6 reasons the Oscar should go to Matthew McConaughey

DALLAS BUYERS CLUB Image 2 DBC_00822_R: (l to r) Scott Takeda as Mr. Yamata and Matthew McConaughey as Ron Woodroof in Jean-Marc Vallée’s fact-based drama, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB, a Focus Features release. Photo Credit: Anne Marie Fox / Focus Features

DALLAS BUYERS CLUB Image 4 DBC_02422_R: Matthew McConaughey stars as Ron Woodroof in Jean-Marc Vallée’s fact-based drama, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB, a Focus Features release. Photo Credit: Anne Marie Fox / Focus Features

Every so often, it’s as though all of Hollywood gets together in a secret bunker and decides that an actor is overdue for an Oscar.

This year seems to be Matthew McConaughey’s time.

Sure, he’s terrific as real-life homophobe turned AIDS activist Ron Woodroof in “Dallas Buyers Club.” But here are six reasons this finally could be McConaughey’s year:

From Robert De Niro in “Raging Bull” to Adrien Brody in “The Pianist,” the Academy loves a good body transformation. McConaughey shed nearly 50 pounds, at one point ever-so-slightly tipping the scales at a dangerously low 135, to play Woodroof.
The Academy also loves stories of everyday people taking on the system. Given Woodroof’s roots and his battles against the DEA to obtain life-saving drugs, in Oscar-speak, “Dallas Buyers Club” is “Erin Brockovich” meets “Philadelphia.”
His recent body of work. In addition to “Dallas Buyers Club,” the past two years have seen McConaughey turning heads with a dizzying string of offbeat, high-caliber roles in “Bernie,” “Killer Joe,” “The Paperboy,” “Magic Mike” and “Mud.” And he still has Martin Scorsese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street” coming out this year.
Hollywood loves a comeback story. Given that body of work, it’s easy to forget just how recently he was stuck in rom-com jail with the likes of “Fools Gold,” “Failure to Launch” and “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.”
His speech would surely be the highlight of the night. Taking home the best supporting actor award for “Magic Mike” — yes, really — at the Film Independent Spirit Awards, he kicked off his funny, heartfelt, off-kilter acceptance speech by singing “I had to take my pants off to win a trophy. I had to drop my drawers to win an award.”
Forget the weight loss. McConaughey had to walk around for the entire time he was filming “Dallas Buyers Club” with that hair and mustache.

“Dallas Buyers Club,” which opened in September and also stars Jennifer, Jared Leto and Steve Zahn, is rated R.