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全 美 開 畫 票 房 冠 軍
【 邊 緣 特 訓 】 本 屆 奧 斯 卡 影 帝 丹 素 華 盛 頓
精 湛 演 技 再 次 感 動 你

燃 眉 之 急
JOHN Q

每 個 孩 子 背 後
都 有 個 肯 為 他 犧 牲 的 爸 爸 ！
不 給 他 一 條 生 路
他 只 好 殺 入 絕 路 … …

【 現 代 啟 示 錄 】 羅 拔 杜 華
【 沉 默 的 殺 機 】 雷 里 奧 達
【 鐵 案 風 暴 】 占 士 活 斯
【 作 大 英 雄 】 安 妮 希 治
【 可 人 兒 】 導 演 力 克 尊 卡 薩 維 蒂 斯 感 人 新 作

年 代 電 影 即 將 轟 動 上 映 影 評 讚 … …

洛 杉 磯 時 報 ： 大 膽 揭 露 事 實 真 相 (A-) 旳
Houston Chronicle ： 再 次 證 明 丹 素 華 盛 頓 可 能 是 當 今 最 佳 演 員 ！
San Francisco Examiner ： 丹 素 華 盛 頓 的 演 技 淋 漓 盡 致 ！
Themovieboy.com ： 單 看 丹 素 華 盛 頓 已 值 回 票 價 ！
Fresno Bee: 丹 素 華 盛 頓 飾 演 的 絕 路 爸 爸 令 人 嘆 為 觀 止 。

**************

丹 素 華 盛 頓 演 技 再 放 異 彩
感 人 劇 力 指 控 官 僚 醫 院 制 度

丹 素 華 盛 頓 剛 於 【 邊 緣 特 訓 】 (Training Day) 飾 演 一 個 心 狠 手 辣 的 黑 警 角 色 ， 精 彩 的 演 技 ， 為 他 贏 得 本 屆 奧 斯 卡 最 佳 男 主 角 獎 。 今 次 在 新 作 【 燃 眉 之 急 】 中 ， 一 轉 形 像 ， 飾 演 一 個 因 孩 子 瀕 危 ， 不 惜 犯 險 孤 注 一 擲 的 爸 爸 ， 其 感 人 演 技 再 次 獲 得 影 評 喝 采 。

丹 素 華 盛 頓 說 ： 「 主 角 為 救 兒 子 而 選 擇 逆 路 ， 其 行 動 卻 法 律 不 容 ， 但 無 損 其 英 雄 正 義 感 ， 在 僵 化 的 制 度 中 ， 他 們 所 作 所 為 能 讓 我 們 反 省 。 」

編 劇 占 士 加 斯 早 在 九 三 年 就 寫 好 【 燃 眉 之 急 】 的 劇 本 。 其 靈 感 來 自 報 章 一 宗 新 聞 。 一 個 老 人 因 傾 盡 金 錢 才 得 以 完 成 心 臟 移 植 手 術 ， 概 嘆 在 現 今 社 會 ， 如 果 無 錢 就 一 定 沒 法 得 救 。 占 士 加 斯 深 想 ： 如 果 自 己 的 兒 子 患 病 ， 但 他 身 無 旁 物 ， 他 如 何 可 以 拯 救 他 的 生 命 ？ 於 是 整 個 故 事 就 圍 繞 著 頑 固 的 官 僚 及 醫 療 保 險 制 度 ， 如 何 扼 殺 窮 人 的 生 存 權 利 ， 對 政 府 的 無 能 作 出 重 大 控 訴 。

為 救 兒 子 ， 走 上 絕 路 的 爸 爸

約 翰 是 個 普 通 工 人 ， 工 廠 生 意 不 景 氣 使 他 瀕 臨 失 業 ， 然 而 他 是 個 樂 觀 而 堅 強 的 人 ， 有 太 太 與 兒 子 在 身 邊 ， 他 仍 然 感 到 滿 足 ， 再 大 的 難 關 他 都 會 咬 緊 牙 關 獨 自 承 受 下 去 。 然 而 禍 不 單 行 ， 他 九 歲 的 兒 子 在 學 校 運 動 會 上 突 然 休 克 ， 醫 生 診 斷 的 結 果 是 先 天 性 心 臟 病 ， 治 療 手 段 是 盡 快 進 行 器 官 移 植 。 可 是 約 翰 發 現 上 司 只 給 他 買 了 最 低 額 的 保 險 ， 這 對 鉅 額 手 術 費 來 說 簡 直 微 不 足 道 ， 醫 院 以 此 為 理 由 拒 絕 為 約 翰 兒 子 做 手 術 ， 政 府 各 部 門 對 此 事 也 表 現 得 異 常 冷 漠 。 約 翰 感 到 自 己 被 整 個 世 界 欺 騙 了 ， 焦 慮 、 無 助 、 憤 怒 一 同 湧 上 心 頭 ， 看 著 逼 近 鬼 門 關 的 兒 子 和 傷 透 了 心 幾 近 失 控 的 妻 子 ， 約 翰 終 於 忍 無 可 忍 ， 他 衝 入 急 症 室 脅 持 了 人 質 ， 準 備 以 此 挽 救 兒 子 的 生 命 … …

