Another Fantastic Turn from Matthew McConaughey

Rating: 8/10 (2 July 2014)

As I mentioned in my comments for Ron Howard's RUSH, 2013 was a year full to the brim with great films inspired by true stories. From the Formula-1 raceways of RUSH, I moved forward nine years to the tale of one Texas man's battle with HIV and how he came to help others with the same affliction. DALLAS BUYERS CLUB was another film whose positive critical buzz drew me in. Quick bit about me: I'm not usually attracted to "factual" dramas because I know the plots are generally manipulated by the filmmakers to amp up the tension. Very few remain truly faithful to the source events and, based on what I've read about DALLAS BUYERS CLUB, it's no different. But I'm still a sucker for a good movie and I'd been reading about Matthew McConaughey's performance for a few months prior. It's the tale of Ron Woodroof (McConaughey), a Texas man's man who spends his days as an electrician and his nights chasing hookers and booze. When Woodroof begins suffering from dizzy spells and blackouts, he goes for a checkup and is informed that he's infected with HIV. Pretty nasty case, too, with a projection of only 30 more days to live. When he finally comes to terms with his condition, he tries to get into the hospitals drug trials for a new HIV treatment known as AZT. He's cast aside and refuses to give up, doing his research and finding new sources of experimental treatments from around the globe. Recognizing the potential to help others and make some serious cash, he starts the Dallas Buyers Club to distribute these drugs to other patients while he continues to dodge the ever-looming FDA who seeks to shut him down.
I don't know which elements of DALLAS BUYERS CLUB are true and which aren't, but I know that the story and characters, crafted by writers Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack, are engaging. Everything you may have heard about Matthew McConaughey's performance is true. He's really given his career a much needed overhaul, going from generic romantic comedies to much more challenging roles in movies like KILLER JOE and DALLAS BUYERS CLUB. I'd almost forgot he could actually act until last year. Woodroof is another character that doesn't fit the usual hunky goofball role he'd come to be associated with. At the start, Woodroof is thoroughly unlikeable. He's racist and homophobic. He's a perpetual drunk who loves hookers and gambling, and he embodies what most people probably imagine when thinking of a Texan from the mid-eighties. It was not a tolerant time. When he's thrust into the position of a social pariah, he manages to work past his prejudices and becomes a hero of sorts for those with AIDS and no means of managing their illness. His partner in crime is Rayon, a transsexual played by Jared Leto. Rayon is a colorful character and Leto's been getting a lot of attention for his performance. He really does a great job and disappears into the character (which isn't hard with the amount of makeup and costuming) but he didn't fully hit his stride until the second half of the film where Rayon's falling apart at the seams due to the virus as well as side effects from AZT treatment. When Rayon hits rock bottom, you start to see why Leto was so popular for supporting actor nominations.
When you stand DALLAS BUYERS CLUB against other "factual" films from the year, it doesn't quite achieve the same level of quality and I believe that to be the case because the story itself just isn't as interesting as those of RUSH or 12 YEARS A SLAVE. This movie is very much a character-centric piece and the plot sort of shambles along while McConaughey and Leto do their thing. When you boil it all down, it amounts to Woodroof finding innovative new ways of dodging the FDA regulations and the FDA catching up to him, throwing as many obstacles in his path as legally possible. As a result, the movie hasn't got a very smooth pace and the ending sort of sneaks up on you. Still, it paints a vivid picture of the AIDS epidemic of the eighties and serves as a reminder that pharmaceutical companies prioritize profits of saving lives. The film makes a devil of the FDA, as a soulless government agency that only cares for enforcing the rules without worrying about how it affects the population. Based on what I've learned of the modern food industry and the FDA's part in it, I'd wager to say much hasn't changed.
Accurate or not in it's portrayal of Woodroof's life and struggle, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB is an inspiration. It's one of those films that comes along every so often to give us hope that one man can stand up and challenge government bureaucracy and make ripples large enough to affect the lives of millions. It's loaded with powerful performances (except for Jennifer Garnershe didn't pop as anything special amongst all the other more engaging roles). It's a powerful movie and serves as yet another example of McConaughey's strength as an actor. Check it out if you haven't.