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"Alpha Dog" is another style-over-substance attempt at bringing the problems of today's youth to the screen. But it tries too hard to be contemporary and sacrifices character development for flashy film school tricks. The youthful cast doesn't have quite enough presence to fully convince ... Read review
Alpha Dog is an urban drama following the self destruction of Johnny Truelove (Emile ... more
Hirsch) and his gang of friends. Living the thug wannabe's American dream of money beautiful girls and partying in Los Angeles' San Gabriel Valley - their existence i...
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Cocky and headstrong Johnny Truelove is living the wannabe gangsta's American dream as a ... more
drug dealer in the privileged neighbourhoods of LA. For Johnny and his crew their existence is a heady blur of partying and looking for the next thrill. When raging hothead Jake fails to come up with money he owes Johnny, the situation escalates into a battle for dominance between the two and results in an ill-fated event with irreparable circumstances for all involved. For Johnny, the line between playing a gangsta and becoming one soon blurs, with very real consequences for everyone involved...Inspired by actual events, Alpha Dog bites hard and doesn't let go!
Cocky and headstrong Johnny Truelove is living the wannabe gangsta's American dream as a ... more
drug dealer in the privileged neighbourhoods of L.A. For Johnny and his crew their existence is a heady blur of partying and looking for the next thrill. When raging hothead Jake fails to come up with money he owes Johnny, the situation escalates into a battle for dominance between the two and results in an ill-fated event with irreparable circumstances for all involved. For Johnny, the line between playing a gangsta and becoming one soon blurs, with very real consequences for everyone involved...Inspired by actual events, Alpha Dog bites hard and doesn't let go!
Production Year: 1998 - Drama - Director: Carl Franklyn, Carl Franklin - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Meryl Streep, William Hurt, Renee Zellweger, Tom Everett Scott, Nicky Katt, Lauren Graham
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Production Year: 2007 - Drama - Director: Mike Binder - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Adam Sandler, Don Cheadle, Jada Pinkett, Liv Tyler, Saffron Burrows, Donald Sutherland, Mike Binder
Advantages: Great performances from Ben Foster and Shawn Hatosy. Disadvantages: A weak performance from Emile Hirsch and style-over-substance filmmaking.
Johnny Truelove is a middle-class kid with too much time on his hands and a burgeoning drug empire. But he makes a really big enemy when a deal with the psychotic Jake goes sour, leaving the dealer out of pocket. Johnny and his friends kidnap Jake's seventeen year-old brother Zack and hold him as collateral against the money Jake owes them. Frankie is assigned to watch Jake, but he likes the kid and shows him a good time. Then the gang realise the ... ...
Looking at this film, I had assumed Nick Cassavetes was a young director fresh out of film school, not a man in his fifties with a handful of other movies under his belt. He throws every available trick at the screen and hopes some of them will resolve into a recognisable style. He starts the film in sentimental fashion with a prolonged montage of home movie footage of two kids (presumably Jake and Zack) going through the usual roll-call ... more
Johnny Truelove is a middle-class kid with too much time on his hands and a burgeoning drug empire. But he makes a really big enemy when a deal with the psychotic Jake goes sour, leaving the dealer out of pocket. Johnny and his friends kidnap Jake's seventeen year-old brother Zack and hold him as collateral against the money Jake owes them. Frankie is assigned to watch Jake, but he likes the kid and shows him a good time. Then the gang realise the kidnapping carries a life sentence and things get darker.
Looking at this film, I had assumed Nick Cassavetes was a young director fresh out of film school, not a man in his fifties with a handful of other movies under his belt. He throws every available trick at the screen and hopes some of them will resolve into a recognisable style. He starts the film in sentimental fashion with a prolonged montage of home movie footage of two kids (presumably Jake and Zack) going through the usual roll-call of childhood milestones. It is overlaid with the Eva Cassidy version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". This is a strangely mawkish beginning to a film that is otherwise desperate to be "down with the kids".
