Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

Whoever got the idea for this movie definitely has a beef with HMO's. They seemed more than eager to make that known to the world! I'm not exactly the world's genius on medical insurance; I'm just glad they were able to tell a good story at the same time, 'cause that's what movies are about. They can be either an escape, or a reminder. But that's not someone else's choice.

Denzel Washington steps in to play the guy who's fighting to make ends meet, struggling to keep up with the bills, and of course trying to be an ideal father figure for his son (you know the routine). Yes, this is John Q. He is married, to Tracy Chapman (well, it does look like her). Actually, she is played by Kimberly Elise.

At the beginning of the movie, we are treated to a little therapy. The "You're not alone" type of therapy to be exact. We find out that John Q. and his wife are bogged down in the bills; John's job has cut him back to twenty hours a week, and right outside, old Betsy's being towed away. Of course it's not John Q's fault that he gets set back to 20 hours a week (leading to worse things), but he pays the price for it. That p!sses people off. They can only take so much before they just wanna strike back. Well, John Q strikes back.

I AM YOUR FATHER!!!

The only ones who ever fully understand the problem are the ones who actually have to experience the problem. If you agree with that statement, you'll love watching John Q focus all its power and drive this point straight home. Even if you've already learned it for yourself, it's still fun to see how someone or something else (like a movie) can take your point (that nobody else understands) and drive it into the hearts of others (assuming they have one). Yeah, it's wacked, but it's a great feeling. Not that a movie usually accomplishes that in a world that's so cynical you can literally taste the stink, but still, it's fun to hope.

Okay, so where was I? Here's what happens, basically. John Q's son collapses on the way to second base at his game. They rush him over to the hospital. They find out that he has a heart problem. They find out that he needs a transplant. They find out that they need $250,000 to have the heart transplant done, with a minimum down payment of $75,000. They play the bakery game and try to raise some dough. It doesn't work. John Q's wife gets really ticked off on the phone and tells him to DO SOMETHING!, just like in the trailer. John Q sits in his son's room, contemplating. He sees all the bodybuilders' posters in his son's room. He gets an idea. If you've seen the previews, you know the rest. If not, too bad :)

John Q was definitely unpredictable, to me anyway. Especially towards the end. The dialogue was predictable in certain parts, over my head in others, and sometimes it was just downright funny. There was a very minor side-plot that intervened at a crucial moment and seemed just a little too convenient, that sort of bothered me. But I could do no better myself, so no need for me to speak.

There was this one part where John Q was crying, and his face was at this angle, so the tear dripped straight down to the tip of his nose and it just sat there, not wanting to drip off, man if that wasn't about to drive me bonkers! But enough!

Is the love of money the root of all evil?

I think Mark Twain was the one who said that the lack of money is the root of all evil. For John Q, it was not just the lack of money, but the love of his son. The movie does not attempt to convince its audience that you can live just fine without money. Thank goodness too, because I still have a hard time believing that.

It does, however, have quite a lot to say about the financial burdens that plague families across the nation. For most of the movie, you're hearing the "John Q." side of the story. It's not until right towards the end, when several talk show hosts make fleeting appearances, each with a three to ten second blurb about their take on the situation, that the differing views come out.

But the predominant theme here as far as money goes seems to be that doctors are overpaid. Are they? Depends on where you're standing, I guess. It's easy to look and see a yearly income in the six-digit range and say "Whoa, that's a lot." On the other hand, can you imagine working a job where your proverbial cubicle lies within the gruesome innards of the human anatomy? Where people's lives are in your hands? It all goes back to what I was saying earlier. The only ones who ever fully understand the problem are the ones who actually have to experience the problem.

This movie also made me want to quit smoking.

Yeah, the whole business with the dying child needing a new heart because his old one was too weak to handle its job. It makes me feel bad for the way that I treat my own heart. It's the only one I got, and it's been good to me. I should take better care of it. So I fell for the little heart story hook, line, and sinker. Awww that's so sweet, now go ahead and brand me an uneducated idiot.

Free health care for everyone... is it possible?

I doubt it.

Recommended: Yes

Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older