As the specter of mediocrity fades further and further into the distance, it’s now hard to believe that Matthew McConaughey was once the go-to guy for romantic comedy dross. After a run of astonishing, critically acclaimed roles over the last few years, the intensity of his performance in Dallas Buyers Club has finally seen him clutching a Golden Globe and on his way to an Oscar.
It’s 1985 in Dallas, Texas and the rodeo scene is home to a culture of masculinity based on hard-drinking, hard-living and bedding as many women as possible. Chief among them is Ron Woodruff (McConaughey), an electrician by day and bull-riding womaniser by night. Following a collapse, Ron is admitted to hospital and given the devastating news that he is carrying the HIV virus and has thirty days to live. At the time, HIV research was still in its infancy, with any treatments still in the experimental phases. As Ron’s condition worsens he begins to smuggle unlicensed medicine into the U.S. and founds the Dallas Buyers Club – where infected patients pay a subscription to receive medication.
Many column inches have been filled talking about McConaughey’s dramatic weight loss for the role, but his performance is about much more than skin and bone. Ron is a complex character who at first isn’t terribly sympathetic. Homophobia and sexism are part and parcel of his hyper-masculine persona and although he gradually becomes more tolerant, there is no Damascene conversion for this man. The Buyers Club is still a business not a charity and Roy is not above turning away terminally sick people if they don’t cough up their subscription fee. His relationships with transsexual business partner Rayon (a career-best turn from Jared Leto) and his doctor Eve (Jennifer Garner), make him a better man but he is certainly no saint. McConaughey captures this duality perfectly – the good ole boy charm clashing with an underlying violence of character.
Director Jean-Marc Vallée (Cafe de Flore) tells Ron’s story with compassion and economy, while cinematographer Yves Bélanger perfectly capture the dust and heat of the rodeo. With their efforts combined, Dallas Buyers Club is visually effective without being showy and allows the actors to shine. A vibrant piece of filmmaking about a difficult subject, Dallas Buyers Club is surely on the road to Oscar glory.