Movie Review: Dallas Buyers Club

Well on my way to accomplishing my goal of watching all of the Oscar nominated best pictures.  I was very interested in seeing this particular film because the performances were supposedly spectacular....Again, this is a synopsis of the film, the end was not ruined...

Dallas Buyers Club

Released: November 22nd, 2013
Watched: February 1st, 2014
My Rating: 8/10 stars

Starring:
Matthew McConaughey, Jared Leto and Jennifer Garner

Director:
Jean Marc Vallée


The movie is set in 1985. Ron Woodruff (McConaughey) has been diagnosed with HIV.  During this time period, the stigma that went with HIV/AIDS was that it was something that homosexual men got.  Woodruff, however, is a homophobic man and at first denies that it's possible.  After some research, he realizes that a hooker he had sex with (without protection - oh 1985 how unsafe you were) had track marks from drugs (bing bing bing - not just butt sex!)

The movie proceeds to follow Woodruff on his quest to not die.  He was originally given 30 days to live, and he was determined to find a cure.

still from movie, as Woodruff

during movie promotion

Since HIV/AIDS was relatively new, there were no real successful treatments.  The FDA has a hard grip on things, and new treamtents have to go through many rounds of testing before it's made readily available to the general population.  Had he signed up for a trial of a new drug, AZT, he wasn't guarenteed to receive the drug, since half the trial participants received a placebo.

Ron uses his connections to find AZT, which ends up making him extremely ill.  Cut to a visit down in Mexico (where regulations are not as strict) and he meets a doctor (from America originally) who provides him with a regiment that makes him feel better.

The rest of the movie follows Ron and his creation of the Dallas Buyers Club.  This club is basically a loophole. A member pays a membership fee each month, and each member receives treatments for their disease.  They aren't doctors, they aren't charging for these drugs.  They are a group of people taking vitamins. Pretty nifty idea if I do say so myself.  Of course, with this nifty idea, comes red tape.  The rest of the movie follows Ron's battles with the FDA and basically just trying to live.

Along the way, Ron meets two people who help him.  His doctor, Eve (Garner), becomes a friend and confidant.  She wishes she wasn't so caught up in the red tape and that she could help.  She just ends up becoming his friend, even though Ron was completely in love with her.

Lastly, and (in my mind) most importantly, Rayon (Leto).  Rayon is a cross-dressing homosexual, who at first makes Ron completely uncomfortable.  Ron wanted nothing to do with him.  After a while though, they ended up working together to fight for treatments.  They became great friends, they supported each other, and worked together. It was a beautiful friendship. 

as Rayon

during movie promotion

McConaughey and Leto both gave outstanding performances.  I understand completely why they were both nominated.  I still have a few more performances to watch, but if Leto does not win, I will be shocked.  Both of these men transformed their bodies to become these characters.  Everything about their performances was believable. 

Finally, this story was based on the true story of Ron Woodruff. You can read about it here if you want to.

McConaughey and the real Ron Woodruff

Have you seen it? Do you want to? How great were their performances??