John Q

Original title: John Q Production and year: USA, 2002 Genre: drama Cast: Denzel Washington, Robert Duvall, Anne Heche Medical topic: heart transplant, medical care Description: The opening scenes show us a typical American family in times of crisis. A young married couple with financial problems and their adorable little son. “Unfortunately, the economy is slowing down; we all know that. You all know what it’s like to be in the red,” we hear on the TV. Despite these problems, the three of them love each other very much, and life slowly goes on. Suddenly, there’s a plot twist—during a baseball game, the boy loses consciousness. The parents react quickly—the child ends up in the hospital, where he should receive proper medical care. However, a problem arises—the little boy needs a heart transplant. This would be feasible in itself, but his parents’ insurance policy does not cover the costs of such a procedure, which amount to $75,000. The titular John Q, the child’s father, begins raising money. He starts selling furniture, seeks help from the church, neighbors, and friends, and even reaches out to media contacts who might help raise the required sum. However, the boy’s condition is deteriorating, and the money is coming in too slowly. The desperate father resorts to extreme measures. He barricades himself in the hospital and tries to force help for his son at gunpoint. And here the questions arise: did he do the right thing? What else could he have done? How do you fight the system? How do you live in a country where so many people lack insurance? And finally—will the boy get a new heart? The film is extremely formulaic and quite predictable, but it tackles very important issues. And finally, an interesting detail for those in the medical field: in the film, John talks to his son while he is intubated. costs