Dallas Buyers Club

Dallas Buyers Club is the "heroic" tale of Ron Woodruff and his story of contracting HIV, but mainly his fight to heal himself, and in the process a lot of others. It takes place starting in 1985 when HIV was largely still thought of as "the gay plague", but also a death sentence. McConaughy plays Woodruff and dominates it. He's a tough cowboy/drunk/drug using redneck. It's a role he dropped to what had to be around 135 lbs to really own it. He is told he has HIV after a work accident that lands him in the hospital where his blood work comes back REALLY BAD. He is told he has 30 days to live and he utters the immortal "Ain't nothin' on earth that can kill Ron Woodruff in 30 days". What follows is his crusade to find treatments that work and obtaining them, often illegally, from other countries to stay alive. Around 30 minutes in Jared Leto comes into the picture and kills it as Rayon, a cross-dresser who becomes his partner despite their initial distrust & Woodruff's obvious distate for him. They start selling various vitamins, proteins, and experimental drugs to patients against doctor's and FDA orders to help HIV sufferers. Woodruff starts out as essentially a drug dealer, but becomes much more. It's excellent and features performances due for Oscar notice, especially McConaughy and Leto, but Jennifer Garner is also excellent. An amazing story that neither deifies nor condemns Woodruff and his efforts. Bottom Line: 8.9 out of 10. Just an excellent picture that does an amazing job with amazingly tough subject matter. Leto's movie career is back into star mode.