DALLAS BUYERS CLUB (review)
DALLAS BUYERS CLUB Written by Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack Directed by Jean-Marc ValleeStarring Matthew McConaughey, Jared Leto and Jennifer Garner
Canadian director, Jean-Marc Vallee, returns with the AIDS drama, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB, a film that surely earns its place amongst his already great catalog of films (C.R.A.Z.Y., CAFE DE FLORE). DALLAS BUYERS CLUB tells the true story of Ron Woodroof (Matthew McConaughey), a Texan who finds out he has been infected with the HIV virus. The film opens in 1986, when the AIDS drug, AZT, first began testing. Woodruff gets ahold of the FDA approved drug, but after it brings him to the brink of death, he realizes that it is doing him more harm than good. Upon getting ahold of some non-FDA approved drugs, Woodroof finds his health improving. Bringing boxes and boxes of these drugs over the Mexican boarder, Woodroof, along with his new friend Rayon (Jared Leto), opens the “Dallas Buyers Club”, a club in which, for $400 a month, AIDS patients can get unlimited access to the drugs they need.
Both Vallee’s direction and the film’s screenplay, written by Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack, are certainly strong, but this film belongs to McConaughey and Leto. With this film, McConaughey continues to show audiences that he has grown into an extremely talented actor, following impressive turns in MAGIC MIKE and MUD. Leto, who is very selective with his film roles, shines brightly as the transgendered Rayon. Both actors lost over 30 pounds for their respective roles, and at first glance, they are almost unrecognizable. The rest of the supporting cast, from Jennifer Garner to Steve Zahn to Denis O’Hare, all do a solid job but McConaughey and Leto will be the names discussed most come awards season. DALLAS BUYERS CLUB is bound to make audiences both smile and shed a few tears, but more importantly, it is a poignant and touching look at the AIDS crisis, in a time when many falsely believe it is behind us.
Your turn!
How many sheep would you give Dallas Buyers Club?
[kkstarratings]
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BSR 2005-2015
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This is by far Vallee’s best work since C.R.A.Z.Y. And was McConaughey always this good an actor? Was he just not trying for years or did he take a lesson or two along the way?
McConaughey is fantastic! Just hasn’t been choosing the right roles. Just look at Mud, Killer Joe, Magic Mike, Paperboy, Dazed and Confused, and of course Tiptoes!
Save for Dazed and Tiptoes, those are all examples from the McConaughey renaissance. I’m not so sure we can call him fantastic in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Failure to Launch, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, Sahara, etc. I don’t think he was choosing the wrong roles on purpose. I think he just liked the pay check and is now interested in the art. That said, I don’t know the man really so I’m just guessing at his motives here. All the same, I hope he gets recognized for his great work in DBC.