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Rating: 8/10 (21 February 2016)

Dallas Buyer Club is a great American biographical drama film! Co-written by Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack, and directed by Jean-Marc Vallée. Set in the 1980s, the movie tells the story of a real-life AIDS patient, Ron Woodroof (Matthew McConaughey) who smuggled unapproved pharmaceutical drugs into Texas for treating his symptoms and distributed them to fellow people with AIDS. Fighting against the orders of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Ron must try to manage his 'Dallas Buyers Club" while facing the opposition from the government agency that originally sent out to protect him. Without spoiling the movie, too much, I have to say, while the movie is based on true events, it's also highly fictional. A good example of this, is the supporting characters of Dr. Eve Saks (Jennifer Garner), and Ron's transgender friend, Rayon (Jared Leto). Both were composite roles created from the writer's interviews with transgender AIDS patients, activists, and doctors. While, some critics might see these examples of artistic license as offensive, due those whom resent the reinterpretation of real event historical events; I saw it as a huge colleague improvement. After all, both Jennifer Garner and Jared Leto did very well in their roles. Jared Leto even won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in his accurate depiction of a fictional transwoman with HIV who helps Woodroof. To portray his role, Leto lost 30 pounds, shaved his eyebrows and waxed his entire body to look the part. Nevertheless, it wasn't as extreme, as Matthew McConaughey had to go, through, as Ron Woodroof. McConaughey lost nearly 50 pounds, just to play the role in the film. The severity of the weight loss for these actors is getting way too dangerous. I can see McConaughey having problems, later in his life, because of this. Despite that, he was amazing in this movie. Kinda glad, he won Best Actor for this movie. However, while Woodroof was known for peculiar eccentric behavior, according to those who knew him; both the film and McConaughey made him rougher than he actually was, with all the rampantly homophobic. Due to this, a lot of critics, believe that the portrayal of Woodroof in the beginning of the film, was very inaccurate and somewhat offensive, when many saw him, as a man that didn't harbor anti-gay sentiments and was himself bisexual. While, many of these real-life accounts are indeed mixed. Here is some truth about the guy. The real-life man did do hard drugs, and had a lot of sex, but also he was a family man, unlike the one, we saw in this film. I kinda do, hate the fact, that the movie cut this fact off from the story, because in my opinion, his ex-wives, family members and a daughter could help, push the character study, along, its character development. Despite all that, I do love, how the movie makes the main character transforms from a rotten person to a heroic one. Yes, he starts out as a homophobic, bigoted, promiscuous drug user, but he become very likable, over the course of the story, when he learns to take care of himself, eat healthy, and learns to appreciate and love others regardless of who they are. This is better than most tragic movies, are willing to give us. While, the movie's ending is bittersweet. I love the anti-corporate message demonstrated through drug companies' heartless action. It's true about what Woodroof says about the FDA. A good example of this, is the dangers of AZT when use to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS. While, it's true that high doses of this drug is indeed toxic, it's also true, that AZT has worked for many patients at an appropriate dose. The use of AZT as a way to treat HIV/AIDS is still a highly target controversial, medical debate, even today. Just note that the drug does somewhat work, in small doses. Another good thing about this film is allowing the audience, in rethinking their apparent anti-gay sentiments. It indeed, changed a lot of opinions of straight people had on gay people. It also introduce mainstream audiences, to a realistic portrayal of transgender, outside of Comedy or Indies films. I love, how this movie was filmed. Lots of symbolism with the idea of riding the bull, sequences. Loves all the close up, and bait and switch camera movements as well. However, there were some historic inaccurate with some of the sets and props in this film. It's funny, noticing somethings in the background that clearly wasn't there in the 1980s. Overall: the diagnosis for this rodeo of movie has fine performances which are the highlights of Dallas Buyers Club, but you don't want to go believing too much of its history. The movie takes many shortcuts, compressing and compacting its story that it's hard to tell, which sequences are fiction and which are the truth. In the end, it's best for you to watch it, and judge yourself. I do recommended it.