MOVIE: Dallas Buyers Club

Dallas Buyers Club: a masterpiece performance by Matthew McConaughey.  Earlier this year I praised McConaughey’s performance in Mud, which remains on my list of 2013’s Best Movies.  McConaughey’s character in this film, a real person named Ron Woodroof, is more complex than the Mud character.  The year is 1985.  Woodroof is a rodeo rider with a day job as an electrician.  He is an over the top heterosexual with serious homophobic issues.  When he is initially diagnosed with H.I.V., he is in denial because in Woodroof’s mind, H.I.V. infects only “certain types” of folks.  Woodroof is very street smart and learns there are drugs available that can help but that the FDA is impeding their distribution.  He also learns there is a suspended American doctor (Griffin Dunne) practicing in Mexico who is dispersing the medicine.  The film’s title derives from Woodroof making the the drugs available to anyone who joins his Club.  To obtain and bring the drugs into the U.S., Woodroof plays a priest.  He also visits Japan and Israel where the drugs are made and sold.  The film is directed by Jean-Marc Vallee.  Among other things, the storyline provides a sharp contrast of doctors’ attitudes:  those driven by the revenue from AZT drug studies (Denis O’Hare) and those who know there are real alternatives are out there (Jennifer Gardner).  Jared Leto gives an extremely strong performance as Rayon, a cross dresser disowned by his moneyed family, who introduces Woodroof to the gay community.  Through Woodroof’s interaction with Rayon, the McConaughey character changes from a serious homophobe to a complex individual acting to save both his life and lives of others.  Woodroof battled the FDA in court (he lost the legal battle) but these scenes are short.  Most of the 117 minute film focuses on an evolving character, a Texan stereotype at the beginning who is a survivor and through his survivor attitude becomes a spokesperson for gay individuals needing alternative treatments in order to live.  McConaughey’s performance is reason enough to see the film.  So, too, is the story behind Dallas Buyers Club.  The AZT story is not pretty nor is the attitude of the FDA, who is shown as being more concerned with procedures than with actual treatment outcomes.  This is an excellent film.  I usually don’t bother seeing films whose trailers leave me flat but I made an exception for this film because of McConaughey.  The movie is so much better than the trailer.