Working as an
unofficial companion piece to David France’s brilliant documentary, How
To Survive A Plague, the new film from Jean-Marc
Vallée tells the real-life story of Ron Woodroof, a
homophobic and prejudiced electrician and rodeo cowboy who develops AIDS in
1980s conservative Texas.
When Ron (Matthew McConaughey) is accidentally
electrocuted at work he wakes up in hospital to the news that his life of
reckless drug use and unprotected sex has led to him contracting HIV, which has
led to AIDS. He is initially told that
he has 30 days to live, which leads him to a frenzy of drunken denial. When he finally accepts his fate he meets
Rayon (Jared Leto), a transsexual in
the hospital bed next to him that is undertaking an AZT trial under the
guidance of Dr. Eve Saks (Jennifer
Garderner).
When denied
access to the trial, Ron begins to bribe people to get him the drug, before
finally learning that it is widely available in other countries. After spending some time in Mexico with a
disgraced US doctor, he has a plan to open up a ‘buyers club’ where people pay
a $400 membership and get free access to drugs and vitamins that help AIDS
complications. He then dedicates the
rest of his life to fighting the FDA and their ‘approved’ drug list; the
pharmaceutical companies that are making huge profits from selling AZT, a toxic
drug; and the doctors that are making money from the drugs companies.
2013/14 has been
the season where Matthew McConaughey has undoubtedly reached the big leagues of
great Hollywood actors. His appearances
in Mud, The Wolf Of Wall Street and now Dallas
Buyers Club has given him well deserved recognition as an amazing actor –
and this is definitely his masterpiece (so far).
That said
however, his performance is equaled (if not bettered) by Jared Leto as
Rayon. The unlikely buddying of the two
characters creates one of the most touching platonic relationships seen on
screen all year. When they are shopping
together at a grocery store, one of Ron’s old homophobic redneck friends
refuses to shake his hand so Ron violently grabs him and forces him to. The look that Rayon gives Ron is a tipping
point in their relationship and Ron’s growing compassion for gay rights.
Although I
feel some sympathy for the position of the FDA – that new drugs should be
rigorously tested before being given to the wider population – it is undeniable
through this and How
To Survive A Plague that the AZT was disturbingly expensive. At $10,000 a year for treatment it was the
most expensive drug ever marketed, which can only be read as shockingly
homophobic and exploitative of a desperate group of sick gay men. As a British audience with access to the NHS,
it is painful to consider how much money it costed to treat such a debilitating
illness.
The film has
had a troubled
production history that kept it off screens for the best part of two
decades, but it is appropriate that it arrives at the moment when healthcare
and LGBT rights are at the forefront of the American ‘culture wars’. In a move towards universal healthcare
coverage and a rapid introduction of gay marriage throughout the states, a
fitting final middle-finger to regressive 20th century American prejudice
would be this film to get as many Oscars as it can…
No comments:
Post a Comment