Dallas Buyers Club

Of all the actors in Hollywood today that are striving to reinvent themselves, that particular actor has got to be Matthew McConaughey. The king of the romantic comedy/fluff genre must have come to some sort of crossroads and realized his full potential. Earlier this year, he starred in the gritty, loner role "Mud". Now, he's in the role a lifetime in an amazing film titled "Dallas Buyers Club".

In mid 1980s Texas, electrician Ron Woodroof (McConaughey) is stunned to learn that he has AIDS. Though told that he has just approximately 30 days left to live by doctors, Sevard (Denis O'Hare) and Eve Saks (Jennifer Garner), Woodroof refuses to give in to despair. After realizing the slowness of 'the system' to provide proper medication, he seeks out alternative therapies/medications and smuggles unapproved drugs into the U.S. from Mexico. Woodroof relunctantly joins forces with a fellow AIDS patient, Rayon (Jared Leto) and begins selling, not the treatments, but memberships in the Dallas Buyers Club and subsequently gives the treatments to the clients. The number of members of those stricken with this hideous disease only grows, because they don't have the luxury of waiting for the medical establishments to save them thanks to entities such as the FDA and pharmaceutical companies.

Others to round out the cast are Steve Zahn as Tucker, a buddy of Ron's, Dallas Roberts as David Wayne, Griffin Dunne as Dr. Vass, Michael O'Neill as Richard Barkley, from the FDA, Rick Espaillat as Michael, Kevin Rankin as T.J., J.D. Evermore as Clint, A.J. Leitell as Corn Street Vendor (Mexico), Carl Palmer as FDA Customs Agent, Ian Casselberry as Hispanic Orderly, Bradford Cox as Sunny, Tony Bentley as Judge, and James DuMont as Rayon's Father.

This was brilliantly directed with grit, intensity and pathos by Jean-Marc Vallee ("Liste noire" '95, "Los Locos" '97, "Loser Love" '99, "C.R.A.Z.Y." '05, "The Young Victoria" '09, "Cafe de Flore" '11). Everyone, especially McConaughey, was paced strategically and the emotion Vallee was able to emit from these actors was perfection. This was equally expertly written by Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack. What makes this a truly effective film is that it is based on a true story which has an incredible message--a true 'David and Golliath' story about the underdog, which everyone loves. What does a person have to do to get others to do the right thing? This has Oscar nods written all over it--McConaughey and Jared Leto in particular.

This is a film that is screaming for attention, and with justifiable reasons. This will certainly keep you riveted to your seat, while keeping you spellbound by the quality of acting all rolled into one.

Out of 4 Stars: 4                            Rated: R                           117mins.