John Q review

The movie starts during the height of the US economic crisis with the ordinary African-American family of John Quincy Archibald, in Chicago, who works in a metalworking factory. During an ordinary baseball game, his son Mickey collapses. Rushing to take him to the hospital, they discover that Mike has an enlarged heart, and must be replaced by an expensive donor operation, which requires $250,000. However, his insurance does not cover it, and they try to figure it out, but to no avail. Even after most of their possessions are sold, they cannot even cover the $75,000 to put their son's name on the list. After they try to talk the hospital into doing 1 operation in good faith, he learns that Mike will be evicted from the hospital the next day. At breaking point, John does the unexpected in the direst situation, desperate to rescue his son.

This is not a very good movie plot-wise, put the underlying messages are very powerful. The plot has many gaping holes in it, with a predictable conclusion and an unrealistic storyline. However, the movie builds tension extremely well, but again; there are just some really ridiculous coincidences that fill in the plot, and the characters are frankly unrealistic. On the other hand, that is how movies work. However, the real power behind the movie is the messages that you have to read between the lines to find out. It provides a good criticism of the powers that run an American city – especially the healthcare system and politics. The actions of the hospital and the police chief show a true human nature – greed. It is a very good movie, because it makes you feel emotive, and feel John’s despair. But, the movie is designed that way. Everyone has their different views and the “villains” are only following orders. It would be difficult is everything was good, because there would invariably be something bad.

Overall, this movie is bad and good. I would recommend it to people who can truly understand movies or books instead of just reading through the plot. Overall, I would give it 8/10.