If you go into Dallas Buyers Club expecting to see the goofy, wiry Matthew McConaughey you've seen in so many romantic comedies, then you've clearly never even seen the trailers, and you will leave disappointed. But if you're looking for a touching, well rounded film that encapsulates the spirit of rebellion, you will be very pleased.
Ron Woodroof is a homophobic, drug addicting, sexaholic electrician who is diagnosed with HIV and given merely 30 days to live. When the FDA begins testing an experimental drug, AZT, Ron smuggles it and it nearly destroys him. But when he stumbles upon a different (unapproved) treatment, he grows much healthier. In an effort to help those in need, and to make money, he teams up with the transexual Rayon and establishes the Dallas Buyers Club. However, he must contend with FDA who threatens to shut him down if they catch him.
It is a well thought out tale which showcases the potential for human growth in it's finest form. It almost reminds one of the premise behind Beauty and the Beast (sans the love story.) Our main character has laughed and mocked those who have not deserved it, and as karmic retribution he has a curse thrust upon and is forced to develop a sense of empathy. If you're like me, you will loathe what Ron Woodroof stands for in the beginning of the film, and will only find yourself feeling for him after he develops a more human morality.
The oppression brought upon Ron by the doctors and FDA creates such a wonderful underdog dynamic. The blurred lines of what the government should rightfully be keeping from you and what is merely totalitarianism bullying those in need are colored in by the film's message that you shouldn't stop fighting. The rebellion on the side of Ron and Rayon is a magnificent depiction of the unfortunate circumstances many forced to contend with during the initial AIDs uproar in the 1980s.
My only complaint of the film is that some of the jumps in time seem a little far in between, and the growth of the characters isn't fully viewed, as realistic as it is. Had they shown us more of the turning points in Ron Woodroof's overall character redemption, it may have made the man he has become that much more satisfying.
Matthew McConaughey delivers what may be the finest performance of his career in this film. He absolutely loses himself to the role. He starved himself by at least 38 pounds to create an uneasy visage of what Woodroof looked like. That shows tremendous dedication. He adopts subtle nuances and movements that help distinguish his role from his others. And the pure rebellious spirit that he becomes feels so natural to the form he has taken.
Jared Leto also delivers a stellar turn as the transexual Rayon. He isn't afraid to put on the makeup, the wig, and the clothes, and become an honest and gritty depiction of a woman trapped in a mans body. He reels you in with his charm, and strikes at you with his quick wit. Best of all, he never feels cliched like most transexual roles are.
I woud absolutely advise you to see this film. It features two very Oscar worthy performances, and it feels surreally human all the way through.
B+
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