In Theaters: Dallas Buyers Club ***

I could be wrong, but I assume that those who read these reviews focus primarily on the star-ratings I give to individual movies and don't pay attention to much else.  I know that's how I often read movie reviews.  And, in general, I figure everyone is like me.

That's unfortunate, particularly with a movie like Dallas Buyers Club.  There are parts of this movie -- particularly the performances -- that are off-the-charts incredible.  There are other parts the movie that are just mediocre.  I highly recommend this movie so that people can get a gander at its more praiseworthy elements.  But, ultimately, taken as the sum of its parts, I can't give this movie a stellar overall rating.

Someday, I'm going to write a whole blog post explaining my star-rating system.  Until then, just know that three stars basically means the movie is good but far from great.

That's my overall assessment of Dallas Buyers Club.  But, while it's only a three star movie, it contains a couple of four-star performances.

One of those is from leading man Matthew McConaughey, who plays Ron Woodroof, a bull-riding homophobe who was diagnosed with HIV in 1985 and given 30 days to live.  Determined to live, he bribes a hospital janitor into stealing bottles of AZT, the only drug available at the time to treat HIV and AIDS.  When the scheme is uncovered, he heads to Mexico, where an unlicensed American doctor starts treating him with a series of vitamins and proteins that have not been approved by the FDA.  This unapproved treatment is aimed at the symptoms of HIV instead of trying to eradicate the virus.

Ron begins to feel better and immediately sees a business opportunity.  He decides to smuggle these substances into the U.S. in order to sell them to American AIDS patients.  To temporarily skirt the law, he sets up a "buyers club," wherein his customers pay a monthly membership fee and he "gives" them the drugs.  This scheme is a success as it both extends Ron's life and makes him a ton of money.

The success of the endeavor is due in large part to Rayon, a transgendered woman played by Jared Leto in the film's other incredible performance.  She is Ron's secret weapon, giving him credence in Dallas's gay community that the bigoted rodeo fanatic couldn't attain on his own.

Like I said, both of these actors are beyond exceptional in these roles, destined for award nominations, both with legitimate shots at taking home a statue on Oscar Night.

McConaughey is in the middle of a highly-touted career transformation and Dallas Buyers Club is the capstone.  He is ferocious and awe-inspiring in this movie.  The performance is more than a physical transformation (though he did lose some 40 pounds for the part).  He inhabits every inch of this character and plays it with both flash and nuance.  It is truly a sight to behold.

Much the same could be said of Leto's performance, which is both heartbreaking and revelatory.  He plays Rayon with an uncanny grace and fearlessness that you just wouldn't expect from someone best known as the lead singer of a really crappy rock band (FN1).

So, you might be asking, what's wrong with the movie.  Well, I'll tell you.

First of all, so much of the story hinges on the relationship between Ron and Rayon and, in the end, it all feels a little too forced.  Speaking of forced relationships, there's a doctor played by Jennifer Garner who eventually and without any real explanation becomes the biggest supporter of Ron and Rayon's cause.  On top of that, there are the villains of the whole thing -- the FDA and drug companies -- that are depicted with about as much nuance as Boris and Natasha from Rocky and Bullwinkle (FN2).  Much of the story the movie is trying to tell just doesn't feel true in the end, which is a problem for a movie that is supposed to be based on true events.

But, none of that should take away from McConaughey and Leto's brilliant work in the movie.  And, if you, like me, enjoy watching actors go for broke, I highly recommend this movie, even if it stumbles a little on its own intentions in the end.

FN1 -- Someone had to say it.

FN2 -- Nothing but the timeliest of references on this blog.