The Academy Awards are this Sunday! Next to the Super Bowl, Oscar Sunday is my favorite day of the year.
I have been furiously trying to see all the nominated films before the awards show broadcast this weekend and on Saturday night I finally sat down to watch Dallas Buyers Club.
For those who may not be familiar, the film is inspired by true events and focuses on Ron Woodroof, a womanizing, gambling, rodeo cowboy living in Texas who finds himself diagnosed with HIV. The movie is set 1985, when HIV and AIDS were seen very differently than they are today.
Matthew McConaughey plays Ron in a role that has already won him both the Golden Globe and SAG Awards this season. As Ron, McConaughey's typical beefcake physique is replaced by a skeletal version, meant to demonstrate suffering from a myriad of debilitating symptoms. McConaughey lost a tremendous amount of weight to bring frightening authenticity to the role.
Throughout the course of the film we watch Ron change from macho king of debauchery, to scared HIV patient, to empowered game changer.
Ron's evolution wouldn't have happened without the help of a few friends. One of his diagnosing physicians is played by Jennifer Garner. Though her character isn't particularly outstanding, she serves as a catalyst for Ron to believe he can do more, try harder and live longer.
Ron's partner in crime is Rayon, a transgender woman with HIV, played by Jared Leto. Like McConaughey, Leto has already won the Golden Globe and SAG Awards for this performance.
To me, Jared Leto will always be Jordan Catalano from My So Called Life, so seeing him dressed as a woman was quite strange. I was fascinated by his interpretation of this character - the way she did her make up, the types of clothes she wore, the way she walked in heels and the way she spoke. I've read many articles over the course of this awards show season that said Jared Leto stayed in character both on and off set the entire time they were filming the movie.
There is a very poignant moment toward the end of the film with Rayon and her father. If you've seen the movie, you know what I'm talking about. That scene really sticks with you long after the credits roll.
Steve Zahn also makes a few appearances as a local cop who grew up with Ron. He rescues Ron a few times during the movie, proving that some childhood friendship can withstand just about anything. Also, is it just me, or is Steve Zahn in every movie?
Aside from the acting, there were some interesting style choices in the film. For starters, in the opening ten minutes the movie is shot looking through the bars of a rodeo pen. You don't tend to notice camera angles until they are non-traditional and these opening scenes were definitely different.
Also, at several points throughout the film there is an incredibly disturbing high pitched noise. The noise is meant to be inside Ron's head, but it pierces your ear drums every time. I'd love to know what the writers and director thought that added to the film.
If you haven't seen Dallas Buyers Club, I highly recommend it. Matthew McConaughey has been pigeon holed as the hunky rom-com lead for nearly a decade and in this role he proves he's a method actor who belongs on the list with the best - Daniel Day Lewis, Christian Bale, etc.
I will absolutely be rooting for Matthew on Oscar night. Will you?
*All images courtesy of Focus Features.