導 演 力 克 卡 薩 維 蒂 斯 (Nick Cassavetes)

既 是 導 演 ， 又 是 演 員 ， 父 親 尊 卡 薩 維 蒂 斯 是 美 國 著 名 導 演 。 力 克 97 年 的 作 品 【 可 人 兒 】 (She ' s So Lovely) ， 由 辛 潘 、 尊 特 拉 華 達 主 演 ， 於 康 城 影 展 贏 得 最 佳 男 主 角 及 最 佳 攝 影 獎 項 。 他 第 一 部 執 導 的 電 影 【 Unhook the Stars 】 ， 由 法 國 影 帝 謝 勒 迪 柏 度 主 演 。

作 為 演 員 ， 力 克 近 年 的 演 出 也 屬 多 產 一 類 ， 他 先 後 演 出 的 電 影 有 愛 迪 梅 菲 的 【 Life 】 ， 尊 尼 特 普 的 【 The Astronaut ' s Wife 】 ， 及 吳 宇 森 的 【 奪 面 雙 雄 】 (Face/Off) 等 。

丹 素 華 盛 頓 (Denzel Washington) 飾 拯 救 兒 子 陷 入 絕 路 的 爸 爸 John Q

丹 素 的 演 技 一 向 大 受 觀 眾 及 影 評 人 的 推 崇 ， 今 屆 奧 斯 卡 也 因 他 在 【 邊 緣 特 訓 】 (Training Day) 中 的 演 出 而 將 男 主 角 金 獎 像 頒 予 給 他 。 連 同 美 國 演 員 工 會 的 獎 項 ， 今 年 是 丹 素 華 盛 頓 豐 收 的 一 年 。 【 邊 緣 特 訓 】 一 片 是 他 罕 有 地 以 歹 角 出 現 的 作 品 ， 他 一 向 擅 演 正 義 英 雄 的 角 色 ， 銀 幕 上 的 感 染 力 非 常 強 大 ， 代 表 作 品 包 括 有 ： 【 黑 罪 風 雲 】 (Hurricane) 、 【 熱 血 強 人 】 (Remember the Titans) 、 【 生 死 豪 情 】 (Courage Under Fire) 及 【 烈 血 天 空 】 (The Siege) 等 。

羅 拔 杜 華 (Robert Duvall) 飾 人 質 談 判 專 家

年 青 觀 眾 對 他 可 能 並 不 認 識 ， 但 對 資 深 的 影 迷 來 說 ， 他 是 名 重 一 時 的 性 格 演 員 。 代 表 作 是 七 十 年 代 的 【 教 父 】 (Godfather)( 為 他 奪 得 金 像 獎 最 佳 男 配 角 提 名 ) 及 【 教 父 續 集 】 。 而 在 經 典 戰 爭 片 【 現 代 啟 示 錄 】 (Apocalypse Now) 他 飾 演 瘋 狂 軍 官 ， 令 他 獲 第 二 次 金 像 獎 男 配 角 提 名 。 及 後 終 於 憑 " Tender Mercies " 中 的 演 出 ， 贏 得 了 金 像 影 帝 的 名 銜 。

占 士 活 斯 (James Woods) 飾 官 僚 制 度 下 的 心 臟 手 術 醫 生

占 士 活 斯 是 另 一 個 荷 里 活 著 名 性 格 演 員 ， 其 冷 暖 的 外 形 經 常 要 他 以 歹 角 的 姿 態 出 現 。 剛 剛 演 出 過 奧 利 華 史 東 的 【 再 戰 星 期 日 】 (Any Given Sunday) 、 及 與 尊 特 拉 華 達 合 演 【 鐵 案 風 暴 】 (The General ' s Daughter 。 他 多 樣 化 的 演 技 可 在 【 賭 城 風 雲 】 (Casino) 、 【 超 時 空 接 觸 】 (Contact) 、 【 驚 世 謊 言 ： 尼 克 遜 】 (Nixon) 、 【 義 薄 雲 天 】 (Once upon a Time in America) 等 名 片 中 見 到 。

安 妮 希 治 (Anne Heche) 飾 強 硬 的 醫 院 行 政 人 員

安 妮 是 荷 里 活 罕 有 地 曾 以 同 性 戀 自 居 的 女 藝 人 ， 其 中 性 的 外 表 令 她 別 豎 一 格 ， 最 著 名 的 演 出 是 與 夏 里 遜 福 合 作 的 【 六 日 狂 奔 七 夜 情 】 (Six Days, Seven Nights) 。

