‘John Q’ is a thrilling film that follows John Quincy Archibald’s efforts to save his son Michael from a heart attack. Doctors informed John and his wife Denise that they needed payment to put Michael’s name on the list of recipients. However, the number is very high in the family, so John decides to keep people in the hospital until Michael is treated.
In addition to the interesting narrative, the film has some amazing characters, including Robert Duvall, Denzel Washington, James Woods, Kimberly Elise, and Anne Heche. The film is a visual thriller due to its geographical location and excellent cinematography.
Where Was John Q Movie Filmed?
Although set mainly in Chicago, Illinois, ‘John Q’ was recorded mainly in several cities in the Canadian provinces of Ontario, Alberta, and Québec. The city of Chicago also appears in the film, along with Los Angeles, California. The film’s main filming began on August 7, 2000, and ended on November 3, 2000.
Ontario
Toronto is one of the most famous cities in Canada and serves as the capital of the State of Ontario. The ‘John Q’ team opened a store in town to watch a few movie scenes. The Whitney Block is a building on 99 Wellesley Street West that was used to highlight the exterior of offices such as the Prime Minister.
Another famous Toronto building in the movie is Hepburn Block at 80 Grosvenor Street, housed outside the hospital where the incident took place. Ideally, Hepburn Block is home to the Canadian Department of Health and Long-Term Care.
The Supreme Court of Justice on 361 University Avenue was used to prosecute John Q. The final scene of the film shows a police car driving down the street; was fitted with a lens on Bay Street, and Toronto Old City Hall, located at 60 Queen Street West, is visible in the background.
Hamilton is a port city on the shores of Lake Ontario. The existing harbors can be seen many times at ‘John Q.’ The city is close to Toronto and has a rich history dating back to pre-colonial times. Movies such as ‘Nightmare Alley’ and ‘Firestarter’ have also been filmed in Hamilton.
Located at the confluence of the Grand and Speed rivers, the city of Cambridge is located in the province of Ontario. Babcock & Wilcox Plant at 75 Savage Drive has doubled as a factory where John worked. The company that owns the plant in real life is renewed, environment and thermal energy technology and service provider. ‘The Maid’s Tale’ and ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ are some of the projects included in Cambridge.
View this post on Instagram
Oshawa is a bustling city on the northern shore of Lake Ontario, near Toronto. Scenes inside Archibald’s house in ‘John Q’ have been filmed in the city. Other products taking place in Oshawa include ‘Station Eleven’ and ‘Murdoch Mysteries.’
Part of Durham County, Clarington is a small municipality in Ontario. According to sources, a tragic incident showing Michael’s fall during a baseball game appeared to have been shot in the Solina area of Clarington. ‘The Last Chase’ and ‘Wind at My Back’ were also recorded in the municipality.
View this post on Instagram
Located 13 kilometers from the eastern border of Toronto on the shores of Lake Ontario, Ajax is a small town in the interior of Ontario that used to capture a few scenes of ‘John Q.’ in World War II. Apart from Denzel Washington star, films like ‘X-Men’ and ‘Bloody Romeo’ are also produced in the beautiful city.
Alberta
Sitting in the Bow Valley in the middle of Alberta’s Rocky Mountains, a team of producers chose the beautiful city of Canmore to showcase the beautiful Illinois countryside of ‘John Q.’ It has become home to several brands, such as ‘Interstellar’ and ‘The Revenant.’
View this post on Instagram
The beautiful city of Calgary forms the center of the Calgary Metropolitan Region (CMR) in Alberta. Located between the Rocky Mountains and the Canadian Prairies, its attractive location attracts the ‘John Q’ inspection team, which is why it decided to shoot a few scenes within the area.
The village of Cochrane within the region is one of the highlights of this exciting film. A few other brands have visited CMR for the purpose of filming ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ and ‘Fargo.’
Quebec
View this post on Instagram
Montréal, the capital of the province of Québec, was also used to show a few scenes of ‘John Q.’ It has a rich history and culture of great financial value in Canada. In addition to the thriller drama, several other productions, such as ‘Moonfall’ and ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan’, have used the city as the backbone of their narrative.
Chicago
View this post on Instagram
Considering that ‘John Q’ was set up in Chicago, several scenes were shot in the city to provide an authentic audience. The city is located on the shores of Lake Michigan and is the capital of Illinois. Over the years, the city has served as a recording studio for several major brands, such as ‘The Batman’ and ‘Top Gun.’
California
View this post on Instagram
The heart of Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, has served as the site for many American movie theaters, including ‘John Q.’ Other LA films shot include ‘Unbearable Weight of Talent’ and ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’