And maybe you’re reading this saying, “you’re wrong! I’m living my authentic self!” And that’s great. That works for Matthew McConaughey but it wouldn’t work for me. Maybe happiness isn’t as simple as stripping down and playing the bongos in your living room. He just didn’t let them stop or define him, and he has a right to be proud of the successes. Frankly, I feel it’s a reader’s own prejudices that shine through when they only see the good a writer shares about themselves without noticing that they also showed their vulnerabilities at the risk of making themselves look bad. This is a memoir, and you shouldn’t expect someone to sugar coat or withhold honesty about their successes. That’s fair, but I actually didn’t get that at all. I see a lot of reviews that assert this book makes Matthew look smug and self absorbed, that he thinks too highly of himself. We don’t strip off our clothes and play bongos naked in our living rooms because that would be weird, right? Well who the fuck cares?! And you know what? None of us are happy! We aren’t authentic.

We don’t close our eyes and ask ourselves “what do I really believe?” We allow the world and pushed social norms to dictate our choices, actions and beliefs. It feels as if no one makes actual judgments based on instinct or logic anymore. And we should be unapologetic about not really fitting into boxes. We should all be so open and curious and brave in our pursuit of our true self.

He really has things to say and lessons to teach that have come from a long and full life of self discovery. I was stricken by what a philosopher he is. He narrates it himself, so it’s basically like sitting with him while he narrates the story of his life. I listened to this on audio, and I really feel like there’s no other way to read this book. He brings the ugly, the perfect, the funny, the shameful, and the unbelievable of his life in vivid detail. McConaughey is up front, honest, and visceral in the details of his life.

In Matthew McConaughey’s case, he took it whether it was offered or not. Everyone should be allowed their complexities and unique ability to shine as a human. The world looks at them and thinks there’s not much more to them than that: a pretty face and rockin’ bod. Let’s be real, there are prejudices against everyone, including beautiful people. This is an excessively difficult thing to do in Hollywood, especially for someone so handsome. He purposely almost tanked his career in order to break free from his typecasting as the romcom leading man, something he does outline in his memoir. Earlier ones with the pretty and often brainless leading man? Not so much. There is a brilliance to Matthew McConaughey that isn’t often conveyed in his films. I had been hearing a lot of buzz about this memoir, and after reading it I can see what all the fuss is about.

Greenlights book review