Topic > Dallas Buyers Club Movie Summary and Analysis

Led by Mathew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club weaves the story of Ron Woodroof, a homophobic and racist cowboy who becomes an unlikely hero in the late 1980s when he is diagnosed with HIV /AIDS. During this time the AIDS crisis, which began in 1981 with 337 reported cases and then culminated in 1989 with 400,000 cases worldwide, was considered the “gay cancer.” Based on the true story of Ron Woodruff, the writers were able to create a compelling turn of events that examines the stigma that comes with both homosexuality and contracting HIV/AIDS in the 1980s through an unlikely friendship and the human instinct to survive.Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay As the film begins, we hear what kind of lifestyle our unlikely hero lives. In the film's opening moments, we see cowboys brawling with bulls at a rodeo show while Ron has dangerous sex with two women under the bleachers. These scenes are intertwined simultaneously and strategically to show how much of a wild life Ron lived. Visually, the audience understands that Ron's life symbolizes a rodeo. After the opening shots, we get our first look at Ron's survival skills. Betting money on a friend who lives a life very similar to his and rides a bull for 8 seconds puts him in danger when his friend falls after 3 seconds. Ron runs away after his friend falls and is chased until Ron spots Tucker, a local officer approaching his car. When Ron asks him to place him under arrest, he shouts "figure it out for yourself" and that's exactly what he does, he punches the Tucker and is taken away in the police car. This gives the audience an idea of ​​what Ron is willing to do for his personal survival. Ending up in hospital after being electrocuted while at work, Ron is diagnosed with HIV. In total disbelief because he had thought like everyone at the time that the disease was “gay cancer” and that only homosexuals could be infected, he is irrational and shows his bigoted and homophobic beliefs by denying any involvement in homosexuality. When told he has 30 days to live, Ron demonstrates his stubborn independence and will to survive by shouting "I've got a newsflash for y'all, there's nothing out there that can kill fucking Ron Woodroof in thirty days." . days". Later that night he and his friend TJ along with two other women have a party at his trailer where cocaine, alcohol and sex are involved. During his high Ron begins to see the number "30" more clearly on his calendar, and with the diagnosis looming over his head he slowly begins to come to terms with the fact that he has HIV. Ron's fight for survival begins with research into HIV/AIDS and how to cure it. In the library, Ron discovers that there was a very likely possibility that he had contracted HIV through unprotected sex with a drug-addicted woman. This scene brings awareness that HIV/AIDS is not a “gay” disease and that heterosexuals are also at risk of contracting the disease that destroys the immune system. Back at the hospital, Ron requests the drug AZT, but Dr. Saks says she can't give him any because the drug is being tested with the FDA and isn't approved yet. Dr. Saks says he may enroll in the trial, however, some patients are receiving placebos to see if the drug works, which could take years. What follows are words spoken by Ron that inflame the story of a selfish homophobic bigot who affected change during the AIDS epidemic by highlighting theflaws of the FDA, giving hope to those who could live their lives freely and highlighting shipping as one of the most significant problems. movements for the gay community. “To hell with the FDA.” During the HIV/Aids epidemic, the first antiretroviral HIV drug, azidothymidine (AZT), had become available in 1987. “As it turned out, their first weapon against HIV was not a new compound that scientists had had to develop from scratch: it was one that had been set aside. AZT, or azidothymidine, was originally developed in the 1960s by an American researcher as a means of fighting cancer; the compound was supposed to insert itself into a cancer cell's DNA and impair its ability to replicate and produce more cancer cells. But it didn't work when it was tested on mice and was put aside." Before the FDA approved the drug, doctors and hospitals performed human studies, giving half of their patients AZT and the other a placebo, even though it caused side effects (including serious intestinal problems, damage to the immune system, nausea, vomiting and headache). it was considered relatively safe. But they also had to test the compound's effectiveness. “At $8,000 a year for consumers, AZT is said to be the most expensive prescription drug in history. “About 35% of AIDS patients have no health insurance or policies that don't pay for drugs. Many may not be able to afford AZT without help from a temporary government program that ends in September. All Americans bear the high cost of the drug, in taxes or insurance premiums. “Determined to obtain the drug AZT, Ron begins to gain access to the drug through a hospital custodian. he leaves but eventually finds a way to get AZT through a hospital janitor. After his connection runs out of AZT, Ron has a near-death experience that lands him back in the hospital. Ron discovers that the AZT he was taking had been making him worse and causing more problems. This was not just a fact for Ron but for many other people infected with the virus. While hospitalized, Ron ends up meeting the fictional character Rayon, a trans drug addict towards whom he is hostile. Rayon shows Ron nothing but sympathy as personal opinion thinks this is a bond between straights and homosexuals like it was in the 80s. Heterosexuals in the 1980s showed little to no respect for homosexuals and felt they did not deserve the same rights as them, but when heterosexuals began to show higher numbers of infected they began to become more bonded as they both needed and sought treatment. Mexico for more AZT, Ron discovered much more than that. Ron comes across more effective drugs that suppress the symptoms of HIV/AIDS. Ron then smuggles large quantities of drugs across the border and reluctantly sets up a business with Rayon, knowing there will be more clientele to follow. Through their medical cooperative that provides unapproved medicines to those who are infected, Ron slowly learns to appreciate Rayon's unique personality. In one of the film's most dramatic scenes, Ron forces his old homophobic friend, TJ, to shake Rayon's hand. In this scene, Ron and Rayon take a trip to the grocery store and Rayon picks up all the unhealthy items in the store and there is a sense of a married couple when Ron tells Rayon to put the items back. The scene initially begins with Rayon and Ron in focus. Rayon steps out of frame when Ron notices his old friend TJ. The following shots are over the shoulders of Ron and TJ as their worlds collide in the grocery store. Behind Ron, TJ notices Rayon returning with another item. TJ makes a lewd remark.