All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Average User Score: 7 (81 sources)

Submit Movie Review

Review this film

Tell the world what you think of Alpha Dog

Your Score:

reset score

Write Your Review:
When writing your review, remember to keep the language clean.

Submit Review Cancel

49thSurvivor

-1

Agree (2)

Disagree (0)

Alpha Dog has a powerful storyline but it keeps swinging around mindlessly as it tries to find the truth behind the real-life slaying of an innocent 15-year-old kid who got caught up in the web of his half-brother's drug-crazed life and the...
[+] Read Full Review

Alpha Dog has a powerful storyline but it keeps swinging around mindlessly as it tries to find the truth behind the real-life slaying of an innocent 15-year-old kid who got caught up in the web of his half-brother's drug-crazed life and the reckless stupidity of a 20-year-old drug dealer. Is it about the parents of these kids that were too lax or too overbearing? Was it the hedonistic culture that fostered these kids? What's upsetting is the true and powerful storyline is so painfully obvious that it's baffling why writer/director Nick Cassavetes can't seem to capture it.

Jake (Ben Foster, giving yet another great performance) is a speed freak who owes money to drug-dealing party-child Johnny Truelove (Emile Hirsch, who seems confused about his role and you can't really blame him since the script doesn't know if he's the main character, an external force, or how to develop him beyond a self-centered gangster-wannabe). After Jake crosses the line repeatedly with Johnny, Johnny goes to retaliate, but in an impulsive and tragic twist of fate, comes across Jake's brother Zach (Anton Yelchin) and decides to kidnap him and have him serve as a marker for Jake's debt.

What's odd about the story is that Johnny is so stupid; he doesn't know how to kidnap. Instead of understanding the seriousness of his situation, he decides to leave Zack with Frankie (Justin Timberlake), who arises as the film's true protagonist and truly tragic figure. Frankie and Zach party and have a good time until Johnny makes the decision that rather than face any jail time for organizing a kidnapping, he'll just have his boys, including Frankie, kill Zach.

Because Johnny's decision to murder Zach doesn't happen till the final act, the meandering party of the second act serves the film by deepening the relationship between Frankie and Zach and had the film focused on the two of them rather than jumping between Jake (whose ultimate fate we never learn, nor that of his real-world counterpart Benjamin Markowitz), Johnny's Mafioso father (Bruce Willis), Johnny's sycophantic friend Elvis (Shawn Hatosy), and all the BS in between, Alpha Dog would be a much stronger movie. It's a shame because Timberlake and Yelchin anchor this film with their honest and fascinating performances and relationship.

Alpha Dog is a frustrating film because it doesn't have the brains or the balls to ask the tough questions about hedonism, maturity, and most importantly, personal responsibility. The ideas circle the film, but never in a cohesive or compelling fashion. The film also lacks the heart to turn the story completely to Frankie and Zach, instead using a half-assed investigative report to frame the story where it's clear that having Frankie tell the story from jail would set up the film in a more tragic and reflective framework.

While the work of Timberlake and Yelchin are good reason to see this film, the way the film bumbles around the story is just too frustrating to deal with for two hours.

--Matt Goldberg, WantonDistraction.com

[-] Minimize Review

Report Abuse

Posted aug 31, 2007 6:13 pm pt

nutty_natz19

-1

Agree (2)

Disagree (0)

I'll admit that the main reason I watched this film was because it had Justin Timberlake in, and although it wasn't a fast paced action film like I was expecting, it still held my interest. I thought the ending of the film was very touching and...
[+] Read Full Review

I'll admit that the main reason I watched this film was because it had Justin Timberlake in, and although it wasn't a fast paced action film like I was expecting, it still held my interest. I thought the ending of the film was very touching and I'm glad that I've seen it, even if I wouldn't rush out and buy it on DVD.

