A biographical drama about an AIDS patient who smuggles in unapproved pharmaceuticals for his personal treatment, eventually expanding his operation to help other patients, which stars Matthew McConaughey, Jared Leto, and Jennifer Garner, and that won both McConaughey and Leto Oscars for their roles should be a great movie. And I'm sure it was, for some. After watching Dallas Buyers Club, though, all I felt was meh.
I didn't care enough about McConaughey's character, Ron Woodroof, to want him to succeed. I didn't care about him at all, really. And the whole journey from him being homophobic to him barely tolerating Rayon felt unoriginal and oversimplified, like, "Look how tolerant this rough-edged rodeo cowboy has become now that he, too, has AIDS!" It didn't feel real, is what I'm saying, and if there's any way a biographical drama should feel, it's real.
Yes, there were funny bits. And sad bits and interesting bits and even bits that led me to Google the real Ron Woodroof (whose sexual preferences are ambiguous at best and who also had a sister and daughter, both left out of the film). I loved Rayon (though highly stereotyped, she's still lovable). I'm glad we live in a time where movies touching on these subjects--AIDS, homosexuality, the intricacies and shadiness of the FDA/pharmaceutical corporations--are made and well-received. I just wish I cared more about the characters in this particular movie.
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