The director fiddles with the timeline in terms of using interviews about incidents and characters that post-date the story. But instead of building tension as they are meant to, it makes what is going to happen to Zack feel predictable. Cassavetes adds witness numbers to frames, so you know how important certain peripheral characters are, but this feels like an affectation in addition to the time and place stamps he employs. He uses split-screen seemingly at random and cross-cuts between Zack having the time of his life and his parents worrying about his disappearance to try to make you feel for them. The majority of the characters are unsympathetic and the director makes little attempt to humanise them, leaving the hard work to his cast. However, this doesn't always pay off as the mix of experienced and inexperienced actors shows. There are attempts to shoot the film as cinema vérité, so most of the actors adopt a naturalistic style, but as the movie progresses their actions feel more contrived. The result is an uneven hundred and seventeen minutes in the company of a film that takes itself too seriously, while worrying about whether all the viewers will think it's cool enough.
Cassavetes' screenplay is based on the real-life incidents surrounding a Californian gang headed by the bizarrely named Jesse James Hollywood, who, with his friends kidnapped a fifteen year-old boy, partied with him for the best part of a week then murdered him and dumped his body in a shallow grave. Making a film of it is hardly an original idea, as the same events were covered in the movie "Bully". We don't see enough of individual players or their relationships to care about them. The parents seem stern and out-of-touch, while their offspring are spoilt, pot-smoking, binge-drinking rich kids with too much time, money and freedom. Only one of them questions the morality of what they're doing and she is made to look like a tale-telling harridan. The pacing falters throughout as the action halts and we are taken back to another talking head interview. These are attempts to explain the players' motivations, personalities or the consequences of their actions, but mainly slow the film down. Cassavetes has a good ear for wannabe gangster-speak, peppering the dialogue with the random ethnic slurs and references to women as "bitches" that crop up all the time in the gangsta rap the characters listen to all the time. He also nails the self-indulgent chatter of the upper middle-class kids that feel hard done to.
For my money, Emile Hirsch doesn't have quite enough presence or charisma to convince as Johnny Truelove. He doesn't seem dangerous or calculating enough to be able to hold people in his thrall. Having a scrubby beard and talking like a gangster doesn't make him the hard-man the character clearly wants to be. It's all very well showing the role's cowardice, but it's too close to the surface and his cockiness doesn't cover it well enough. Ben Foster gives a tremendously intense performance as the unpredictable and psychotic Jake. He's twitchy and threatening, so you believe in his potential for violence, which is often realised. But Foster also captures the character's devotion to his little brother, which makes him less of a monster. I'll be interested to see how his career develops.
Justin Timberlake isn't half as bad as I had feared as Johnny's best mate Frankie. True, he has trouble when required to show real emotional intensity in key scenes when you can clearly tell he's acting instead of experiencing the role's feelings. But overall he's naturalistic and surprisingly likeable as the swaggering, swearing tattooed acolyte. But if you're looking for focus and commitment to a character, then look no further than Shawn Hatosy as Elvis Schmidt. He's victimised by the other characters to such an extent that he appears to have developed Stockholm Syndrome whereby he'll do anything to keep Johnny happy. Anton Yelchin is appealing as the naïve, impressionable Zack, even if he has a tendency to play the sullen middle-class teen in the company of his on-screen parents. You understand why all the trappings of Johnny's life would be alluring to him and why he wants to be one of the in-crowd. Meanwhile having Bruce Willis as Johnny's dad and Sharon Stone as Zack's mother feels like stunt casting.
The original music by Aaron Zigman struggles to be heard amongst all the other soundtrack choices and amounts to little more than a cheesy rising chorus when events are at their darkest, some lame acoustic guitar that's supposed to tug at your heartstrings and the odd flurry of electronic dance. The other tracks reflect the tastes of the characters, which run to gangster rap and hip-hop, German thrash metallers Rammstein, Eminem and ambient dub. The use of these numbers is integral to the film as they inform the worldview of the characters and their questionable vocabulary and attitudes to women.
"Alpha Dog" is another style-over-substance attempt at bringing the problems of today's youth to the screen. But it tries too hard to be contemporary and sacrifices character development for flashy film school tricks. The youthful cast doesn't have quite enough presence to fully convince in their various roles, with the exception of Ben Foster. However, it is adequate in terms of narrative and the various tics and tricks settle into an uneasy, if overly brash style. The only thing that saves it from total ignominy is the director's last-ditch attempt to inject some much needed tension into the final few minutes with a slow-burn lead-up to the inevitable. It's a shame he then goes and blows it with more talking heads that add unneeded schmaltz and subtitled epilogues that feel trite. I think it's one of those suck-it-and-see movies that will do better on DVD.