[-] Minimize Review

Report Abuse

Posted jul 15, 2007 2:24 am pt

marvelfan89

-1

Agree (3)

Disagree (0)

Interesting movie based on the real life case of Jesse James Hollywood one of the biggest young lowlifes you'll ever see. Having seen various news segments on Unsolved Mysteries and America's Most Wanted, I felt I had a decent background on what...
[+] Read Full Review

Interesting movie based on the real life case of Jesse James Hollywood one of the biggest young lowlifes you'll ever see. Having seen various news segments on Unsolved Mysteries and America's Most Wanted, I felt I had a decent background on what to expect here. For the most part, it's not a bad movie but it does have a couple of flaws. In the end though Cassavetes does a good job of showing his own interpretation of what happened. For instance, he uses Bruce Willis and Sharon Stone to play the parents of Hollywood perhaps hinting that bad parenting was a factor in his pathetic behavior. With this I disagree because Hollywood (looking at home videos shown on UM and AMW) really looked like an evil punk. My opinion on this is that it really wouldn't have mattered if he had great parents or not, this idiot would have turned out to be trash either way. Now, I have to agree with the other reviewers that Justin Timberlake in was great. In fact he's perfect for this role Frankie Ballenbacher. He is brash, arrogant, a loudmouth but can also be serious in his songs and interviews. He plays this role as best as anyone could playing a real punk who thought. He may not have had the lead role in the movie but in my mind he's the one that stood out. Cassavetes changed the names too but he didn't need to do it. Jesse James is called Johnny TrueLove here, and the victim Zach in real life is called Nick Markowitz. The stories is still the same too, Nick's brother, Ben had a drug deal with Jessie and had a falling out and thus Jessie wanted to collect the money in one form in another. Another thing that the movie shows in consensus with real life case is that Nick Markowitz perhaps didn't take the whole kidnapping thing as seriously as a victim would. He is seen hanging out with Jessie's friends and blonde bimbos. Hell he even tries to pick up the bimbos himself. In all, Nick acts more as a guest than a kidnapping victim. I guess his expectation was that it was all a game and that it would never go as far as it did. Cassavetes presents Hollywood's hoodlums as the news reports did as accessories to a crime who were too afraid to stand up to Hollywood. It's clear by watching the movie and a couple of the reports that Hollywood wasn't well liked which makes him getting away with the crime at the time equally disturbing. However, for my money I don't feel sorry for these losers since all of them participated in the crime and they all deserve to be in jail. Summing up then, "Alpha Dog" is a decent recollection of the events about the real life kidnapping/murder case of Nick Markowitz. Cassavetes does add some things like the parents interview that adds unnecessary details for the movie and scenes could have been taken out , but I have to say it was a decent movie.

[-] Minimize Review

Report Abuse

Posted jul 5, 2007 11:54 am pt

afq2846

-1

Agree (1)

Disagree (0)

I have to admit that I liked this movie. At first from seeing the ads you think that this movie is a piece of junk. It looked like a timberlake vehicle for his to try to further his career. After watching it I found out nothing could be further...
[+] Read Full Review

I have to admit that I liked this movie. At first from seeing the ads you think that this movie is a piece of junk. It looked like a timberlake vehicle for his to try to further his career. After watching it I found out nothing could be further then the truth about this movie. It loosely based on a true story of some rich kids trying to play drug dealers. The story is how one kid owed another kid money for drugs and when he would not pay him they "kidnapped" his brother. There is where the problems occur. At first its all fun and games with the kidnapped kid. He is actually hanging out with them but once the lead kid finds out what kind of trouble there are in, things turn for the worse. The style and the pace of the movie are well done. There is one problem with the movie.. CURSING. Every other word is the f word and I think it has the record for the most times the word was used in a movie. If you can get past that you get to see a well done movie which shows the end of innocence among some privileged kids. Timberlake is decent in this movie as are the other stars of the film. The tempo of the movie is well done and I would reccommend this movie. Its worth a viewing just to see the rollercoaster of emotions. One thing I do not like is the title of the movie. They should have changed it to make it closer to the movie.

[-] Minimize Review

Report Abuse

Posted may 18, 2007 10:39 pm pt

luckydagangsta

-1

Agree (2)

Disagree (0)

man, I almost passed this movie up, but after watching it I'm so glad I
didn't. I always saw ads for it, but I just thought 'great! another
stupid gangster movie with justin timberlake as a badass. I'll remember
to never see...
[+] Read Full Review

man, I almost passed this movie up, but after watching it I'm so glad I
didn't. I always saw ads for it, but I just thought 'great! another
stupid gangster movie with justin timberlake as a badass. I'll remember
to never see this'. But then I saw many of my favorite actors in it and
I decided to give it a shot.

