The AIDS crisis of the late 80s – early 90s has been documented in many… documentaries. It got to a point where I felt I pretty much knew everything worth knowing about it. What new ground could a film about it possibly cover? Well, as is usually the case, my instincts were wrong. ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ tells the story of Ron Woodroof, a man who contracts the virus in 1985 and runs an underground drug ring to get the drugs necessary to treat the disease. It makes sense when you think about it, but I had no idea.

First and foremost I should point out that Ron Woodroof is a straight man who contracts the disease from a syringe. And as you can probably tell from the title the film takes place in Toronto. I mean, Dallas. It’s not exactly at the forefront of gay sympathy. You can imagine what happens to Woodruff when word gets out of his diagnosis. In fact, part of the film details the man’s come to respecting and understanding gay rights (he’s quite a homophobe from the beginning). He’s also largely self-serving by founding the titular group; he’s out to make a buck. Who can possibly play such a complex person? Why, Matthew McConaughey, who in 2 short years has transformed himself from a pretty boy joke (when will he take his shirt off in this romantic comedy?) into one of the most respected actors in the business. Between his role here and in Mud, he’s had one of the best years of any actor.

But as good as McConaughey is, Jared Leto steals the show in nearly every scene he’s in. He plays Rayon, a (for lack of a better term) pre op transvestite. He’s in drag throughout the entire film. But that’s not the only reason why he’s that good. He seems comfortable in drag; in one scene where he wears a suit, it honestly seems weird to see him wear one. But he also creates a unique persona. Rayon may have AIDS but he’s street smart enough to know how to deal with it. It’s his knowledge of the gay underground that makes him and Woodroof a good team. He also brings some levity to the film. He is terminally ill, but that never affects his disposition. We could all be so lucky.