Review of Dallas Buyers Club (2013) by Leigh H — 26 Dec 2014

Back when I was a young lad about 12 years old I remember staying up late one night to watch something on TV, during one of the ad breaks the most disturbing thing I had ever seen in my young life came across the screen. It was the late 80's and the ad featured a group of what looked to be everyday normal people being lowered into a bowling lane as pins, at the other end a tall dark cloaked figure holding a sickle in one hand and a bowling ball in the other, the Grim Reaper figure bowled the ball down the lane and as the ball advanced towards a young girl she stood crying before being bowled over and then pushed aside as a new set of pins was brought down. The standout memory for me from that ad was the mother holding her baby and the way the baby flew out of her arms and hit the ground as she was picked off as a spare. The first time I seen this ad it shocked me so much I burst into tears and had to have my mum explain to me what it was all about. I had never heard of AIDS or the virus it was associated with but because of that ad to this day it still terrifies me.

Dallas Buyers Club has been acclaimed worldwide as a masterful piece of storytelling, telling the story of a man and his life struggle when he learns that he has caught the AIDS virus in the late 80's. Ron Woodroof has been given 30 days to live his goal now is to make those days last as long as possible. The film is based loosely around Ron Woodroofs last years and his struggle against the FDA and the drugs available so he can live. Ron finds out that there are drugs in other parts of the world outside of Texas that are not legal in the USA so he does what he has to, to bring those drugs into the country so he can not only save his own life but the lives of hundreds of other people as well. Ron starts a "buyers' club" where people pay $400 per month and get given all the drugs they need to help them extend their lives. He meets Rayon a transvestite who he agrees to partner his Buyers Club with and together the duo do exactly what they have set out to do selling alternative medicines to those who really need it all the while dodging the FDA and their laws that have been made to stop him.

Matthew McConaughey (The Wolf of Wall street, Magic Mike) stars in Dallas Buyers Club as Ron Woodroof, a rodeo cowboy electrician, the character he portrays on screen is phenomenal, the actor actual lost 21 kilos to play this role and it really does show. On screen Matthew looked shocking, the character he played was a sexist homophonic racist man, not a single care in the world but for himself and his sex drug filled lifestyle. It's not until later in the film where he meets Rayon a transvestite AIDS patient that Ron starts to see the virus for what it really is. Rayon and Ron become business partners and best friends as much as possible. Jared Leto (Requiem for a Dream, 30 secs to Mars) plays Rayon, I found his portrayal to be a little stereotypical though, his walk, the way he talked and moved, don't get me wrong he was great but it did seem very forced and over the top to me. Perhaps that's my own personal prejudices getting in the way there, I can't really say. Once again though I will say he was very good in his role. Jennifer Gardner (Alias, Electra) plays Dr Eve Sacks, one of the Dr's in the hospital who is in charge of the testing of the AZT drug, the new medical cure for AIDS, she was also very brilliant in her role.

It is a very heavy film, a heavy topic that most people still find uncomfortable to deal with including myself. It's not meant to put fear into you as the Grim reaper ad did but it does make you think especially if you have known people who have passed or who are currently living with the virus. I found the story and the way it was told to be slow in places, having a movie based on real life though can't be all excitement all the time. Personally I didn't fall into the story, I didn't feel the emotion that I have heard thousands of other viewers felt whilst watching. I found the story harsh and troubling but not enough to move me as it set out to do. It was portrayed exceptional well by all involved it's just not my cup of tea so to speak.

Dallas Buyers Club gets 3 out 5 BanShee Screams.

Thanks for reading.

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