JOHN Q

US, 2002, 117 minutes, Colour.
Denzel Washington, Robert Duvall, James Woods, Ray Liotta, Laura Harring, Anne Heche, Shawn Hatosey.
Directed by Nick Cassavetes.

John Q is one of those films that should be much better than it is. The writer, James Kerns, was the writer for such series as Highway to Heaven for television. The director is Nick Cassavetes, son of actor-director John Cassavetes and actress Gena Rowlands. He has made some films from his father’s screenplays, especially She’s So Lovely. His mother appears in most of his films including Unhook the Stars and The Notebook.

The film is one of those overly melodramatic American films where a father, who hasn’t money, lacks the insurance to pay for his son’s heart transplant. So desperate is he, that he takes over the hospital’s emergency room, taking hostages until the doctors will perform the operation on his son.

What gives the film strength is the central performance of Denzel Washington as the distraught father. He had just appeared in his Oscar-winning Training Day. The film has a very strong supporting cast with James Woods as a doctor, Robert Duvall as the police officer and Ray Liotta, Laura Harring, Anne Heche and Shawn Hatosy in the supporting cast.

The film is very earnest in its approach to the story. However, it dramatises the high emotionality of Americans who extrovert their feelings – and which flow over into violence.

1. The impact of the film as drama? As crusade about health care for the poor in the United States?

2. The emotional impact of the film? For Americans? Non-Americans? Americans wearing their heart on their sleeve, going into action, dramatic and melodramatic to make a point?

3. Issues of health, hospital care, insurance, the work of the staff, the work of the administration? Liaisons with patients and with relatives? The film as a critique?

4. American culture and the gun culture, the desperation of many citizens, sieges and hostages, the role of the police, shooting? The mayor, the police chief, the politics? The role of the media? Everybody seeing it live on TV? The crowds on-site?

5. The Chicago setting, the homes, industry, the hospital? The people of Chicago? Ordinary citizens, workers, health care personnel? The police? The musical score , the songs?

6. The title, the focus on John Q. Archibald, as an ordinary citizen? Denzel Washington and his status as a film star, giving credibility to the character and plot?

7. The supporting cast, the veteran actors, audience respect for them?

8. The prologue and the accident on the highway, the woman wanting to overtake, the crash? The recurring images in the middle of the film? At the end, the rescue, the cutting out of the victim from the car, the helicopter? The early scenes foreshadowing the solution of the film?

9. The Archibald family, at home, the car being repossessed and the callous attitudes, exasperation, breakfast, Mike and his bodybuilding, discussions about continents and continental breakfasts? The tensions in the kitchen, the car, John's wife and her anger? Driving to school, the games in the car, not saying "goodbye" but "See you later"? The church and the hymn-singing? The baseball game and Mike's collapse?

10. The hospital, the immediate treatment in Emergency, Dr Turner and his advice? Rebecca Payne and her administration, her assistant? The information to John and his wife, the list for heart transplants, the options, the money, insurance, the decision to be made?

11. John and his desperation, part-time work, seeing him at work, the various forms, the wrong queues, the growing frustration, the money gifts, the church, the donations from friends? Giving the money to the hospital - yet not enough for the operation and to get his son on the list?

12. John's friends, Jimmy and his wife, at work, picnic, helping, the church?

13. Michael and his character, age, health and bodybuilding, the sudden collapse, John and his reactions? His wife desperate?

14. His wife demanding that he do something, the growing desperation, Dr Turner talking to the rich patients, John talking with him, pulling the gun, the siege? His motives? In the world of American violence and guns? His reaction, handling the situation? The security videos? Frank and the phone calls, the negotiations? Getting food and drink from the machines? The issue of releasing hostages, the woman about to give birth and his letting her go, letting her husband go? The Hispanic woman and her baby? The importance of the time deadlines? Seeing it all on television?

15. Dr Turner and his attitudes, professional understanding, the rich clients, his reaction to the siege, fear of guns, his views during the crisis, his being changed only by violence? His assistant and her dedication, trying to help John? The pregnant couple and their reaction, the assistant trying to help, the going into the surgery? Their being released? Max, the security guard, his being overpowered? Mitch and Debbie, their story about the accident, the truth, Mitch and his surly attitudes, Debbie and her growing resentment, the mace, shooting it in his face, taking off her wig, kicking him? The black man in the emergency room and his being like a chorus, commenting, laughing? His role at the finale and his going out with people thinking it was John? The Hispanic woman and her inability to speak English, concern about her baby? Dr Maguire and his collaboration?

16. Frank and his techniques, discussions, phone calls, negotiations, the view from the security cameras? Monroe and his arrival, the rivalry with Frank, taking over, getting the sniper in? Dismissing Frank? The final confrontation and his telling John the realities of the situation? At the end in court and his supporting John?

17. The police chief, his arrival, the media, his rash decisions, the pressure of the mayor, wanting the sniper to go in, not considering John as a person, allegedly wanting to save other innocent lives? His having to admit that he made a mistake and that the attempted shooting went out on TV?

18. The television, the people watching, various reactions? The setting up of John's wife, her grief and standing boy her boy's bedside, exasperation with him? The phone call, the sniper lining him up, going in and out of focus, John seeing the set-up, bringing the sniper down, humiliating him and taking him out, the bargaining? His wanting to get Mike downstairs?

19. His decision to kill himself, the various reactions of the hostages to his decision, Dr Turner and his reaction? The witnesses to his will? The phone call to his wife? The discussions, going into the room, the safety catch on? The split-second timing and his not shooting himself?

20. His wife, standing by the son, Rebecca Payne called in from her day off, the discussions, her hard-hearted attitudes, confrontations with Frank? Going upstairs, watching the television, her change of mind? The heart being available, the sympathetic doctor running the corridors, getting John's wife, hurrying downstairs?

21. The ploy, John being able to stay and watch the operation, the black man going out in his place? Frank seeing this?

22. The trial, justice, the verdicts? John seeing his son, urging him to be a good man (as he did in his final speech to him in the hospital)?

23. The television celebrity, John and Jimmy going to appeal to him, his not doing anything, trying to take advantage of the situation, getting the television line into the police information? Issues of American health, protest? The desperate way to go? In the climate of the beginning of the 21st century and the gun culture and terrorism?