A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: John Q

Date Viewed: 3/3/02

Details:

Denzel Washington

Robert Duvall

James Woods

Anne Heche

Kimberly Elise

Ray Liotta

Director: Nick Cassavetes

Score: +

The Review: Contemporary drama about a working-class family man whose patience is tried by today's fractured and frustrating medical insurance and care system, and who finds himself compelled to take drastic action. Denzel Washington is excellent as the parent of a Little League boy whose heart is failing (I think this is a stronger role than his earlier Training Day). Duvall is good as the police hostage negotiator who tries talking some sense into Washington. Heche is annoyingly slimy as the hospital administrator. The concurrent subplot in the Canadian Rockies is initially very confusing, because there are no clues it really is concurrent.

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