Review of Dallas Buyers Club (2013) by Nicole O — 18 Aug 2014

It is the mid-80s and the AIDS causing virus is swiftly become a concerning epidemic in America. Little is known about the disease, littler known is its treatment, and its latest victim is Ron Woodroof - a blue collar, hustler and straight-up Texas cowboy and he going out swinging hard, creating the Dallas Buyers Club.

At a time when HIV was poorly understood and research to treat the virus was slow moving, in part by the FDA, diagnosis was a death sentence. With a startlingly low 30 day prognosis, Woodroof is just bullheaded enough attempt to outlive his prognosis, by any means necessary despite the legal ramifications. Based on a true story, Dallas Buyers Clubs tells of Woodroof's quest for medication, bypassing regulation, by heading straight to Mexico. Along the way he sees a booming market of desperate people, and creates a members-only club with an unlikely business partner Rayon, a trans woman.

Matthew McConaughey plays the machismo Ron Woodroof and his casting could not be more on point. Who else can play a Texas cowboy than Hollywood's own leading man? His commitment to the character is obvious due to his physical transformation and withered frame of a deathly ill man. The role was made for him and that might be the problem - it feels like he is just being Matthew McConaughey with AIDS.

The real star of the film is the trans business partner Rayon. Jared Leto is pure and true in his portrayal of the trans Rayon, albeit a bit hokey. He is transcendent, there is absolutely not a drop of Leto visible, not for even a fraction of a second. Once Leto's character is introduced the movie takes a powerful step in the direction of captivating Oscar worthy cinema.

In less capable hands this story could have easily been sappy, bland, and straight-forward. Its lack of insipidity is thanks in part to the relatively unknown script writers Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack. and director of the film Jean-Marc Vallée. In the end it is a human interest piece masked as a drama and worthy of your time and viewership.