雷 里 奧 達 (Ray Liotta) 飾 功 利 掛 帥 的 警 長

對 罪 犯 從 不 姑 息 ， 主 張 強 硬 對 付 。 本 身 的 他 亦 是 性 格 強 橫 的 演 員 ， 經 常 飾 演 反 派 角 色 。 觀 眾 不 會 忘 記 他 在 【 沉 默 的 殺 機 】 (Hannibal) 中 ， 被 食 人 博 士 生 吞 腦 漿 的 場 面 。

雷 里 奧 達 早 期 憑 " Something Wild " 一 片 贏 得 金 球 獎 提 名 ， 又 與 奇 雲 高 士 拿 演 出 金 像 名 片 【 夢 幻 成 真 】 。 之 後 羅 拔 迪 尼 路 向 導 演 馬 田 史 高 西 斯 推 薦 他 演 【 盜 亦 有 道 】 ， 成 為 他 歷 來 最 令 人 印 象 難 忘 的 演 出 。

片 長 ： 116 分 鐘
級 別 ： IIB
院 線 ：
1. UA Pacific Place ( UA 金 鐘 )
2. UA Shatin ( UA 沙 田 )
3. AMC Festival Walk ( AMC 又 一 城 )
4. GV Mongkok ( GV 旺 角 )
5. GV Hollywood ( GV 荷 里 活 )
6. Olympian Broadway ( 奧 海 城 百 老 匯 )
7. Chinachem ( 華 懋 )
網 頁 ： www.iamjohnq.com
上 映 日 期 ： 2002/5/30

JOHN Q.

John Q. Archibald (Academy Award-winner Denzel Washington) is an ordinary man who works at a factory and takes care of his family. His wife Denise (Kimberly Elise) and young son Michael (Daniel E. Smith) are his world. But when Michael falls seriously ill and needs an emergency heart transplant operation that John Q. can't afford and his health insurance won't cover, he vows to do whatever it will take to keep his son alive. With time and options running out, a desperate gamble becomes his only hope -- he takes the emergency room hostage.

As John Q. barricades himself inside the hospital along with his unwitting group of emergency room hostages, many of them in need of medical care themselves, he faces off with a veteran police hostage negotiator (Robert Duvall) and a quick-tempered police chief (Ray Liotta) who wants to bring a swift end to the stand-off.

Denzel Washington stars in John Q., an action drama about the extraordinary chance one father takes to protect his son, becoming both an unlikely hero and a criminal in the eyes of the law. Directed by Nick Cassavetes from a screenplay by James Kearns, John Q. stars Denzel Washington, Robert Duvall, Kimberly Elise, Eddie Griffin, Shawn Hatosy, Anne Heche, Ray Liotta, James Woods and Daniel E. Smith.

John Q. is produced by Mark Burg and Oren Koules. Michael DeLuca, Richard Saperstein and Avram Butch Kaplan serve as executive producers. The distinguished behind-the-scenes team is led by cinematographer Rogier Stoffers, editor Dede Allen and production designer Beatrix Aruna Pasztor. Aaron Zigman composed the score.

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

Academy Award-winner Denzel Washington (Glory), who most recently received accolades for his performance in Training Day, plays John Q. Archibald, a working man on reduced hours at a factory, whose world falls apart when his son Michael collapses during a baseball game. "He finds out in an awful way that his son is very ill," says Washington. "He is in tough financial straits. His car is repossessed the same day. He also finds out that he doesn't have the insurance that he thought he had to cover something of this magnitude."

Says producer Mark Burg, "John Q. takes a hard look at the common man and how far he would push the envelope to save his child. He'll sacrifice his job, his house, his money, and ultimately, he's willing to put his life on the line."

Ten-year-old newcomer Daniel E. Smith plays John's son, Michael, and Kimberly Elise plays his wife, Denise, who stands by her husband after he resorts to drastic actions. "Whether she agrees or not with what John does is irrelevant to her," says Elise. "They're in this terrible situation and she's the last person in the world who will turn her back on her husband. The love in their marriage is so deep and so real, and what he does for his family is just breathtaking."

"When your child is sick, you have tunnel vision. Nothing else matters," says director Nick Cassavetes, for whom the story resonated in light of his own experiences. "My daughter has a congenital heart disease, and I've watched her go through four operations. I know about the runarounds you get from insurance companies, hospitals and doctors."

After exhausting all possibilities for paying for his son's direly-needed heart transplant, John makes an appeal to Dr. Raymond Turner, head of the cardiac unit at the hospital, played by Oscar nominee James Woods. "What I find most moving about this film is the human story of a man who is put in a position to do something that he ordinarily wouldn't do out of his love for his child," says Woods. "Dr. Turner is a fundamentally kind man who is caught up in the system and wants to do the best he can, but in fact, he is hampered by the system itself. The operation Michael needs is going to cost one quarter of a million dollars, there's no insurance and he offers to waive his extraordinary fee. But that's still not enough."

