Dallas 1985. Ron Woodroof, an electrician who also rides rodeo bulls, lives hard. He smokes heavily, drinks heavily, and uses drugs (primarily cocaine). Also, he has casual sex. Woodroof is homophobic and racist. The doctors inform Ron that he has HIV and will likely die in thirty days. Ron initially reacts with anger to being told he has a disease only “faggots have”, but after some reflection, he realizes that it is likely true. He starts to research the condition and discovers that AZT is the most effective treatment. However, AZT is still in clinical trials within the US. He is shocked that the drug he needs to save his life or prolong it can’t be paid for by a dying man. So he sets out to find it through all means. He eventually finds himself in Mexico with a doctor named “Dr. Vass”, an American physician whose US license was revoked for his anti-American regulations work. Ron is led by Dr. Vass to other medications, including vitamins. He believes these drugs are better at treating his symptoms since the virus will remain in the systems of all those who have been affected. Ron starts to illegally smuggle drugs that are not approved by FDA to the USA for both his personal use and for selling to HIV patients. He forms an unlikely partnership in this endeavor with Rayon, a HIV-transgender woman who he met at the hospital. Rayon has more contact with AIDS patients than he does through his gay community. Ron and Rayon work together to help people in need. However, they also try to keep the FDA from noticing their efforts. Ron then comes up with a way to sell the drugs directly to HIV patients. This is a tactic that would not violate the law. Richard Barkley, Dr. Sevard and Ron’s doctor, are the FDA’s chief man on the case and Ron’s doctor respectively. The latter views clinical trials as the best way to establish the effectiveness of drugs despite knowing that Ron and other people would likely have died without them. They try to block Rayon and Rayon at all costs. Another Ron’s doctor, Dr. Eve Saks is caught in the middle. She understands why these policies were put in place but can also sympathize with Rayon, Rayon, and all of her patients directly or indirectly. –Huggo