Dallas Buyers Club (***)

Ron Woodroof is a man of few pleasures. He drinks, he's a rodeo cowboy, he's promiscuous, and he's got a nasty cough that leads him to pass out on more than one occassion. The year is 1985. The diagnosis: AIDS. Faced with the stigmas attached to the surging 'gay disease,' Ron is given a bleak 30-day diagnosis. With a lack of accessible medication, he begins searching outside the country for alternative medicines. Soon, the whole bandwagon is on his side, and he begins an illicit drug trade, dubbed 'The Dallas Buyers Club.'

The film is a legal drama in every sense of the term, based in part on a newspaper article published on the topic over 20 years ago. It was a scary time, and the film presents the viewer with a harsh look at the HIV/AIDS community at the height of its exposure. The Food and Drug Administration begins testing a new drug (AZT) through human trials, and much of the gay community will pay top dollar to have even a portion of the medicine. One such person is Rayon, a trans woman who is selected for the trial period. She is delicate, sassy, and determined, as much on the other side of the spectrum as Ron is homophobic, fearful, and rugged. They join up, creating a business that involves the Dallas community and draws the attention of the FDA.

There is much to admire in this film, notably for Matthew McConaughey's career-best performance (following in the footsteps of Bradley Cooper as second-rate comedians-turned Oscar-nominated actors). He is in no way a likable character, but he follows the appropriate character arc that we come to expect, and by the end you will be cheering. The same goes for Jared Leto, always a solid method actor, bound to finally get a long-deserved Oscar nomination. He's funny, a scene stealer, and carries much of the emotional weight of the story.

It's not that I have problems with this film, but that I've seen it before, and done better. Think 'Erin Brockovich,' thing 'Norma Rae,' think 'Silkwood.' 'Dallas Buyers Club' doesn't take risks in terms of story telling. It merely follows the traditional plot points and arrives at the finish line with Oscar buzz by default. I don't care for Ron's romantic relationship with a hospital doctor (Jennifer Garner), nor do I find myself on the edge of my seat when the FDA comes knocking at their door to seize their drugs. Perhaps you can even guess how the film ends, too! The strengths are in the 2 lead performances. The rest is just white noise.

(Awards potential: Best Actor (McConaughey), Best Supporting Actor (Leto), Best Adapted Screenplay)