Anne Heche plays hospital administrator Rebecca Payne, who is forced to take the hard line in representing the hospital. "I'm sure every single person who holds this position would want to get health care to anybody who needs it," says Heche. "But they can't always do that. There are some things you don't like doing - to sit down and say to people in need of help, 'I'm sorry, your insurance doesn't cover this.'"

The pressure on John Q. reaches the breaking point when the hospital informs him they will be sending Michael home. "They're sending his son home because John doesn't have enough money," says Washington. "If they send him home, his son's going to die. He's backed into a corner and makes a critical but wrong decision."

"John's attitude is, 'my son's not dying because I don't have health insurance,'" adds producer Mark Burg.

"Once John takes the emergency room hostage, the story goes out above the radar, on television, on the radio," says Ray Liotta, who plays Police Chief Gus Monroe, who convenes his SWAT team at the hospital. "There are a lot of people watching this, and it's a political year. Monroe thinks the best thing to do, especially because John has threatened the lives of people, is to just take him out -- insensitively so, to some people. What John Q. does is very heroic, but it's not the right thing to do, and we're not condoning it. We want to end it."

Monroe brings in hostage negotiator Frank Grimes, played by Academy Award-winner Robert Duvall, to speak to John and attempt to gain his trust. "In the beginning of the process of hostage negotiating, he can't think much about the guy," says Duvall. "He just has to do his job as a professional. I think towards the end, he probably admires John for what he has done. It is a ballsy thing to do."

Says Washington, "Looking at it, how far John is willing to go to save his son is ultimately very heroic, but he's wrong and has to pay the price for his actions, and should. But he's willing to sacrifice everything if it will save his son."

Screenwriter James Kearns wrote the script of John Q. in early 1993, after reading a newspaper article which quoted an older wealthy man, the recipient of a heart transplant. "If I wasn't rich, I'd be dead by now," the man said. "Then I thought about my own kids," recalls Kearns. "What would you do if your child were dying and you were denied access to medical care. The medical insurance companies have become increasingly more powerful and controversial since I first took pen to paper. The health crisis in America and in other parts of the world rages on. It's an extremely complex issue that affects every strata of our society."

The story touched producer Mark Burg, then president of Island Pictures, who first acquired the screenplay in 1993. Years later, Burg reacquired the project with Oren Koules, his partner at Evolution Entertainment, an artists management/production company. By January 2000, Burg had made a deal with New Line Cinema to make the film.

On a tip from a mutual friend, actor Charlie Sheen, Burg sought out Nick Cassavetes to direct the film. The story resonated with Cassevetes, who had experienced similar dilemmas with his own child. "I'm not trying with this movie to offer an explanation on how to fix the American health care system," says the director. "I'm just saying we don't have a set-up for sick people without money to get health care in the United States."

"Nick brings his heart and sensitivity as a human being to this film," says Denzel Washington.

The filmmakers saw Washington as an actor that could bring the humanity and integrity to the role of John Q. "To me, Denzel Washington is the best actor in America today," says Nick Cassavetes. "There's nothing he can't do."

"There were very few actors we thought could do the lead role, and Denzel Washington was at the top of our list," says Burg. Robert Duvall's manager let it be known that Duvall was interested in the picture, and he was signed. The rest of the cast fell in to place, most of whom were Nick Cassavetes' first choice.

The actor at the heart of the film would become Daniel E. Smith, the ten-year-old cast as Michael, John Q.'s son. "He's my new child, my fifth child," says Washington. "He's just alive. There's a light inside of him and Nick recognized it. I read with a few young actors and Nick said, 'Daniel's the one. He's just got that light.' And he does."

To research heart transplants, the filmmakers traveled to New York City where one of the city's foremost heart surgeons and medical advisor on the script, Dr. Mehmet Oz, invited them to see a heart transplant at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. "We witnessed not only several bypass operations, but an actual heart transplant," relates Cassavetes. "It was strange to think that the same heart had been beating in somebody else's chest three hours before."

James Woods, who had studied to be an eye surgeon prior to changing paths and becoming an actor, worked with Dr. Oz and the simulated hearts created for the production to perfect the intricate dance of heart surgery. "It's pretty fascinating," says Woods. "You forget you're operating on a human being and a heart when you're doing it. Because we did it the way it's done. Dr. Oz and I would take turns stitching and tying off and so on. At first he lead me through it, and by the time we did it for the cameras, I was the lead surgeon."

"Nick Cassavetes really understands the pace of the operating room," says Dr. Oz When we operate, it is really a choreographed dance. And the chemistry that occurs between the main surgeon and his assistant is difficult to capture on film. I think Nick has done a wonderful job doing this."