Advantages: based on real events, eotvie story, brilliant acting and cast Disadvantages: ghetto speak
...life of Jesse James Hollywood, Alpha Dog revolves around a small time drug dealer in San Gabriel Valley, California, during the late 1990s, who becomes the youngest man ever to appear on the "FBI's Most Wanted" list. At 20, Johnny Truelove aka Hollywood (Emile Hirsch) is a young man whose home is a popular gathering place for his friends to do drugs and have sex. But all good things come to an end when one of Johnny's drug dealers, Jake Mazursky ... ...good but his performance in Alpha Dog is sheer brilliance and totally natural.
I won't spoil the ending but it doesn't leave any loose ends and lets you know what happened to the main characters.
Overall
If you can get over the annoying language (and that probably is how a lot of people speak) there isn't anything wrong with this film, it draws you in, keeps you interested, will make you laugh, shock you and make you sad. I would highly recommend ...
hollywoodmum 16.11.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Alpha Dog (DVD)
Advantages: Great true to life portrayal of events and superb character performances Disadvantages: Only the crime that led to its filming
...OVERALL - Alpha Dog doesnt stray away from the facts of what actually happened, although glammed up a little by getting in very good young actors to play the roles, it tells a harrowing story of a kidnapping and murder. You warm to Nicholas and his familys plight in him going missing but you are also pushed into the middle of Johnnys gang dynamics and follow them as there fateful decisions are made. Definately one for the collection in my opinion ... ...research after watching.
TECHNICAL STUFF - Directed by Nick Cassavetes
Run time 122 minutes
Extras include witness time line and a making of.
Just to conclude, Jesse James Hollywood was convicted 08/07/09 of the kidnapping and murder of Nicholas Markowitz and was given a life sentance.
Hope you enjoyed reading, give this one a watch. Live the dream ...
Capodon 26.08.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Alpha Dog (DVD)
Advantages: Good story Disadvantages: Slow, hard to follow
Alpha Dog is the 2006 true story directed by Nick Cassavetes. It runs for 122 minutes & is rated 15. The director Nick Cassavetes has previously directed my favourite film The Notebook starring his Mother Gena Rowlands, he also wrote the script for the video to Justin Timberlake's 'What Goes Around…/… Comes Around'.
The film has an all-star cast including;
Emile Hirsch (The Girl Next Door)
Justin Timberlake (The Love Guru)
Shawn Hatosy (Numb3rs)
... ...for 'Zodiac' starring Jake Gyllenhaal. Alpha Dog just seems to be lacking what The Zodiac has. It simply doesn't keep you on the edge of your seat. I was extremely disappointed with this film as I had been told it was very good. The film is very hard to follow at times too which makes it even harder to sustain the audiences interest. Another thing to bring this film down in my estimation is the lack of many special features. I'm not one of those ...
Great_reviewer07 01.02.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Alpha Dog (DVD)
Advantages: Really good adaptation of the case it is based upon Disadvantages: A little too long and kinda drags a bit at the start and at the end
...Cautionary Tale: The Making Of Alpha Dog Witness Timeline Featurette Dolby Digital 5.1 / Dolby Digital DTS 5.1 Languages - English Subtitles - English Hard Of Hearing ===Introduction:===
This is a powerful film that focuses on the real life story of a drug dealer who kidnaps a young boy to settle his older brothers debt and makes his way to become the youngest person ever on the FBI's most wanted list.
===Cast:===
Sonny Turelove - Bruce Willis
... ...Tiko Martinez - Fernando Vargas Frankie Ballenbacher - Justin Timberlake
Elvis Schmidt - Shawn Hatosy
Cosmo Gadabeeti - Harry Dean Stanton
Jake Mazursky - Ben Foster
Zack Mazursky - Anton Yelchin Olivia Mazursky - Sharon Stone
Keith Stratten - Chris Marquette
Julie Beckley - Amanda Seyfried
===Story:===
When drug dealer Jake Mazursky winds up in $50,000 worth of debt with his supplier (Jonny Truelove), and all attempts to borrow the money ...
