Going into John Q, I figured I was in for a major health care bitching session. My wife and I have a proud history with health care. Our daughter was born at twenty two weeks. She barely held on, but now, she's a happy three year old. If it weren't for a little help from health care, we'd be in major debt right now. Suffice to say, our relationship with the system was not the nightmare that others have experienced.

In John Q, seasoned pro Denzel Washington plays a father who will do anything to assure his sick son gets a heart transplant. This includes taking the emergency room and a cardiac specialist (James Woods) hostage, after his insurance plan refuses to pay for the pricey operation.

There is really only one sure-fire reason to see this picture. Denzel Washington. Is this guy capable of a lousy performance? I don't think so. Even in misfires like Virtuosity and Fallen, Washington is able to lend much needed dramatic weight. Such is the case here. His determination and vulnerability really shine through even when he's asked to deliver some of the worst dialogue of his career. Even when this film seems to sink to the absolute absurd, Washington manages to transcend the material with a major dose of humanity.

The rest of the cast seems to lumber along from one scene to the next. Veteran Robert Duvall seems to be on cruise control in his thankless role as a police chief who shares control of the hostage situation. Ray Liotta is at his manic best as a show-boat cop who wants to take care of the problem quick so that he might score points with the governor. However, given Liotta's scorching turn in the soon to be released Narc, this performance pales in comparison. Anne Heche is horrid as a heartless hospital administrator who's big moment in the movie is completely laughable. Sadly, Kimberly Elise isn't much better in the role of John Q's wife. The overacting here became more than tiresome. Drowning the movie even further are Eddie Griffin and another actor who's name I can't remember (he played the lead in Outside Providence). Forgive me for forgetting his name but this movie will do nothing to further his career. The two play part of the group that are taken hostage.

Yes, there is a fare share of health care bashing in this film, and I'm not at liberty to say that the film makers aren't justified in their attack of medical assistance. I know that everyone's situation is different. However, their is so much going on in this picture, that it becomes one big mess. This does nothing more than take away from the seriousness of the topic.

There is no doubt that screenwriter James Kearns and director Nick Cassavetes mean well, and there are moments in this picture that were effective to me, mostly because I could identify with them. The vision of John and his wife watching a monitor, hoping to God that the stats don't drop below 70 was heartbreaking to me. I could completely sympathize. I could also buy into the notion that this man would do nearly anything for his son. But there is a limit. And the film makers clearly cross the line. What really drags the movie down are the weakly drawn hostage characters, and the out of place action scenes. What starts off as a serious look at a major problem in this country, slowly turns into a meandering mess with very little focus. Midway through this movie, I was suddenly reminded of an Irwin Allen disaster flick, complete with an impressive all star cast. I was also reminded of elements from Die Hard if you can believe it. Rather than sticking to the issue at hand, we get a scathing look at the media, and are also subjected to the good cop bad cop scenario. We also get a plethora of ridiculous scenes in which unlikable characters have a sudden change of heart.

John Q has a little bit in common with Washington's last picture, the vastly superior Training Day. Both films feature characters that go through more drama in one day, than many experience in a lifetime. That was fine in Training Day, because that picture had a different purpose. It also pulsated with a ferocious energy that wouldn't let up. John Q, by comparison, is completely heavy handed and lacks focus. Still, if you must go, sit back a marvel how Washington is able to turn crap to gold right before your very eyes.