Denzel Washington took his own journey to research his character by spending three days at the Babcok & Wilcox factory, teaming up with two machinists, according to their shifts, to study their work habits. The factory, which dates back to the turn of the 19th century, manufactures steam generators and boilers for various utilities and other large industries.

In Ontario, Canada, where the director and producers had toured the factory where Denzel's character works, located in the small Ontario town of Cambridge, Cassavetes observed, "We've gone from that factory at Babcok and Wilson to the operating room of a heart transplant. In essence, we've taken the same journey as John Q."

ABOUT THE CAST

Denzel Washington (John Q. Archibald)

Denzel Washington, who was recently honored with the AFI's Actor of the Year Award for his performance in Training Day, has accrued an impressive body of work. His recent credits include Jerry Bruckheimer's Remember the Titans and The Bone Collector, directed by Phillip Noyce. He received a Golden Globe Award and his fourth Academy Award nomination for his performance as Rubin "Hurricane" Carter in Norman Jewison's The Hurricane. Another critically- acclaimed performance was his portrayal of Malcolm X in Spike Lee's biographical epic, Malcolm X, which also earned him an Academy Award nomination.

Among his other credits are Gregory Hoblit's Fallen, Spike Lee's He Got Game, Edward Zwick's The Siege and Courage Under Fire, Penny Marshall's The Preacher's Wife, Tony Scott's Crimson Tide as well as the thrillers Virtuosity and Devil in a Blue Dress. Early in his film career, Washington starred in Norman Jewison's A Soldier's Story; Sidney Lumet's Power; Richard Attenborough's Cry Freedom, which earned him his first Oscar nomination; For Queen and Country, The Mighty Quinn, Heart Condition, Glory, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, Spike Lee's Mo' Better Blues, Ricochet and Mississippi Masala. Additional credits include Kenneth Branagh's Much Ado About Nothing, Jonathan Demme's Philadelphia and The Pelican Brief.

Robert Duvall (Grimes)

Robert Duvall, who portrays the hostage negotiator Grimes, has starred in some of America's most acclaimed films: The Godfather, which earned him an Oscar nomination, and The Godfather, Part II; he was nominated a second time for an Oscar for his performance in Apocalypse Now; he was nominated a third time for The Great Santini, and won an Academy Award as Best Actor for Tender Mercies.

Duvall wrote, directed and starred in The Apostle, receiving an Academy Award nomination for the title character. He co-starred in Deep Impact and A Civil Action, which won him his sixth Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe nomination. He followed this with Gone in 60 Seconds. He recently completed A Shot at Glory and The Sixth Day. Duvall honed his craft in such 60's and 70's classics as Bullitt, True Grit, M*A*S*H, The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, The Eagle Has Landed, The Greatest and The Betsy. The 80's saw him in The Stone Boy, The Natural, The Lightship, Let's Get Harry and Colors as well as the popular mini-series Lonesome Dove. During the 90's, Duvall starred in Days of Thunder, A Handmaid's Tale, A Show of Force, Convicts, Rambling Rose, Falling Down, Geronimo and Wrestling Ernest Hemingway.

Duvall formed Butcher's Run Films in 1992, starring in A Family Thing, which earned a Humanitas Award, followed by The Man Who Captured Eichmann. In the last few years, Duvall has been seen in The Paper, The Stars Fell on Henrietta and The Scarlet Letter.

Duvall recently completed Gods & Generals, the prequel to Gettysburg, in which he stars as General Robert E. Lee. He also directed, wrote, produced and starred in the upcoming Assassination Tango due out later this year.

James Woods (Dr. Turner)

James Woods portrays Dr. Turner, the heart surgeon held hostage by John Q. Wood's performances in Oliver Stone's Any Given Sunday, Sofia Coppola's directorial debut, Virgin Suicides, his critically-hailed work in The General's Daughter, Another Day in Paradise, Clint Eastwood's True Crime and

John Carpenter's Vampires reflect his diversified range as an actor.

Woods' performances in Salvador and Ghosts of Mississippi earned him Oscar nominations. He further demonstrated his versatility in Oliver Stone's Nixon and Killer, Martin Scorsese's Casino and Kicked in the Head, Robert Zemeckis' Contact, Once Upon a Time in America, The Onion Field and Hercules as well as his acclaimed television performances in Indictment: The McMartin Trial, HBO's Citizen Cohn and his Emmy-winning work in Promise and My Name is Bill W. Additional credits include The Hard Way, Immediate Family, The Boost, Best Seller, Eyewitness, Split Image, Distance, Fastwalking, Cat's Eye, The Choirboys, Cop and The Black Marble.

Woods made his film debut in Elia Kazan's The Visitors, followed by a small but memorable role in The Way We Were. His first major starring role was in Alex and the Gypsy followed by Arthur Penn's Night Moves.

