Elite Membership: Review of Dallas Buyers Club

Dallas Buyers Club

Director: Jean Marc Vallee

By Alex Watson

 

People may have sneered at Matthew McConaughey in the past, many due to the numerous (but hardly career progressing) romantic comedies in starred in which required him to do little more than look good with his shirt off! As the critic gigged, his initial talent appeared to have been lost. But since starring in indie hits, Killer Joe and Mud last year, a newer and more improved Matthew has sailed into view and in his new effort, Dallas Buyers Club the Texas native has been racking up  an impressive amount of award nominations. Here we may just see him hit his career peak in some style!

Ron Woodroof (Matthew McConaughey) is man who lives a very fast and reckless existence, but soon his life changes completely when he is diagnosed with HIV and given only 30 days to live! Refusing to fall in despair, Woodroof attempts to find a way to prevent his illness from taking his life. For this he turns to the black market to find a solution and soon he starts a business which allows HIV victims to get the proper meds they need, but also puts him head on with government  agents who aren’t keen on his methods. However, through his efforts, Woodroof becomes a beacon of hope for others!

Dallas Buyers Club is a movie that has tremendous heart and soul,and all throughout Jean Marc Vallee’s movie, we are given a story that is bleak looking, but yet immensely uplifting. Ron Woodroof is a man who is at first bitter and cynical with the hand that life has dealt him, but his spirit is one that cannot be taken away and this what pushes Vallee’s movie along as no matter what kinks there are in the road, Woodroof is forever inventing methods to drive around them. But he is a protagonist that we have to fight to warm up to and this is one of the more reward aspects of this film.

When we first meet Woodroof, he is a drug abusing, promiscuous and nastily homophobic gentlemen, who treats life as cheaply as the cocaine he freely snorts. When he is given his diagnosis, he merely laughs it off stating there has been a mistake because he doesn’t have “Faggots Blood!” But this moment proves a turning point because it shapes the man he will later become as he is abandoned by his jerk friends, dismissed from his job and begins to experience severe discrimination for his illness. Rather than quitting Woodroof, heads to Mexico and after meeting a shady doctor, stumbles onto a goldmine of unapproved drugs!

From here Dallas Buyers Club becomes a persuasive look at one man going head on with the men in suits, as the FDA still refuses to permit use of the basically legal drugs over some fine legal print! But the more he confronts the corrupts doctors and agents, the more we root for this man! As events transpire, Ron still has his faults, but gains a more sympathetic edge as he strives to help others through creating his drug selling illicit club to help others and his romance with Doctor Eve (Jennifer Garner) adds to his reformation. Also the side story of transsexual Rayon (Jared Leto), who is an AIDS victim who refuses to let life beat her down and becomes an unlikely business partner proves instrumental in helping turn Ron into more of an acceptable person,and it is a tale that is truly heart shattering.

Matthew McConaughey here confirms that he is now officially one of the top actors around presently and in this movie, he rings in a career high performance! Through his dramatic loss, McConaughey demonstrates an impressive array of emotion and he aptly personifies Ron Woodroof’s hard fight and the pain he hold inside- but also brilliantly captures his fighting courage and you would have to agree, this man is now front runner for Best Actor glory at this years Oscars! Jared Leto, in his first role in over 4 years is magnetic as Rayon and adds some of the movies most tender and emotionally charged moments. Many fans of his rock band 30 Seconds to Mars may be shocked to see him don a variety of nice wigs, but his impact is undeniable!

Dallas Buyers Club is destined to become one of the top movies of 2014 and although its story may see this miss out on the top prizes at the upcoming BAFTA and Oscar ceremonies, Matthew McConaughey’s name should already be engraved on both Best Actor trophies, because for all his efforts, he has truly earned this! Believe the hype, the Matthew of old has returned- Kate Hudson, please don’t call this man any time soon!

Lost in a Haze: Review of Filth

Filth

Director: Jon S Baird

By Alex Watson

 

In the mid nineties Irving Welsh’s novel Trainspotting was adapted into an influential piece of British cinema by Danny Boyle and as a result it flew the flag for the ‘Cool Britannia’ but ever since then is writing has been mysteriously absent apart from some versions of his less successful works in the late 90s. But this year, Welsh’s influence is back on our screens as director Jon S Baird brings across a tale of a troubled soul looking for all the wrong answers in Filth.

Detective Sergeant Bruce Robertson (James McAvoy) is a copper with a loose set of moral values and alongside that has an addiction to cocaine and alcohol. Gunning for a promotion to Inspector, Robertson considers himself first in line for the job and after being chosen to head up an apparent racist murder, things seem set in place. But in the midst of his investigating, Bruce’s troubled mind takes a worrying turn into darker territory as he indulges his addiction more- he begins to crack as a result!

Filth is a welcome return of Welsh’s material to cinema and this is thanks to its memorable protagonist Bruce Robertson who is makes for an unlikely hero on screen. As a man he is a detestable tormenter due to his apparent mistrust and hatred for the human race and at any opportunity Bruce preys on weak minded and any others he considers lower than him. For this he skilfully manipulates his work colleagues such as Ray Lennox (Jamie Bell) and he his pathetic and gullible ‘best friend’ Clifford (Eddie Marsan) whom he makes perverted sex calls to his wife Bunty (Shirley Henderson) sounding like Frank Sidebottom!

