Movie Review

Katy and I watched "John Q" last night. I'm not sure whether I can recommend it or not.

The premise of the movie is that a father takes over a hospital emergency room, creating a hostage situation, to get the hospital to put his son on the donor list for a new heart. Katy and I watched this movie with a special kind of horror reserved for the parents of small children.

Last night my heart was racing through most of the second half of the picture. But tonight I'm a little disappointed in the film. It basically played on the fears of parents for its emotional strength, and the characters were very much stereotypes: The poor but noble man, pushed to the limits. The heartless hospital executive. The famous heart surgeon. The politically motivated police chief.

Tonight I can see them for what they are. But last night I was stressing out watching this film. My advice: If you want to ride an emotional rollercoaster, hey, check it out. But if you resent people reaching in and pulling on your heartstrings in the most obvious of ways, well, don't.