John Q Movie Review | Common Sense Media

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Parents' Guide to

John Q Movie PG-13 2002 116 minutes

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 4 Reviews
• Kids Say 9 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

By Afsheen Nomai , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 16+

Thought-provoking. Too intense for young teens.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this is an intense film that deals with themes of death and failures of the medical system. These might be a lot for some kids to handle, particularly since a young boy's life hangs in the balance for most of the film. Violence and foul language are sporadic, limited to short scenes or moments…

Why Age 16+? Products & Purchases

Some product placement.

Language

Some foul language.

Violence & Scariness

Violence limited to short scenes or moments.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking Not present Sex, Romance & Nudity Not present Any Positive Content? Positive Messages Not present

A father resorts to criminal behavior in order to get medical attention for his

• Parents Need to Know

  Parents need to know that this is an intense film that deals with themes of death and failures of the medical system. These might be a lot for some kids to handle, particularly since a young boy's life hangs in the balance for most of the film. Violence and foul language are sporadic, limited to short scenes or moments. Fighting, stabbing, gunshots, attempted murder, and attempted suicide are featured in the film.

  To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

• Products & Purchases

  some

  Some product placement.

• Language

  some

  Some foul language.

  Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

  Get started Close

• Violence & Scariness

  some

  Violence limited to short scenes or moments.

  Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

  Get started Close

• Positive Messages

  none

  A father resorts to criminal behavior in order to get medical attention for his dying son. Criminal behavior does have consequences.

Where to Watch

Videos and Photos

• John Q

John Q

Parent and Kid Reviews

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• Parents Say (4)
• Kids Say (9)

age 14+

Based on 4 parent reviews

See all 4 parent reviews age 14+

Based on 9 kid reviews

See all 9 kid reviews

What's the Story?

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.

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Is It Any Good?

Our review: Parents say (4 ): Kids say (9 ):

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.

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Talk to Your Kids About ...

• Families can talk about John's actions. Are they justifiable? This film presents a perfect opportunity to talk about the status of the health care system in the United States. Is the current system fair? Should medical care be tied to ones ability to pay for it? Why or why not?

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Movie Details

• In theaters : February 15, 2002
• On DVD or streaming : July 16, 2002
• Cast : Denzel Washington , James Woods , Robert Duvall
• Director : Nick Cassavetes
• Inclusion Information : Black Movie Actor(s)
• Studio : New Line
• Genre : Drama
• Run time : 116 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : violence, language and intense thematic elements
• Award : NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Nominee
• Last updated : September 20, 2019

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Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

John Q

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