John Q Page #3

Synopsis: Story centers on a man whose nine-year-old son is in desperate need of a life-saving transplant. When he discovers that his medical insurance won't cover the costs of the surgery and alternative government aid is unavailable, John Q. Archibald (Denzel Washington) takes a hospital emergency room hostage in a last-ditch attempt to save his child.
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Production: New Line Cinema
  2 wins & 8 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.1
Metacritic:
30
Rotten Tomatoes:
23%
PG-13
Year:
2002
116 min
$71,026,631
Website
915 Views


INT. NEIMAN MACHINERY PLANT - EMPLOYEE LOCKER ROOM - DAY

Quitting time. Employees are showering, towling down, changing. John Q. is putting on a tie.

JIMMY:

What's the deal with the jacket? Who died?

EXT. NEIMAN MACHINERY PLANT - DAY

Cement and huge. Smoke billows from the stacks. John Q. and Jimmy make their way to their trucks.

J.Q.

I've got a job interview at the machinery plant over in Otisville.

JIMMY:

What job? There are no jobs.

J.Q.

I saw it in the paper.

JIMMY:

Forget it.

J.Q.

I've got to go. Denise is going to kill me if I don't find something. They repo'd her car this morning.

JIMMY:

Oh, boy. You want me to go with you?

INT. OTISVILLE MACHINERY PLANT - WAITING AREA - DAY

The waiting room is packed. A lot of people needing work. John fills out the application.

JIMMY:

This is a waste of time. Four hundred people for one job. Give me a break.

John keeps filling out his paperwork.

JIMMY (CONT'D)

I'm telling you, somebody's son, cousin, uncle has already got this job sewn up.

J.Q.

Jimmy, why do they put it in the paper if they're not hiring?

JIMMY:

They've got to put it in the paper to make it look good. State law or something.

J.Q.

Give it a rest, will you?

JIMMY:

I'm just saying, it's the run around. Mark my words. It's either, 'We'll keep your application on file.' That's the kiss of death. Or they tell you that you're overqualified. Either way, you're screwed.

A PERSONNEL MANAGER emerges from his office and reads from a clipboard.

PERSONNEL MANAGER

John Archibald?

INT. OTISVILLE MACHINERY PLANT - PERSONNEL OFFICE - DAY

John Q. sits across the desk from the P.M.

J.Q.

I've been working heavy machinery for fifteen years. I really want this job. Whatever you need, I can do.

PERSONNEL MANAGER

I see.

J.Q.

Hey, I could start today.

John Q. laughs nervously as the P.M. reviews his application.

PERSONNEL MANAGER

Your resume is very impressive. You've certainly got the experience. Frankly, you might be overqualified.

John Q. gets the message. He pushes his chair back and starts to get up.

INT. COMPUTER ROOM - SOMEWHERE IN AMERICA - NIGHT

The daisy wheel buzzsaws across the page. WE SEE more names, columns, entitled STATUS, ENTRY DATE. Underneath the Entry Date heading, months and days appear: June 19, April 30. February 6.

INT. ALL SAINTS CHURCH - DAY

Sunday services. The congregation sings. In the third row, Mike elbows his Dad.

MIKE:

The game starts in fifteen minutes. We're gonna be late.

J.Q.

I know.

A few rows back, John sees Jimmy Palumbo tapping his watch. Denise gives her husband a disapproving look. John sticks his head back in the hymn book and continues singing.

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James Kearns

James William Kearns is the writer of the film John Q which starred Denzel Washington. He has also written several TV movies and episodes of television programs such as Mr. Belvedere, Jake and the Fatman, Highway to Heaven and Dynasty. more…

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