Give a father no options and you leave him no choice.
John Quincy Archibald is a father and husband whose son is diagnosed with an enlarged heart and then finds out he cannot receive a transplant because HMO insurance will not cover it. Therefore, he decides to take a hospital full of patients hostage until the hospital puts his son's name on the donor's list.
Denzel Washington John Quincy Archibald
James Woods Dr. Raymond Turner
Kimberly Elise Denise Archibald
Robert Duvall Lt. Frank Grimes
Shawn Hatosy Mitch Quigley
Eddie Griffin Lester Matthews
Kevin Connolly Steve Maguire
Ethan Suplee Guard Max Conlin
Ray Liotta Chief Gus Monroe
Anne Heche Rebecca Payne
Laura Harring Gina Palumbo
Heather Wahlquist Julie Bird
Daniel E. Smith Mike Archibald
David Thornton Jimmy Palumbo
Paul Johansson Tuck Lampley
Obba Babatundé Sgt. Moody
Troy Byer Miriam Smith
Troy Winbush Steve Smith
Martha Chaves Rosa Gonzales
Gabriela Oltean Beautiful BMW Driver
Ron Annabelle Tow Truck Driver
Barry G. King Employee Manager
Larissa Laskin Dr. Ellen Klein
Vanessa Branch Registered Nurse
Stephanie Moore Admitting Nurse
James Finnerty Nurse Reggie
Michael Jaye Insurance Rep
Yanna McIntosh State Employee
Linda Massad Social Services Rep
Lester Mathews Human Services Rep
Noam Jenkins Medicaid Official
Allegra Fulton Sick Girl's Mother
Darrin Brown TV Buyer
Shera Danese Wife of Heart Transplant Patient
Kirsta Teague Dr. Turner's Assistant
Rick Sood Panicked E.R. Doctor
Scott Bloom Desk Guard
Dina Spybey-Waters Debby Utley
Carlos Diaz Paramedic #1
Joe Duer Paramedic #2
Simon Sinn Fong
Jeff Douglas Computer Cop
Keram Malicki-Sánchez Freddy B.
Philip Williams Wally Pitoniak
Nigel Shawn Williams News Anchor
Frank Cassavetes Sniper
Colin Evans Videographer
Angelo Tsarouchas Barricade Cop
Marcia Johnson Medical Transplant #1
Vijay Mehta Medical Transplant #2
Andrew Schaff U.N.O.S. Official
Malcolm Nefsky Nick
Jay Leno Jay Leno
Gloria Allred Gloria Allred
Larry King Larry King
Arianna Huffington Arianna Huffington
Ted Demme Ted Demme
Nas Nas
Bill Maher Bill Maher
Claire Rankin Public Defender
Philip Craig Judge K. Ploucha
Gerry Quigley Jury Foreman
Jane Luk O.R. Nurse (uncredited)
- Denzel WashingtonJohn Quincy Archibald
- James WoodsDr. Raymond Turner
- Kimberly EliseDenise Archibald
- Robert DuvallLt. Frank Grimes
- Shawn HatosyMitch Quigley
- Eddie GriffinLester Matthews
- Kevin ConnollySteve Maguire
- Ethan SupleeGuard Max Conlin
- Ray LiottaChief Gus Monroe
- Anne HecheRebecca Payne
- Laura HarringGina Palumbo
- Heather WahlquistJulie Bird
- Daniel E. SmithMike Archibald
- David ThorntonJimmy Palumbo
- Paul JohanssonTuck Lampley
- Obba BabatundéSgt. Moody
- Troy ByerMiriam Smith
- Troy WinbushSteve Smith
- Martha ChavesRosa Gonzales
- Gabriela OlteanBeautiful BMW Driver
- Ron AnnabelleTow Truck Driver
- Barry G. KingEmployee Manager
- Larissa LaskinDr. Ellen Klein
- Vanessa BranchRegistered Nurse
- Stephanie MooreAdmitting Nurse
- James FinnertyNurse Reggie
- Michael JayeInsurance Rep
- Yanna McIntoshState Employee
- Linda MassadSocial Services Rep
- Lester MathewsHuman Services Rep
- Noam JenkinsMedicaid Official
- Allegra FultonSick Girl's Mother
- Darrin BrownTV Buyer
- Shera DaneseWife of Heart Transplant Patient
- Kirsta TeagueDr. Turner's Assistant
- Rick SoodPanicked E.R. Doctor
- Scott BloomDesk Guard
- Dina Spybey-WatersDebby Utley
- Carlos DiazParamedic #1
- Joe DuerParamedic #2
- Simon SinnFong
- Jeff DouglasComputer Cop
- Keram Malicki-SánchezFreddy B.
- Philip WilliamsWally Pitoniak
- Nigel Shawn WilliamsNews Anchor
- Frank CassavetesSniper
- Colin EvansVideographer
- Angelo TsarouchasBarricade Cop
- Marcia JohnsonMedical Transplant #1
- Vijay MehtaMedical Transplant #2
- Andrew SchaffU.N.O.S. Official
- Malcolm NefskyNick
- Jay LenoJay Leno
- Gloria AllredGloria Allred
- Larry KingLarry King
- Arianna HuffingtonArianna Huffington
- Ted DemmeTed Demme
- NasNas
- Bill MaherBill Maher
- Claire RankinPublic Defender
- Philip CraigJudge K. Ploucha
- Gerry QuigleyJury Foreman
- Jane LukO.R. Nurse (uncredited)