Anne Heche (Rebecca Payne)

Anne Heche portrays Rebecca Payne, the tough hospital administrator. In the summer of 2000, Heche wrapped a supporting role in Erik Skjoldbjarg's Prozac Nation, starring Christina Ricci. She also co-starred in Auggie Rose with Jeff Goldblum, selected for the Montreal Film Festival. Heche recently starred in Agnieska Holland's The Third Miracle, opposite Ed Harris, and in Gus Van Sant's Psycho, opposite Vince Vaughn and Julianne Moore. She starred opposite Vaughn in Return to Paradise and opposite Harrison Ford in Six Days, Seven Nights.

Heche won The National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress in Barry Levinson's Wag the Dog, with Robert DeNiro and Dustin Hoffman. She starred opposite Tommy Lee Jones in Volcano and was featured, to much acclaim, opposite Johnny Depp and Al Pacino in Donnie Brasco. She has also starred in The Juror, Walking and Talking and HBO's If These Walls Could Talk, directed by Cher. Her other film credits include The Wild Side, Pie in the Sky, Twist of Fate, Milk Money, The Investigator, I'll Do Anything, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Ambush of the Ghosts.

Heche wrote and directed Reaching Normal, a short for Showtime's "First Director Series," as well as the second installment of If These Walls Could Talk II, starring Sharon Stone and Ellen DeGeneres. She won an Emmy Award for her performance on television's "Another World" and recently appeared in a 1-episode story arc on "Ally McBeal." In September 2001, she published her autobiography "Call Me Crazy," which appeared on The New York and Los Angeles Times' best-seller lists.

Ray Liotta (Monroe)

Ray Liotta, who plays Monroe, a police chief with a political agenda, is an actor in great demand. He recently co-starred in Ridley Scott's Hannibal, with Anthony Hopkins and Julianne Moore, in the comedy Heartbreakers, opposite Sigourney Weaver and Jennifer Love Hewitt and starred opposite Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz in New Line's Blow. He starred opposite Gretchen Mol and Joseph Fiennes in Paul Schrader's Forever Mine and finished production on Rumor of Angels. Liotta will next be seen in the upcoming films Phone Booth and Narc (which he also executive produced).

Liotta played Frank Sinatra in the critically acclaimed The Rat Pack, co-starred in the ensemble drama, Copland, with Sylvester Stallone, Robert De Niro and Harvey Keitel, and was seen in the action thriller Turbulence.

Known for his versatility, Liotta has leaped from action hero to sensitive and vulnerable leading man in the harrowing futuristic action-adventure picture, No Escape to the sweetly romantic Corrina, Corrina, to the ballistically vicious in his feature film debut Something Wild, which won him a Golden Globe nomination. He followed this with Dominick & Eugene, and the 1989 Academy Award nominated Field of Dreams. Shortly afterwards, Robert De Niro suggested the actor for a starring role in Martin Scorsese's GoodFellas.

Among his other starring roles are Phoenix with Angelica Huston and Unforgettable opposite Linda Fiorentino. He also appeared in Walt Disney's Dumbo Drop.

Kimberly Elise (Denise Archibald)

Kimberly Elise plays Denise Archibald, John Q.'s wife. Most recently, Elise completed a co-starring role in Showtime's Bojangles opposite Gregory Hines. Her other feature film credits are Beloved (for which she won the Chicago Film Critics Award for "Best Newcomer") and Set It Off.

On television, Elise played the title role in The Loretta Claiborne Story and won a Cable Ace Award for her performance in the Family Channel's The Ditchdigger's Daughter.

Eddie Griffin (Lester)

Eddie Griffin, who portrays the unwitting emergency room hostage Lester, is headed for a breakthrough year in 2002 with three films scheduled for release and production beginning on a fourth. He will soon be seen in the Revolution Studios' comedy The New Guy. This June, he will star in Universal's action/comedy Undercover Brother. The film, based on an animated internet comedy series, follows the secret exploits of a member of a brotherhood fighting to overcome oppression. To infiltrate establishment groups, Griffin's character adopts the persona of Antoine, a "mayonnaise-loving, Gap-wearing, 'Friends'-watching black man." Production begins in January on Eddie Griffin: Live in Concert, a feature that will mix Griffin's stand-up comedy act with a cinema verite look at his personal life, which inspires the routine.

Griffin's previous film credits include Double Take, Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigalo, Picking Up The Pieces, Foolish, Armageddon, Meteor Man and Jason's Lyric. He is best-known to television audiences as the star of UPN's hit comedy series "Malcolm & Eddie." Griffin was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for "Best Actor in a Comedy Series" for his potrayal. He also wrote and directed four episodes of the sitcom, one of which starred his mentor, Richard Pryor.

