Dallas Buyers Club is a film directed by Jean-Marc Vallee. The leading roles in this film were played by Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Jared Leto, Denis O’Hare, and many others. The real story of Ron Woodroof, a Texas electrician who was diagnosed with AIDS in 1985. Doctors gave him only 30 days, but he did not want to accept the death sentence and managed to prolong his life by taking non-traditional medicines and setting up an underground business selling them to other patients. The script, nominated for an Academy Award, was based on actual events and the film belongs to the drama genre. Although the film touches on such a burning topic as gender reassignment and non-traditional sexual orientation and does not meet with success with some viewers, still, this film can be called touching, solid and bright.
The dialogues in the film are standard but not dull. The characters are very close to those that can be seen in real life. The scenes move into each other gently, without excessive jumping. The film is based on actual events, so there are no fantastic elements and strong computer graphics in it. There is always a musical accompaniment in the background, which is not annoying but does not carry a semantic load.
Deeply intriguing, touching, and based on actual events, the main characters’ story will immerse each of its columnists in the Dallas world of fighting HIV infection and AIDS. In this world, the state authorities and a large pharmaceutical company are commercially enriched at the expense of desperate and poor carriers of the disease. They knowingly offer one part of the patients a placebo and the other an experimental remedy that does not give any guarantees for a full recovery. This is the story of the main characters in their dramatic fight against ineradicable HIV/AIDS infection — clearly contrasting two of the brightest and most relevant figures of endless philosophical reflections and deep reasoning — life and death.
The director begins the film with a scene in which the main character has sex with different women to demonstrate that he leads a promiscuous sex life, as well as the fact that he is heterosexual. The director quite clearly informs the audience that the main character is an ordinary person leading a wild lifestyle, but by the middle of the film, it becomes clear that the main character is an enterprising person and ready to fight for his life. One of the most memorable scenes was the one in which Ravon goes to the hospital and is near death. It is touching because even though the Rayon is a non-traditional sexual orientation, he was still a good friend and a wonderful person, as he shows himself throughout the film.
After reviewing several reviews of films, it can be seen that some are positive, and some are negative. A negative review states: “Trans representation on film is pretty abysmal, ranging from mildly problematic to dangerously ignorant and hateful.” (Eleven, para. 1). That is, the author of the review does not like the way transgender people are depicted in this film. However, the hero, played by Jared Leto, turned out to be very positive, kind, and friendly. He was able to strike up a good friendship with a girl doctor and an intolerant main character towards people with unconventional views. In addition, the scene in which the Rayon dies is very touching and makes sad not only the characters of the film but also the audience. Trans Rayon also proved to be always ready for work and a responsible employee, and despite his illness, he was prepared to help other sick people.
A positive review reflects how seriously and carefully the authors approached the shooting of this film. Wilson states: “And yet Dallas Buyers Club is a powerfully moving film and McConaughey’s extraordinary physical transformation…” (para. 8). McConaughey lost more than 20 kg to show the tragedy of the disease. This film teaches us never to give up; even in the face of an incurable deadly disease, people should not give up. Wilson also notes, “Thanks to McConaughey, the film transcends all these issues to arrive at something grandeur and simpler…” After the film was released and, many people saw it and appreciated the work of directors, actors, and screenwriters; some felt how acute and urgent the problem of a transmissible disease and a non-tolerant attitude toward transgenders. Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto were awarded the Golden Globe and Oscar film Awards for their perfect reincarnations in the nominations “Best Actor” (McConaughey) and “Best Supporting Actor” (Leto) (Wilson). The actors have made a lot of effort to match their characters not only by performing their roles correctly but also by changing their appearance.
Dallas Buyers Club movie can be recommended for everyone to watch. Any viewer, not devoid of simple human feelings and normal perception of reality, during the review of this film, will not only observe the course of the whole picture but also throughout the story, deeply empathize with its characters and, as a result, will be satisfied with the viewing. The film is vital and instructs on how to save people who have received bad news. The film is very vital and advises on the way to save people who have received bad news. Although the film is heavy and dramatic, and some scenes are especially heartbreaking, it is still necessary to watch it to get into the problems that can overtake anyone and learn not to give up and not stop at any obstacle.
In conclusion, the film Dallas Buyers Club directed by Jean-Marc Vallee, tells the story of a man who fell ill with HIV/AIDS and, without receiving proper medical treatment, finds the necessary medicines in his own way. The film takes first all its energy, first-class acting, as well as its undisguised naturalness. The actors proved themselves professionals and showed that a terrible diagnosis is not yet a verdict. In addition, the topic of transgender people and people’s attitudes toward them is vividly revealed. The problem is relevant to this day, even though, in this case, it is each person’s decision individually.
Works Cited
Eleven. “Pity Is Not The Same As Respect: A Critique Of ‘Dallas Buyers Club’.”Autostraddle, 2013.
Wilson, Jake. “Dallas Buyers Club Review: Dead Man Walking Tall.”The Sydney Morning Herald, 2014.