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Dallas Buyers Club Review



6th April 2014

So I was downloading the Oscars about a month back, contemplating whether I should allocate all my bandwidth to it, since I was disappointed with Oscars 2013. Jared Leto and Matthew McConaughey won best actor over a lot of really good nominees for Dallas Buyer’s Club. And then I knew – I HAD to see it.

I had no idea what it was gonna be about. TDBC is about Ron Woodroof, an AIDS patient fighting the disease and helping others fight it by using non-approved FDA drugs smuggled in from Mexico and eventually fighting a case against the FDA for making no difference in the lives of AIDS patients.

I am just floored by Jared Leto’s performance, who plays a Rayon, transgender woman suffering AIDS. There are some really moving scenes which made me feel so much for the character that I was heavy hearted for the rest of the film. Matthew McConaughey has seriously outdone himself and absolutely deserves that Oscar. His acting is so convincing and heart wrenching – and the writing of the film is SO GOOD. His character goes through a huge arc of a rodeo drug abusing selfish womanizer to a person who really wants to bring change in the lives of others and lives selflessly.

Jennifer Garner, who plays Eve, one of the doctors has also acted tremendously well, and I would also want to take my hat off and kiss the feet of the cinematographer Yves Bélanger. The shots, the compositions and the clever staging he has used is just gorgeous to look at.

There's a hospital scene where Rayon's friend admits her,

and he and Eve walk out the door (which is seen in the reflection of the glass). It leads the eyes so well.
I couldn’t resist taking some screenshots for painting reference while watching the film (even though it affected my viewing).

Jared Leto - Rayon

Matthew McConaughey - Ron

Jennifer Garner - Eve

 [SPOILERS AHEAD] Even the editing was brilliant. There were about 25 minutes towards the end which were cut SO WELL; it was rapid cutting between Ron’s scenes and Rayon’s scenes to increase the tension in the storyline since it is after these scenes (and Rayon’s death) that brings about a sudden anger and determination in Ron’s behaviour. 

And finally the director, who obviously did so well to put it all together. It was one of those films which leave me feeling heavy and light, and I felt like it was the best 2 hours spent in the day. I feel a gush of emotion, respect and awe at the sheer amount of work all these wonderful people must have put into this film. I watched the credits end, listened to the flawless OST, clapped and sent a quiet flying kiss to the screen. 

Thank-god I allocated some bandwidth to downloading the Oscars. ;)
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