Griffin began his career in Kansas City, Missouri. He was working as a choreographer for a soccer team when a cousin bet him $50 that he would not go on stage during a visit to a local comedy club. After winning the bet, Griffin purchased a one-way ticket to Los Angeles. One month later he was performing at the renowned Comedy Store, where he was compared with Richard Pryor, Redd Foxx and Lenny Bruce. Those performances led to featured appearances on the HBO specials "Voodoo Child," the Cable ACE-nominated "One Night Stand" and "Def Comedy Jam." Griffin's comedy album "The Message" features comedic and musical performances by Griffin as well as Master P, Silkk The Shocker and Fiend. Griffin held the first live comedy/R&B/hip-hop Webcast, "MLK 2K": We Still Have The Dream," during a recent Comedy Store performance. He has formed his own independent record label, Bluelight Records. An accomplished musician, Griffin is also a member of his own band, Eclectic Divinity.

Shawn Hatosy (Mitch)

Shawn Hatosy is Mitch, a hostage with a mean streak. Hatosy earned his first starring role in Miramax's Outside Providence opposite Alec Baldwin. Other feature credits include: Tangled, Simpatico, Down To You, Anywhere But Here, The Faculty, Joyriders, The Postman and In & Out.

This past summer, Hatosy made his stage debut at The La Jolla Playhouse starring in the title role of Billy the Kid for directors Kate Whoriskey and Des McAnuff. In March, Hatosy will be seen as Brendan Behan in Peter Sheridan's Borstal Boy, based on the autobiographical novel and play by the infamous Irish writer. Hatosy is currently at work on the Chris Koch-directed A Guy Thing with Julia Stiles and Jason Lee for MGM.

Daniel E. Smith (Mike Archibald)

Daniel E. Smith plays nine-year old Mike Archibald. Smith, age 10, makes his feature film debut in John Q. On television, he co-starred in Children TV Show and Quality Time and has performed on stage in "The Christmas Story," "Freedom," and "The Greatest X-Mas Pageant Ever."

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

Nick Cassavetes (Director)

Director Nick Cassavetes most recently directed She's So Lovely, starring Sean Penn, Robin Wright and John Travolta, the only film to win two awards at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival, including a best Actor Award for Sean Penn and a Best Cinematography Award. Cassavetes made his feature film directorial debut on the critically-acclaimed Unhook the Stars, starring Marisa Tomei, Gerard Depardieu and Gena Rowlands.

As an actor, Cassavetes studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. His 1999 releases include starring roles opposite Eddie Murphy in Life, opposite Johnny Depp and Charlize Theron in New Line's The Astronaut's Wife and opposite William H. Macy in Panic. He has also been seen in John Woo's Face/ Off, Alan Rudolph's Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle, Oliver Stone's The Doors and Peter Bogdanovich's Mask. Other screen acting roles include Just Like Dad, Blind Fury, Quiet Cool, The Wraith and Twogether. In addition, Cassavetes has penned several projects including Blow, The Godforsaken and Unless That Someone is You.

Mark Burg (Producer)

Mark Burg has produced and executive produced a wide range of films including Bull Durham, starring Kevin Costner; Can't Buy Me Love, starring Patrick Dempsey; Airheads; The Cure; Toy Soldiers; the Sandlot; Eddie, starring Whoopi Goldberg; Don't be a Menace, starring Sean and Marlon Wayans; and B.A.P.S. starring Halle Berry and Martin Landau for New Line Cinema. He also produced The Gingerbread Man, based on an original story by John Grisham and directed by Robert Altman, starring Kenneth Branagh, Embeth Davidtz, Robert Downey, Jr., Daryl Hannah, Famke Janssen, Tom Berenger and Robert Duvall.

Most recently Burg produced the Jim Toback movie, Black & White, starring Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jared Leto, Brooke Shields, Elijiah Woods and Mike Tyson; Lockdown, directed by John Luessenhop; and Good Advice, directed by Steve Rash and starring Charlie Sheen, Denise Richards, Angie Harmon, Jon Lovitz and Rosanna Arquette.

Burg formed Evolution Entertainment with Oren Koules in October 1998, a management/production company representing actors, writers and directors. The company also has a first-look television deal with DreamWorks SKG.

Oren Koules (Producer)

Oren Koules is co-founder of Evolution Entertainment, a management/production company that represents actors, writers and directors. Together with Mark Burg, he has produced such films as Black and White and Good Advice, as well as the upcoming Run Ronnie Run!, starring David Cross and Bob Odenkirk.

Prior to Evolution Entertainment, Koules served as Senior Vice President of Production for Paramount Pictures and also produced Set it Off, directed by F. Gary Gray, and Mrs. Winterbourne starring Shirley MacClaine, Ricki Lake and Brendan Fraser.

Koules began his motion picture career in 1992 and co-founded Peak Productions in 1995 with Dale Pollack. The duo produced two studio releases in eighteen months.

Avram Butch Kaplan (Executive Producer)

Avram Butch Kaplan was born in New York City and received a classical French education from Lycee Francais before moving at age 15 to Israel and attending agricultural high school, where he matriculated in dairy farming. He then subsequently joined the Israeli Defense Forces and served as a paratrooper for three years in the standing army, and later in the reserves.

