies the issue, preaches unabashedly and even sends a parade of lefties to bang the drum and spew liberal pap all over the screen. Films like this never seem to have trouble finding backers, but at least give us some semi-intelligent interchanges and believable scenes.
Director Nick Cassavetes seems oblivious to the fact that the film is cartoonish, as he lets inane drivel attempt to pass as serious dialogue. With the exception of John Q, most of the other characters are cardboard cutouts of you favorite stereotype action figures. We have the cold heartless hospital administrator (Anne Heche), the arrogant doctor (James Wood), the good hearted but dopey factory worker (David Thornton), the grandstanding police chief (Ray Liotta) and the street wise career cop (Robert Duvall).
The story is totally predictable, telegraphing the outcome in the first three minutes. Cassavetes seems content with TV level production values and milks the screenplay for every ounce of sympathy it can muster. This is the most shameless emotional manipulation that one could imagine.
There is a considerable amount of talent that flounders attempting to prop this film up. Denzel Washington gives a good performance with one of the few characters in the film that is close to believable. He makes John a very noble and respectable character with a warm heart and an iron will. Kimberly Elise is also credible as his wife, and Daniel E. Smith is lovable as his son.
The rest of the cast should hide in shame. James Wood is a terrific actor, but overplayed the pompous doctor routine to the point of being ridiculous. Anne Heche, who always comes across as a bit cold, takes this character to the arctic, only to become a weepy basket case at the end in a stunning reversal. Ray Liotta and Robert Duvall are more like a Keystone Kops than serious cops. Shawn Hatosy brings new meaning to the word obnoxious as the rich kid who brings the hooker he just beat up to the ER (sure, that's realistic; it happens all the time).
This film isn't terrible, but it's close. I really enjoy watching Denzel work, but this script is a total hack job, and as good as he is he can't save it. I rated it a 3/10. Do yourself a favor and don't insult your own intelligence by seeing it.
This is a horrible script with vapid dialogue and a bleeding heart so big that it is this film that needs a transplant; a brain transplant. Films trying to make a political point (in this case an emotional appeal for National Health Care) are usually deft enough to bury the message in the subtext. This one oversimplifies the issue, preaches unabashedly and even sends a parade of lefties to bang the drum and spew liberal pap all over the screen. Films like this never seem to have trouble finding backers, but at least give us some semi-intelligent interchanges and believable scenes.
Director Nick Cassavetes seems oblivious to the fact that the film is cartoonish, as he lets inane drivel attempt to pass as serious dialogue. With the exception of John Q, most of the other characters are cardboard cutouts of you favorite stereotype action figures. We have the cold heartless hospital administrator (Anne Heche), the arrogant doctor (James Wood), the good hearted but dopey factory worker (David Thornton), the grandstanding police chief (Ray Liotta) and the street wise career cop (Robert Duvall).
The story is totally predictable, telegraphing the outcome in the first three minutes. Cassavetes seems content with TV level production values and milks the screenplay for every ounce of sympathy it can muster. This is the most shameless emotional manipulation that one could imagine.
There is a considerable amount of talent that flounders attempting to prop this film up. Denzel Washington gives a good performance with one of the few characters in the film that is close to believable. He makes John a very noble and respectable character with a warm heart and an iron will. Kimberly Elise is also credible as his wife, and Daniel E. Smith is lovable as his son.
The rest of the cast should hide in shame. James Wood is a terrific actor, but overplayed the pompous doctor routine to the point of being ridiculous. Anne Heche, who always comes across as a bit cold, takes this character to the arctic, only to become a weepy basket case at the end in a stunning reversal. Ray Liotta and Robert Duvall are more like a Keystone Kops than serious cops. Shawn Hatosy brings new meaning to the word obnoxious as the rich kid who brings the hooker he just beat up to the ER (sure, that's realistic; it happens all the time).
This film isn't terrible, but it's close. I really enjoy watching Denzel work, but this script is a total hack job, and as good as he is he can't save it. I rated it a 3/10. Do yourself a favor and don't insult your own intelligence by seeing it.