I got the chance to see
Dallas Buyers Club today and overall I would say it lives up to the hype. It was interesting to me since I grew up in the 80's (if I can be said to have truly grown up at all
) and I remember when AIDS was breaking news. AZT and Interferon were pretty well publicized early weapons in the war against the disease. The movie follows Ron Woodroof, well played by a disturbingly-gaunt Matthew McConaughey, a hard drinking womanizing sometimes-rodeo cowboy afflicted with the disease. Given one month to live by the doctors and out of options he searches for viable treatments outside of the FDA-approved drugs available in the States.
Many people will see it for McConaughey but the real draw is Jared Leto! He's not to be missed in a career-defining turn as a pre-op transvestite that befriends Woodroof and helps him to launch the DBC. While I've always liked the underrated Leto I had no idea he was capable of a performance of such power! I've seen almost every "good" movie so far this year and I would say Leto is a cinch to get an Oscar nod and will be a very strong candidate for the award. Seriously, this movie is not to be missed just on the strength of Leto's performance.
It's occasionally ugly and hard to watch in spots but I think DBC is a very fine film, certainly one of Matthew McConaughey's best roles. Well worth a viewing.
