John Q (for Quincy) Archibald (Washington) is a factory worker with his job disappearing, a wife Denise (Elise) and a young son Mike (Smith) - who is diagnosed with a heart problem that threatens to kill him immediately unless he gets a heart transplant. But John's workplace insurance no longer covers him for that huge expense, and, in a desperate last option, he takes the hospital's emergency room hostage, trying to force heart surgeon Dr.Turner (Woods) and hospital boss Rebecca Payne (Heche) into saving his son's life.
This movie is like a giant community service announcement, or perhaps a political advertisement (we could have done without the last minute or so before the credits roll), telling us that the richest nation in history ought to be able to afford national health insurance. Having said that, it's still an entertaining and heartstring-tugging story that's well worth watching. Washington gives us yet another great performance, fresh from his triumph in Training Day. I'd pay to see this movie just for Denzel, who has yet to disappoint me, but, with a great supporting cast, what the film lacks in actual plot development, it makes up for with the solid performances of all involved.