Good Story and Performances

Rating: 7/10 (27 August 2014)

Jean-Marc Vallée directed "C.R.A.Z.Y." in 2005, a family drama that became an instant cult movie. The performances, settings and music (there is a fantastic moment around Pink Floyd's "Shine on Your Crazy Diamond") made this movie special, and left no one indifferent. So when I found out Vallée was the director of this project, I got a good feeling about it. In addition, Matthew McConaughey, who has completely changed his style in every aspect (Please watch "True Detective" (Nic Pizzolato, 2014-) to know what I mean), a good cast and a story inspired by true events sounded really good. And it was an Oscar candidate already, so go figure. Matthew McConaughey is Ron Woodroof, an electrician and rodeo fanatic with a excessive and reckless sexual life. Eventually he contracts aids, a disease that back in that time was considered to be a homosexual-profile one. Without proper knowledge and treatments about it (it was still a new illness) he finds himself researching to extend his life, and by doing so he becomes a beacon of hope for many other people, whether affected by the same disease, like Rayon (great Jared Leto), or Dr. Eve, the doctor who treated Ron in the first place. This is a hero's journey, from the very hell to salvation, his own and many other's; this is a path of redemption, love and acceptance. The perception of life, every second of it, changes dramatically, and such story is worth telling every time. But I have to be honest here, and I can't stop wondering: Why is always this kind of movies the ones that get the Oscar? Again, as I said in the previous entry, I am not saying they do not deserve this or any other awards for this project. But I notice a tendency to be extreme melodramas the only ones to get this attention, and it bothers me. I like to think there are different stories, as good as these, or even better in some ways, so there is no need of dwelling on misery to tell a good story. As I said, kudos for the film, its great, but I feel that only for a change, films like "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"(Ben Stiller, 2013), or "Amelie" (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001) are also amazing stories, unique and touching, but it seems that optimism is not as artistic as drama nowadays. A real shame, but in the meantime, I rather daydream...