This movie just blows my mind. I mean, its just so real (not just
because its based on actual events), but because for one the
performances were just so strong. Some may say that it was a little
over top on them trying to be badasses. But I know people that are
exactly like that so I bought that completely.

I watched the trailer and read up on the movie but never the actual
events. I even heard somewhere that the kid does die, but watching the
movie I just didn't buy it. I mean, I figured it'd be a grade A typical
movie where regardless of how the real story ended this was going to be
happy. The kid had it good, he loved it there. Even some of the
kidnappers loved it there.

This story is a sad story for everyone involved, though. These kids
were just looking for a way out and they chose the worst way possible.
I mean, how could they possibly think it was a good idea to help them
get out of trouble by killing the kid? One of the reasons they couldn't
just let him go in the first place is because his brother knew and
would go looking for him and they worried the boy would tell. But
killing was the worst idea for one killing is just horrible and for two
all of these people have already seen them with him and they told them
that he was kidnapped. How could this movie just not blow your mind
because of that.

I actually had tears in my eyes when they killed the kid. It was so
unexpected. This is definitely a movie you should check out. The
performances were so great that if I didn't know any better I would
have thought I was actually watching a real life kidnapping and murder.
The only thing horrible about this film is that this is based on true
events.

[-] Minimize Review

Report Abuse

Posted may 1, 2007 1:28 pm pt

joshkedwards

-1

Agree (1)

Disagree (1)

very interesting story of spoiled, mommy and daddy's boy, druggies out of control. spent too giving us full coverage of the parties. the movie was at its best when it told us the facts about the stupidy of the murderers.

Report Abuse

Posted apr 29, 2007 4:43 pm pt

NoOneIsAlone

-1

Agree (2)

Disagree (1)

Cool movie, I guess. It was kind of interesting watching this overused concept in a different way, but I must say that it was something special. I think that it could have been better, and it looks like a lot of scenes were just put as filler,...
[+] Read Full Review

Cool movie, I guess. It was kind of interesting watching this overused concept in a different way, but I must say that it was something special. I think that it could have been better, and it looks like a lot of scenes were just put as filler, which I did not really like. It could have been better, and that it was it is an average movie.

[-] Minimize Review

Report Abuse

Posted mar 24, 2007 3:01 pm pt

amauriel

-1

Agree (2)

Disagree (0)

A good movie about drug dealers that kidnap the brother of a teenager who owes them money. Wonderfully acted and a great true story, but I had to knock it only because the outcome of the story was too sad.

Report Abuse

Posted feb 18, 2007 5:26 am pt

tenn77

-1

Agree (2)

Disagree (0)

When a young drug dealer by the name of Johnny Truelove kidnaps Zack Mazursky, the fifteen-year-old brother of a man in debt to him, things don't go according to plan.As he desperately tries to get the money owed to him, Johnny's crew looks after...
[+] Read Full Review

When a young drug dealer by the name of Johnny Truelove kidnaps Zack Mazursky, the fifteen-year-old brother of a man in debt to him, things don't go according to plan.As he desperately tries to get the money owed to him, Johnny's crew looks after Zack. Though a hostage, Zack is enjoying the excitement of his situation, blissfully unaware of the despair of his parents, the rage of his brother and also of the fatal conclusion that awaits him.Inspired by a true story, ALPHA DOG is a moving and tragic drama centred on the three fateful days when the lives of a few suburban kids were turned upside down forever.

[-] Minimize Review

Report Abuse

Posted feb 7, 2007 4:18 am pt

GeorgeJobson

-1

Agree (1)

Disagree (0)

A good movie about the mean street of Palm Springs where a kid was kidnapped by a drug dealer. This movie is based on a true story. This movie is viloent and disterbing, but well made. Justin Timberlake in his acting debut is good. He acting...
[+] Read Full Review

A good movie about the mean street of Palm Springs where a kid was kidnapped by a drug dealer. This movie is based on a true story. This movie is viloent and disterbing, but well made. Justin Timberlake in his acting debut is good. He acting helped the movie.

