In the interest of balance (and as a clue to the filmmaker's intentions), it's worth noting that many friends and associates of the real life Ron Woodruff have attested that he was not remotely homophobic and worked happily alongside gays. Some even thought he was gay, or at least bi. (Interviews with these people can easily be found online). In choosing to depict Woodruff as a redneck homophobe Dallas Buyers Club rather self-consciously opts for an unquestionably straight hero, while almost entirely airbrushing gays out of the picture. It also defames a real life hero who has nobody left to defend him. The truth, of course, is that the Dallas Buyers Club, like many similar ventures at the time, was largely run by gay activists. But they are nowhere to be seen here. Instead, we have the titillating composite figure of Rayon, the transvestite with a heart of (Oscar) gold. Again, interesting that the filmmakers opted to replace all those real life gays with a star turn for an actor in a dress.
Many reviewers have been happy to describe this movie as sensitive or daring or brave. In fact, it's just another piece of Hollywood exploitation, as timid and untruthful in its way as Philadelphia, and far more concerned with being a showcase for actors than with the truth of the story it purports to be championing.
Many reviewers have been happy to describe this movie as sensitive or daring or brave. In fact, it's just another piece of Hollywood exploitation, as timid and untruthful in its way as Philadelphia, and far more concerned with being a showcase for actors than with the truth of the story it purports to be championing.