Matthew McConaughey | Dallas Buyers Club
Yes, let it be known that we are currently living through the McConaissance, a.k.a. the rebirth of McConaughey’s career. He’s been on a real hot streak this year with Mud, The Wolf of Wall Street, and now Dallas Buyers Club which is bringing his career back onto the map as he is now being taken seriously in the acting business. The best actor category is really phenomenal this year; it’s probably my favorite award this year because I have seen each film and all of the actors easily gave award worthy performances. Christian Bale played the suave, but romantic, con man, Irving Rosenfeld, who gets in over his head during American Hustle. Bruce Dern stole hearts with his touching role as Woody Grant; a man who is determined to prove something of himself as he attempts to trek across the country at such an old age in Nebraska. Leonardo DiCaprio was able to make one of America’s scummiest people come off as likable when playing the addict Jordan Belfort in, The Wolf of Wall Street. Chiwetel Ejiofor retaught me what despair and sadness truly feel like while portraying Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave. However, for me, Matthew McConaughey really stole the show with his emotional role in Dallas Buyers Club as Ron Woodroof.
Dallas Buyers Club focuses on another hustler, Ron Woodroof, who is eventually diagnosed with AIDS, but doesn’t let the disease bring him down. In his struggle, he decides to find a way on his own to supply himself and all other patients with foreign medicines that are not yet regulated in the United States. The movie as a whole is a really amazing story, but McConaughey’s performance singlehandedly blew me away with his ruthless quest to not give up and let the disease kill him without a fight. McConaughey is masterfully able to jump back and forth between Woodroof being driven to survive and giving up when all seems lost.
Woodroof’s friends all turn their backs on him for having AIDS and he is literally left with nobody but himself, which really shows how inspirational the character is. McConaughey also really made the role more believable with his drastic weight loss; leaving him around 130 lbs. The actor really put dedication into the role, and for me, won my full vote with his scene in the library when McConaughey lets out one powerfully angry, “FUCK,” when accepting the reality of his situation.
Overall, I thought that Matthew McConaughey was really able to help viewers connect with Ron Woodroof and AIDS patients everywhere. Luckily, the disease is at least better understood in today’s culture, but I’m sure people are still alienated all of the time and left to be along like Woodroof. For me, Matthew McConaughey was really able to become Ron Woodroof in Dallas Buyers Club and present a story of sadness and with an absence of hope, while also instilling the will to never give up and, in the end, deliver an inspirational film for everyone.