[-] Minimize Review

Report Abuse

Posted jan 23, 2007 12:16 am pt

• [+] LA Weekly
  
  80
  In his best film to date, Nick Cassavetes directs with ferocious energy, taking scenes past their logical stopping points and pushing his actors (particularly Foster, who can be as terrifying as Edward Norton in "American History X") to, but never over, the precipice of absurdity.

  by Scott Foundas | Read Full Review »
• [+] ReelViews
  
  75
  Alpha Dog isn't a happy movie, but it's dramatically solid and the impressions it leaves will not be easily shaken.

  by James Berardinelli | Read Full Review »
• [+] USA Today
  
  75
  Don't be fooled by the presence of some pretty-boy actors: Alpha Dog is a gritty, gut-wrenching and disturbing film.

  by Claudia Puig | Read Full Review »
• [+] TV Guide
  
  75
  Cassavetes' instincts are spot-on, particularly when it comes to casting Timberlake in what turns out to be the most important role in the film. He manages to be both reprehensible and deeply charismatic, and winds up stealing the picture.

  by Ken Fox | Read Full Review »
• [+] Chicago Tribune
  
  75
  Around the midpoint Alpha Dog becomes less sociological and more personal, developing a real sense of suspense.

  by Michael Phillips | Read Full Review »
• [+] The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
  
  75
  Like "Rebel", directed by Nicholas Ray, this film excels at capturing the nervous posturing of adolescent boys marking their territory by pissing on each other's shoes.

  by Stephen Cole | Read Full Review »
• [+] Washington Post
  
  70
  The movie suffers from an uncertain structure, but it boasts an extraordinary naturalism, not particularly flattering. Sharon Stone has a brilliant, harsh turn as Zack's mom, and both Bruce Willis and Harry Dean Stanton have good turns as the elder generations of Trueloves. But the movie belongs to its youngsters, and it's a real eye-opener.

  by Stephen Hunter | Read Full Review »
• [+] Village Voice
  
  70
  If nothing else, Alpha Dog's worth a look for the performance of Justin Timberlake, the moral center of a movie sorely in need of some conscience. Already a gifted comic actor--his Saturday Night Live appearances are now anticipated events--he proves himself able to go to a pitch-black place.

  by Robert Wilonsky | Read Full Review »
• [+] Baltimore Sun
  
  67
  Alpha Dog may well go down as the most dispiriting film of 2007.

  by Chris Kaltenbach | Read Full Review »
• [+] New York Post
  
  63
  Justin Timberlake shows that he can do more as an actor than just take his shirt off - though he does that a lot as well - in the irresponsible, uncommercial but surprisingly watchable Alpha Dog.

  by Lou Lumenick | Read Full Review »
• [+] Premiere
  
  63
  At its best though, the film offers a pointed critique of a youth culture that views someone like Jesse James Hollywood as a person to emulate.

  by Ethan Alter | Read Full Review »
• [+] Philadelphia Inquirer
  
  63
  There's more voyeurism going on here, and less insight into a certain culture (the young and the wasted), than the filmmakers would probably admit to, but the performances are scarily real, and the outcome, well, is just scary.

  by Steven Rea | Read Full Review »
• [+] Empire
  
  60
  It suffers from ADD, but there's some terrific stuff in here. Leaving 15 minutes from the end and saving yourself a lumbering coda may improve enjoyment.

  by Olly Richards | Read Full Review »
• [+] Film Threat
  
  60
  Your enjoyment of Alpha Dog may very well depend on how put off you are by these facts, as well as how much you buy Timberlake in his role, and how in the mood you are to sit through "River's Edge" set in the "Entourage" universe.

  by Pete Vonder Haar | Read Full Review »
• [+] Variety
  
  60
  Writer-director Nick Cassavetes' sprawling dramatization recklessly blurs the line between reconstruction and reality in ways that are admittedly interesting, if more than a little artistically suspect.

  by Justin Chang | Read Full Review »