Dallas Buyers Club

Rating: 10/10 (4 December 2013)

Homophobic, drug-addicted, alcoholic, womanizer, cowboy, diagnosed with AIDS, can all describe Ron Woodruff, the subject of Jean-Marc Vallee's new bio-pic Dallas Buyers Club. Matthew McConaugnhey plays Woodruff and has one of "Hollywoods" scariest body transformation every caught on film.
It's 1985 Dallas, Texas in the heart of local rodeo country. Upon being electrocuted on the job, Ron Woodruff (Matthew McConaughey) awakens in the hospital to the news of him having contracted the HIV disease. After hearing of his thirty day life expectancy, Ron begins to find ways to procure the AZT drug, but when once his supply is up, Woodruff ventures to Mexico, where a non-licensed physician prescribes him non FDA approved drugs. With these drugs, Ron starts up the Dallas Buyers Club, where there is no fee for the medicine but there's a four hundred dollar monthly fee.
Matthew McConaughey gives the best performance of his career, next to his role in Jeff Nichols, Mud. McConaughey's transformation is hauntingly exquisite. The stages of weight-less is dominant in the film, from the opening scene of a sickly looking Woodruff having intercourse with two women in a rodeo bull pin, to his disturbingly thin, turkey neck after seven years with the disease. McConaughey will most certainly receive an Oscar nomination. There would be no Dallas Buyers Club without Rayon played by Jared Leto. Leto gives his best performance and with no doubt will be nominated for supporting actor. I was wholly absorbed in Leto's role. His transformation as a transgender male, battling the disease is frighting, note-worthy, and aggressively captivating. Jennifer Garner is also quite good in her role as Ron's Doctor. Steve Zahn, and Dennis O'Hare also provide fantastic minimal, supporting roles.
Jean Marc Vallee directs such a fine, touching film about a man with so much hate in his heart who grows, through his disease to learn to have an open heart and mind, which allows him to have true friendships with the unlikeliest of people. Such a remarkable film with so much heart, intuition, and bravery that should be enjoyed by everyone.
The film comes extremely heavy-handed in its subject matter, there will be the few who will hate the films pacing, but Dallas Buyers Club is one of the best films of the year. I give Dallas Buyers Club an "A+"