WEBLINKS
| |
The 大象传媒 is not responsible for the content of external websites.
|
 |  | Reviewed by Michelle Bond, Coventry University student
A film about America's healthcare situation was never going to be the most thrilling. And even Oscar winner Denzel Washington, in the title role of John Q, can't lift this worthy drama into a must see film.
Starting the film by telling the audience the ending is an interesting narrative device; in a film where the suspense is in the outcome however, it somewhat misses the point.
Shamelessly pulling on our heart strings, we are encouraged to empathise with John, a struggling blue collar worker who thinks he has medical insurance.
When his son Mike needs a heart transplant, he (surprise, surprise) finds out he doesn't have enough.
Anne Heche is solid as the nasty hospital administrator who refuses Mike his operation because of lack of funds.
Good guy / bad guy situation now firmly established, the film tracks John as he tries to raise enough cash.
But, predictably enough, he can't - cue scenes of selling furniture interspersed with lil Mike in hospital getting worse.
 The predictable ending only serves to compound the fact that this is a dull, obviously Oscar aimed piece of film making, but nowhere near the class of previous Washington efforts.
 | 听 | Michelle Bond, Coventry University student
|
John is then 'forced' to hold up a hospital emergency room, a natural next step, obviously. In the most unbelievable hostage situation, pretty much ever, the hostages and John then bond over injuries and injustice.
Cue more debate about HMO's (no, me neither) and insurance, which will seem relevant to those who care about the state of America's healthcare system, and completely dull to the rest of us.
| 听 |  | Denzel Washington as John Q
|
In the end, you feel sorry for John, but not for the film makers reasons: the poor guy is constantly hassled by his nasty wife ("you have to DO something" she says as John is desperately trying to do exactly that), and has a child that wants to be..... a body builder. No wonder he holds up a hospital.
|
