JKL: The Movie - McConaughey gives an Oscar-worthy performance of complex strength and a certain shabby nobility as Ron Woodruff

Rating: 9/10 (9 November 2013)

DALLAS BUYERS CLUB (2013) ***1/2 Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Jared Leto, Denis O'Hare, Steve Zahn, Dallas Roberts, Kevin Rankin, Griffin Dunne, Michael O'Neill. McConaughey gives an Oscar-worthy performance of complex strength and a certain shabby nobility as Ron Woodruff, a rough-and-tumble Texas good ol' boy whose sudden diagnosis of contracting HIV and given a death sentence instead galvanizes the pig-headed, homophobic rodeo cowboy a chance at redemption by sticking to his guns, digging in his heels and serving up an ad-hoc business selling memberships to those similarly afflicted for non-FDA approved drugs. While Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack's screenplay serves the subject all- too familiarly from one-note borderline redneck to patron saint somewhere in between it is the clear eyes direction by Jean-Marc Vallee and his star's amazing acting skills in making an unlikable reprobate something we all recognize: all too human in an unjust world. Leto is equally remarkable as a transvestite homosexual who become Woodroof's aide-de-camp and best friend in the process while Garner's green doctor balances out as a medical professional learning the knotty ropes of big pharma tactics. McConaughey lost a reported nearly 40 pounds to give his skeletal appearance the verisimilitude necessary but make no mistake he delivers the goods, warts an all with a sense of dark humor and self-worth. JKL - Just Keep Livin' ; indeed