Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

Director: Jean-Marc Vallee

Writer: Craig Borten, Melisa Wallack (Screenplay)

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Jared Leto, Denis O’Hare, Steve Zahn, Michael O’Neill, Dallas Roberts, Griffin Dunne, Kevin Rankin

 

Plot: The story of Texas electrician Ron Woodroof (McConaughey) and his battle with the medical establishment and pharmaceutical companies after being diagnosed as HIV-positive in 1986 and his search for alternative treatments that helped established a way in which fellow HIV-positive people could join for access to his supplies.

 

Verdict: Brilliant

 

Story: Watching as a once naïve Ron filled with homophobic hatred learns that everyone is in the world and just wants to live as well as willing to do anything to survive. He grows to accept everyone as an individual by going up against all the rules to give everyone who wants to prolong their lives a chance to get their hands on non-approved drugs instead of using the FDA ones that were actually shortening people’s lives. What is incredible about this film is that one man can change so much to go from a user and abuser into a hero for a group of people with no hope. (10/10)

 

Actor Reviews

 

Matthew McConaughey: Ron Woodroof a man’s man cowboy who likes to drink, sleep around and do plenty of drugs. Once he gets given the diagnoses of HIV his friends turn on him and his personally life takes a drastic turn when he becomes the hero for the HIV and AIDS sufferers. Matthew is brilliant and fully deserved his Oscar for this performance. (10/10)

 

Jennifer Garner: Eve a doctor at the local hospital who has moral question about the drugs test going on in the hospital while she keeps losing patients to Ron’s club. She supports furthering these people’s lives but struggles to support the drugs begin used without research. Good performance from Jennifer who is great but really gets outshone by the male leads. (8/10)

Jared Leto: Rayon a fellow sufferer from HIV who becomes business partners with Ron and these two create an unlikely friendship in their battle to prolong their lives. Jared is stunning and to say someone gave a better performance than Matthew this year was hard, I feel this is that better performance. (10/10)

 

Director Review: Jean-Marc Vallee – Great direction to create such a brilliant film that has a touchy subject matter, but gets bought to life so sensitively. (9/10)

 

Biography: Watching how Ron battled to get the drugs and change his ways to create a better life for everyone he helps. (10/10)

Drama: Brilliant drama to show the struggle the sufferers had to go through just to have a chance at a longer life. (10/10)

History: Great look at how people reacted to the disease that not many people knew how to cure. (9/10)

Settings: Each setting is recreated with great authenticity. (9/10)

Suggestion: This really should be watched by all, it is one of the best films you will ever see. (Watch)

 

Best Part: The performances from Leto and McConaughey.

Believability: True story. (10/10)

Chances of Tears: No (0/10)

Chances of Sequel: No

Post Credits Scene: No

 

Oscar Chances: Won 3 Oscars including Best Actor and Supporting Actor

Box Office: $55,198,285

Budget: $5.5 Million

Runtime: 1 Hour 57 Minutes

Tagline: Dare To Live

Trivia:The budget was also so low for this film that only $250 was allotted to the makeup department. Amazingly the film’s artists were able to work within that figure and the film’s makeup and hairstylist won an Oscar.

 

Overall: Simply Stunning

Rating