Ron Woodroof is a deeply unpleasant individual; he likes rodeo, hookers and blow, sometimes all at once, he’s also a massive homophobe. Important to note: the film is set in the 1980s.

So it comes as no surprise that when Ron passes out and ends up in hospital, he is in complete disbelief when the doctors tell him they checked his blood and he has HIV. Viewers should be mindful that the first largely publicised death from AIDS was of the film star Rock Hudson in 1985; however, Hudson was secretly gay for many years. At that time, it was seen as a disease only spreading amongst the gay community, as they seemed to be the only group affected.

Although Woodroof is highly sceptical and dismisses the doctors' diagnosis, he is not a stupid man, and after going on a bender of scotch, cocaine and hookers, we see him in a library reading news articles about HIV and AIDS. He loses it when he reads that it can be transmitted through unprotected sex, which is one of his three favourite things.

At the time, there was only one drug available on the market in the States, and it was still being tested. He was denied access to the drug, I forget why, either the programme was full or they thought his immune system was shot to shit due to years of substance abuse. And so Ron finds a way to illegally get hold of a supply, but his body does not like it.

Refusing to accept the very short death sentence the doctors have predicted for him, he searches all over the world and starts importing drugs. Unfortunately for Ron, the FDA don’t allow them, although he only really gets the short end of their stick when he starts importing en masse, because he found a way to make a living by selling the imports to countless others with HIV: the Dallas Buyers Club.

He feels strongly enough about what he is doing that he seems to be constantly embroiled in legal battles with the FDA. Just one guy (with a couple of new friends) fighting an organisation the size of the FDA. It clearly becomes a passion to right their wrongs.

Despite Woodroof being unpleasant, I felt quite emotional when watching this film. I cannot say that when it ended I liked him, I can’t truly believe that he ever got over his homophobia or that he was in it for anything other than to prolong the length of his own life, but he develops some relationships throughout the course of the film that makes the viewer ask what has been missing from his life and what he needs to make him happy. Some of these relationships, albeit extremely awkward at times because, well, he’s not the most suave of men, become quite touching.

However, I don’t have to like the protagonist in order to appreciate a film. There are tremendous performances all-round, the story stays true to the character in that he’s never shown in a glowing light (although I subsequently read that although he was a git, he really wasn’t quite as bad as portrayed) and it’s a very emotive topic, set in a time when there was much confusion and when HIV devastated the lives of many people. Also, although the character certainly was no angel, there are things he did or, more importantly did not do that surprised me. In that respect, I appreciate the script writing.

Nothing in the film is jarring, nothing really irritates. The speed is right, the script, the soundtrack, not once did I think ‘what the eff was the point of that scene’ or ‘oh god, that was really dumb.’ Hence the following:

Last night I thought I’d give it a 9.5/10. However, on reflection today, I think I’ll make that a 9, but with the score to be reconfirmed when I watch it for a second time.