In 1982, Kaplan entered the film business as the Israeli distributor at CIC (an equivalent to Paramount and Universal in Israel). In 1987, he returned to the United States and began working in production in Los Angeles, going on to produce various television shows including "Red Shoe Diaries" for Showtime, "Strangers" for HBO, "Allies" for CBS and "Beyond Belief" for Fox.

Kaplan's feature producing credits include The Patriot, directed by Dean Semler for Interlight Pictures; Lawnmower Man 2, directed by Farhad Mann for New Line Cinema; and Lake Consequence. Kaplan also served as line producer/UPM on Buffalo 66, directed by Vincent Gallo for Lion's Gate Films.

It was while producing She's So Lovely, starring John Travolta and Sean Penn, that Kaplan formed a working relationship with John Q. director Nick Cassavetes.

Rogier Stoffers (Director of Photography)

Rogier Stoffers, a native of Holland, was the cinematographer on Mike van Diem's Character, which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film in 1993 in addition to three Best Cinematography Awards at film festivals in the U.S., Poland and Madrid. Stoffers has just completed Philip Kaufman's Quills. His other credits include Mart Dominicus' 1999, Ilse Somers' short, Sancta Mortale, Anette Apon's One Man and His Dog, Monique van de Duren's Mama's Proefkonun, Robert Steyn's Ici Et Maintenant and Mike van Diem's Alaska, which won an Academy Award for Best Student film in 1990.

Stefania Cella (Production Designer)

Stefania Cella hails from Italy, where she completed Papa Dice Messa and Amati Matti (which screened at the Venice Film Festival) before relocating to the United States. More recently she designed Jill Mazursky's short, Fallen Bride, John Briley's The Son of Man and Dangerous Beauty directed by Marshall Herskovitz, on which she worked as Art Director.

Cella's television credits include eight episodes of ABC's "Once and Again" and the pilot "The Castle," directed by Marshall Herskovitz. Cella honed her skills on scores of commercials and music videos for such directors as Woody Allen, Fabrice Carazo, Michael Grasso, Edward Zwick and Mark Piznarski.

Cella recently completed Assassination Tango directed by Robert Duvall and produced by Francis Ford Coppola.

Beatrix Auruna Pasztor (Costumer Designer)

Beatrix Arurna Pasztor's most recent credits are Wonder Boys, starring Michael Douglas, Monkey Bone with Brendan Fraser and A Dog of Flanders. She previously designed the costumes for Nick Cassavetes' She's So Lovely. A member of Gus Van Sant's creative team, she first worked for him on Drugstore Cowboy followed by My Own Private Idaho, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, To Die For, Good Will Hunting and Psycho, starring Anne Heche and Vince Vaughn.

Among her more than 20 feature films are The Fisher King, Oliver Stone's U-Turn and Marco Brambilla's Excess Baggage, Indecent Proposal, American Heart and her first picture, The Bloodhounds of Broadway, starring Madonna.

Dede Allen (Editor)

The numerous feature credits of acclaimed editor Dede Allen include such classic films as The Hustler, America, America, Bonnie and Clyde, Rachel, Rachel, Alice's Restaurant, Little Big Man, Slaughterhouse Five, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Night Moves, The Missouri Breaks, Slapshot, The Wiz, Reds (for which she also served as Executive Producer), The Breakfast Club, The Milagro Beanfield War, Henry and June, The Addams Family and, most recently, Wonder Boys.

Allen began her career in film editing in 1950 in New York (following a stint making commerical spots for television) with Odds Against Tomorrow, directed by Robert Wise, and from there went on to form collaborations with several noted directors, including six films for Arthur Penn, three films for Sidney Lumet, two films for George Roy Hill, two films for Paul Newman and one film each for Elia Kazan and Robert Rossen. With her work on Bonnie and Clyde, Allen pioneered such innovative and much-imitated editing techniques as pre-lapping sound - the sound track coming in ahead of the picture on a cut - and unmatched cuts, fade-outs and cut-ins. She was also the first in her craft to win a credit position for the film editor in the opening credits of a film, alongside the cinematographer, the writer and director.

In 1992, Allen returned to Los Angeles to become a creative executive in theatrical production at Warner Brothers, where she consulted on films from dailies to post-production. In 1999, Allen left her executive position to return to her first love - film editing - and edited the acclaimed Wonder Boys.

Allen's numerous awards and nominations include the 1982 Women in Film Crystal Award, the 1975 British Academy Award for Dog Day Afternoon, Academy Award nominations for Dog Day Afternoon and Reds, a Doctor of Fine Arts Honorary Degree from the American Film Institute, the 1994 A.C.E. Lifetime Achievement Award, the 1999 Hollywood Film Festival Career Achievement Award, the 2000 Los Angeles Film Critics Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2001 New York Women in Film and Television Muse Award.

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