Movie Review: Dallas Buyers Club

Been a while since I did a movie review, huh? Well, here you guys go!

You know what sucks? Having HIV and not having access to proper medication for it. That was my first thought after I finished watching Dallas Buyers Club, after pondering how a movie like this wasn't investigated by the FDA and charged with providing illegal substance to its viewers. All joking aside, Dallas Buyers Club is a movie that has been gaining Oscar nods and a lot of hype, so naturally it's something that I wanted to check out. Well, this movie was certainly...different from your average blockbuster, and it is definitely an experience. But the real question is, is it a good experience? Sit back, relax, and read on as I review Dallas Buyers Club.

The Setup:

Dallas Buyers Club takes place in...where else?...Dallas, Texas. Our main character for the evening is Ron Woodroof, played by an almost unrecognizable Matthew McConaughey, a man who seems to have no other interests in life other than money, women and alcohol until the day he learns that he has HIV, and only has around a month to live. To give a little bit of background, this movie documents the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, when whoever had the virus would be shunned so that people wouldn't obtain the contagious and lethal virus. To battle this, the US had to look for ways to combat the virus, even though in other countries there are drugs that can help that were not certified by the FDA. So, because of these conditions, an ostracized Ron begins to look for his own ways to cure HIV and AIDS, regardless of whether or not the treatments were legal or illegal. That's basically where the story begins, and I've got to say, kudos. Not only does this setup allow for a lot of dramatic possibilities, but it also allows for character development and a battle between morality and what is technically correct, and this movie takes advantage of that setup.

The movie focuses on Ron Woodroof, a man diagnosed with HIV who tries to find ways to cure the disease

The Characters:

The acting in this movie is pretty darn good. I honestly had a hard time believing that the muscular Matthew McConaughey was able to shrink down into the form of a relatively weak-looking man, and it really made his performance convincing. Though I honestly haven't seen a lot of movies with him as an actor, I still think that I can safely say that this is probably one of his best performances. His acting was straightforward, but I believed every single second of it. However, the best performance of the movie has to go to Jared Leto as Rayon, the cross-dressing AIDS patient. His performance was quirky, brought humor to a movie that wasn't funny, and extremely likable, and you just get wrapped up in her (er, his) performance. I may not be a 30 Seconds To Mars fan, but I think I'm going to have to check out their music soon. I really hope Jared Leto wins an Oscar for his performance. The other actors were okay. The only one I really had a problem with was Jennifer Garner. I thought she did okay, but she couldn't really convince me that she wasn't Jennifer Garner, at least not to the extent of Jared and Matthew.

From left to right: Jared Leto as Rayon, Matthew McConaughey as Ron Woodroof

The Story:

Before I truly begin to talk about the story, I would just like to point out that this movie is rated R for a reason, people. Do NOT let your kids watch this, or at the very least monitor your kids while you watch it. Anyway, I found the story of this movie to be very engaging. I genuinely wanted to see the characters succeed despite a lot of their actions being illegal, namely because I cared about the characters and didn't want to see them die. Now, with this being a true story I'm pretty sure that you can predict how this ends, but for me, it's normally the ride that counts, and the ride was entertaining and thought-provoking. 

The story focused on Ron finding and doling out new (and sometimes illegal) drugs to AIDS patients, who became members of the Dallas Buyers Club.

The Presentation: 

I found the presentation of the movie to be rather bleak, a sepia color code, and it felt slightly depressing, but this is a case where I found that it really matched the tone that the movie was trying to get across. After all, a story about people dying of AIDS really shouldn't be all sunshine and rainbows. As for the music, I don't remember much about it. It consisted of country music that fit the setting, but nothing really stood out to me.

While bleak, the colors and settings match the tone of the movie.

Final Judgment:

Overall, I think that this movie is excellent. It's strange, deranged, isn't afraid to show what it's capable of and doesn't care about your opinion, and I respect that. My favorite types of movies are the ones that like to take that step beyond being average and forgettable, even if some of its methods are questionable at best. I give Dallas Buyers Club a 4.25 out of 5, and a recommendation to watch it...just not with the kids. But, like always, it's up to you to decide your own opinion.

ScoreCard: 

Further Recommendations:

Food Inc.

While its goals are different, the messages that this movie is trying to convey is pretty darn similar to Dallas Buyers. If you can handle the truth that will be unveiled in this movie concerning what you eat, watch it.

Mud

This movie has the same gritty feel as Dallas Buyers, and it also features another powerhouse (an I feel to be underrated) McConauhey performance. Go ahead and watch it if you want something more light-hearted, but just as fascinating.