I've been looking for you, Lone Star

Rating: 8/10 (16 January 2014)

Ron Woodroof lives hard, heavy smoking, drinking, drug use, and casual sex. He is a stereotypical to his demographic, racist and homophobic.
While in hospital on a work related injury, the doctors discover that he is HIV+, and he will likely die within thirty days.
He begins to read research about the disease, which at this time seems to be most effectively treated by the drug AZT. But its only in clinical trials stage within the US.
Vexed that he, as a dying man, cannot pay for any drug which may save or at least prolong his life, he goes searching for it by whatever means possible, which leads him to Mexico and Dr. Vass, an American physician whose license was revoked in the US because of his AIDS related work against US regulations.
Dr. Vass leads Ron to a cocktail of other drugs, and Ron decides to help others in his situation.....
Awards season always brings out the best in actors, and McConaughy proves again he is in this resurgence that only actors can dream of. Five years ago, he was the rom com King, leaning on his leading lady in every one sheet, and then he made the Lincoln Lawyer.
Here he's found the role he will be remembered for. Like Hanks in Gump, Clooney in Out Of Sight, and Reno in Leon, he's that brilliant.
It's an Oscar baiting role for sure, channelling Bale in The Machinist for weight loss, but it's more shocking here, as he begins thin, and gets more and more cachexic as the film progresses.
He's an angry character, but the films at its most powerful when Ron dwells on what has happened to him, and happening to him. After all, he's a real man, a mans man, and he has a disease that is associated with 'people who enjoy same sex relationships' according to the ignorant.
Leto is also at a career best here, his character the total opposite to Ron, but they have a very strange affection toward to one another, which is the heart of the movie. And Letos final scene, is touching and heartbreaking.
Garner is okay, but she plays the dowdy doctor without any soul, and drags the film a little.
So all in all, its a very hard film to watch, it's thoroughly depressing in places, but its a brilliant portrayal of one mans struggle to come to turns with an illness that was stereotyped at the time.