An unlikely hero

Rating: 7/10 (20 February 2014)

I resisted seeing this movie because I avoid homophobic , constantly swearing rednecks in real life and had no desire to watch one on the big screen either. . On the other hand I lived through the second half of the eighties as a newly divorced woman scared to enter any sexual relationship because of that new STD, which nobody really knew for sure how it was transmitted. So I was curious to see how the film portrayed that time. In the late eighties I visited San Francisco on a regular basis for at least a few days every month due to my work. So I saw quite a few of these emaciated skeletons trying to survive and I remember well the stories about the non-existent drugs or much too expensive drugs. I also remember the fear in the Hollywood community after Rock Hudson died. People were afraid of kissing or even filming with actors who might be homosexual.
I have a few issues with the movie. It was a little bit unbelievable to me that this guy who lived in a trailer became suddenly a world traveling successful businessman while being at the brink of death. I do not think that in reality somebody so ill could bring up so much energy and become such a well informed person, especially considering that this was before the Internet and research was much more difficult . I also read that the real Woodruf was bisexual and married and his initial diagnosis was not thirty days only. Hollywood always feels that reality is not worth while portraying. I also did not buy that the female doctor would fall for the guy.
That said I have to say that I was especially moved by the performance of Jared Leto . He succeeded in portraying the desperation somebody who is going to die must feel. I also liked the performance of McConaughey, but I just did not believe that somebody like him exists.
In the thirty years since the Aids crisis exploded, attitude has changed and of course knowledge about the subject. We should always remember things like that when we form an opinion about anything. In my lifetime so many attitudes have changed and what was unacceptable is now at least tolerated if not embraced like for example gay marriage.