All the way through we have to take Bruce at face value and even though his acts such as deliberately stealing a kids balloon and releasing it and paying an individual to make his colleague look homosexual (which incites one hell of an incident) we amazingly hope that this man will gain some kind of a conscience. But during his coke induced hallucinations- there is a window in his soul as he speaks to his shrink eccentric Dr Rossi (Jim Broadbent) and this could almost be seen as his confession of his crime and we begin to wonder just what has driven this man to become the mess we see before us, as Bruce says whilst coming down from a high “I used to be a good man”

The final act however is where Filth does lose a few brownie points a Bruce goes from being a casual abuser to a follow blown madman- Bruce’s grip over his people has slipped and he absolutely hates it, but in trying to reclaim it his actions become increasingly erratic and the tone of movie takes a gloomier and more psychedelic tone. But in doing this the final ‘big reveal’ will not satisfy everyone because although clever, it does disappoint us somewhat but nonetheless it keep us thinking!

James McAvoy feels born to play troubled copper DS Robertson and this role feels like the flipside of his role in Welcome to the Punch and as the antihero he gets a meaty role to sink his teeth into and his presence from the very get-go dominates the film. But around him is a fine supporting cast including film regular Eddie Marsan who is superb as his naive bestie Clifford who although is driven to the point of destruction by Bruce, never once clocks on to his schemes!

Jamie Bell, Gary Lewis and Shirley Henderson are all fine in their respective roles but its the bizarrely Australian accented Jim Broadbent as his Dr Rossi who stands out most as his presence both amazes and terrifies us at the same point as he gradually chips away at Bruce’s arm until his mind falls to pieces!

Filth proves there is life yet in the works of Irving Welsh and this film is probably as close as he has come to hitting mainstream cinema and Bruce Robertson will no doubt go down as the one of the more fascinating character pieces of this year if not the history of British cinema. Also if you ever wanted to kick the habit and keep your mind stable- this film will provided the key!

I Want a New Drug: Review of Side Effects

Side Effects

Director: Steven Soderbergh

By Alex Watson

There has long been speculation about the pending ‘retirement’ of director Steven Soderbergh and it seems that his new effort Side Effects shall be his last picture. If this fact is indeed true then it will be a shame to lose the Oscar Winning director who has brought us such greats as Traffic, Erin Brockovich, Ocean’s 11 and Sex, Lies and Videotape because he is man capable of bringing us fascinating stories which can stir a great range of emotions in us. Will his supposed last gig be the perfect send off? Or will this be an effort to forget?

When Emily Taylor’s (Rooney Mara) husband Martin (Channing Tatum) is released from jail after a 4 year stint, she initially is delighted to welcome him back. But soon after his release she struggles with depression and this leads her attempting suicide and is put under the psychiatric care of Dr Jonathan Banks (Jude Law) who after consulting with her previous therapist Victoria Seibeit (Catherine Zeta-Jones) agrees to put her on a new drug called Aplixa. Soon though Emily’s behaviour takes a strange turn and will begin to endanger all around her.

Side Effects is a well made thriller by Soderbergh and benefits well from a smart change of direction midway through. Initially as we watch Emily struggle to deal with her jailbird husband returning and her actions becoming increasingly erratic as she continues to take the Aplixa drug, we assume that like Traffic this will be a large ensemble piece that comments on the drug industry and the dangers that come with it. But the rug is expertly pulled from under us as the film enters a more mystery thriller zone!

Our sympathies lie with Emily in the film’s early stages as she tries to play the loving wife, but the cracks slowly appear from the drugs and this leads to some bizarre moments. We secretly prey that Dr Banks will help lead her away from the deadly pills before it is all too late, but after a shocking incident occurs perceptions shift sharply as Bank’s life slowly un-ravels as a result and we come to secretly wonder what goes on behind those innocent eyes of Emily and this leads to a suspenseful third act as Banks attempts to win back his life!

The corruption of the pharmaceutical world is heavily commented upon by Soderbergh in Side Effects, as we see Banks happily going along with various drug trials for big companies because he will get paid handsomely for it, no matter what the effects may include. There is also a sharp observation made in the wake of bad events happening with a drug that there still millions to be made. Refreshingly this theory doesn’t burden the film and assisted by a good script from Scott Z Burns, Soderbergh allows the story to pan out and its twists to continue coming.

Rooney Mara excels as the female lead in this film and has the fantastic ability to bring both a heartbreaking innocence and well as a cold chill as Emily. Her presence on screen is one that great aids the transition from a social commentary to a good thriller. After her stunning performance as Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, this serves as proof that Mara is a very capable actress.

Jude Law is also excellent as doomed shrink Jonathan Banks and he is able to rise above the usual clichéd roles in this area as Banks possesses a great resourcefulness and this is shown in a clever last act as he works to win back everything taken from him, even if it means bringing someone else down! Catherine Zeta-Jones and Channing Tatum are both very underused in Side Effects and Zeta-Jones makes for a compelling presence and we feel that more of her inclusion could really have come in useful.

So is this really the end for Steven Soderbergh? Time will tell the answer to this one, but if this is his last picture then he has chosen a good note to bow out on as Side Effects is an effective thriller which keeps our brains constantly ticking until the final reel.  So farewell… I guess for now Steven!