John Q (PG-13, 2002)

When John (Denzel Washington) and Denise's (Kimberly Elise) son Mike (Daniel E. Smith) is diagnosed with a fatal heart condition, the parents are put in a tight spot. As working class parents, their health care will not cover the cost of the necessary transplant operation. So they do all they can to raise the $250,000 needed to save their son's life. But when the hospital decides to discharge Mike, John decides to take matters into his own hands. So he holds an emergency room hostage, his ransom being to get his son on the donor list for a heart transplant.

While predictable, JOHN Q is gripping on a number of accounts. For one, the current state of the health care system is put on trial in this film. Make no mistake, this film is social commentary. And the message it states is loud and clear. Despite its preachiness, John Q is entertaining and features an especially fine performance by Washington, whose portrayal of a father's desperation is very palpable.