Dallas Buyers Club

In 1986 Ron Woodroof is living fast, drinking, sleeping with women, and openly hostile toward gay men. After an HIV diagnosis and a doctor's grim estimate that he has about thirty days left, he refuses to accept the official options. He crosses borders to find alternative drugs, learning how to import, test, and distribute therapies that aren't yet approved in the U.S. Along the way he recruits allies, including a charismatic fellow patient, and sets up a buyers club to supply medicines for people shut out by the system. The film follows his legal battles, moral shifts, and the daily realities of facing a deadly illness in a climate of fear. He tests unproven therapies and faces legal backlash.

Released in 2013, Dallas Buyers Club was directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and written by Melisa Wallack and Craig Borten, drawing on Ron Woodroof's real-life story. It stars Matthew McConaughey, Jared Leto, and Jennifer Garner, and premiered to critical attention.

The film earned major awards recognition, with Matthew McConaughey winning the Academy Award for Best Actor and Jared Leto winning Best Supporting Actor. It also received nominations including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing. The acting wins became a focal point of awards season discussion.

The movie became known for its raw portrayals and for reviving McConaughey's career. Performances sparked conversations about access to HIV treatments and the stigma of the 1980s, and it prompted discussion about how Hollywood represents transgender people. It remains a reference point in conversations about patient advocacy and drug access.

Critics praised the lead performances and Vallée's spare direction, while some reviewers questioned historical accuracy and the casting of a cisgender actor in a transgender role. The film confronts mortality, bureaucratic obstacles to care, economic survival, and an evolving personal morality. Some viewers also noted its sentimental moments.