The Reel Review
In this true story about the onset of AIDS in the mid-1980s, Matthew McConaughey is homophobic redneck Ron Woodroof, a Texas cowboy who, out of desperation, saves his own life with alternative treatments in Mexico when he discovers he is HIV positive and has only a month to live. With the help of an unlikely ally, a well-connected drag queen (Jared Leto), Woodroof creates a lucrative buyers club while facing the wrath of the FDA. Shocking, gritty and at times tough to watch, this well-written and socially-important film is one of the year’s best, and a defining career moment for McConaughey, who, along with Leto, dropped a frightening amount of weight for their Oscar-winning roles.