Gangsta-ash 11.12.2007 (03.01.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Alpha Dog (DVD)
Advantages: Gripping Story, Brilliant Acting, Justin Timbrerlake is in it. Disadvantages: Possible too much foul language
...and emotion, with the odd humorous crack along the way. I was shocked at how the filmed progressed and the events that happened, as the film leads you on to thinking something different.
SPECIAL EFFECTS
These include:
"A cautionary Tale" - The Making of Alpha Dog
"Witness Timeline" featurette ...
lozzy_lou178 11.09.2007 (09.09.2007)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Alpha Dog (DVD)
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Advantages: Good performances by Yelkin and Hirsch, follows story somewhat Disadvantages: Justin Timberlake, Cassavetes' handling of the material and story
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While ALPHADOG is certainly better than most other films that came out in early 2007---like that ridiculous STOMP THE YARD---I personally thought it failed to tell the moving story of an innocent 15-year-old boy who was in the wrong place at the wrong time; however, judge for yourself. I just hope that Cassavetes? next project GOD IS A BULLET is better, because he really is a gifted director and I think he just made some wrong, almost fatal, decisions here, compromising a potentially powerful tale. Of course, I?m sure fans of the ?Cry Me A Friggin? River? crooner will want to check this out, though I personally say it?s not worth it.
The film was released in theaters in the UK on April 20, 2007, so it might still be in a few theaters left if you really want to see it, though I recommend you just wait for it on DVD. I do apologize but ...
Advantages: Captures the spirit of these youths very well, great performances by most of the cast Disadvantages: A few bad performances, not a film people of a certain age will enjoy
quickly but relentlessly as the mood of the film suddenly changes and the obstacles get bigger.
Another mention is the music used in the film: Non-hits (well, mostly) of the '90s played here marking the perfect mood for each scene with some great songs by Tech N9ne which should make you want to buy the soundtrack afterwards.
Overall the film isn't exactly something you could enjoy, especially when you're dealing with intentionally unsympathetic characters and a very dark theme, but is is good? Very. Is it great? Well once again it depends on how much you remember of your experiences as a teenager.
I recommend this film although it's not something you must see on the cinema screen and it'll be just as good on DVD.
ADDITIONAL NOTE: Martin Scorsese was originally intended to direct this film (Emile Hirsch still in the lead role ...
Contains strong language, violence, sex and drug use
Video Category
Feature Film
Country Of Origin
United States of America
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
ICON HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Languages
Main Language
English
Technical information
Special Features
'A Cautionary Tale' - The Making Of ALPHA DOG, 'Witness timeline' featurette, 'A Cautionary Tale' - The Making Of ALPHADOG, 'Witness Timeline' - Featurette
Blisteringly powerful, intensley moving and totally compelling. Timberlake is a revelation (The Mirror, 20/07/2007)
DVD Description
A difficult gestation period led to Nick Cassavetes's ALPHA DOG being delayed and facing possible legal battles after the real-life subject of the film (alleged kidnapper and murderer Jesse James Hollywood) objected to his portrayal. The cinematic version of Hollywood is named Johnny Truelove and played by Emile Hirsch (LORDS OF DOGTOWN). Truelove is a wild 18-year-old who deals drugs for a living and hangs out with his posse, who revolve around a core of Frankie (Justin Timberlake), Elvis (Shawn Hatosy), and Tiko (Fernando Vargas). When a client of Truelove's, Jake Mazursky (Ben Foster), is unable to pay off his crystal-meth debt, the group kidnaps his 15-year-old stepbrother, Zack (Anton Yelchin), who becomes a Patty Hearst-like accomplice in his own abduction. Indeed, Zack positively revels in his new position, and lives it up with the boys at every opportunity he gets. But Cassavetes's film really revs into gear as the cops close in on Truelove's band of outsiders, and they face a tough decision about what to do with Zack. The real draw here is Justin Timberlake, and he makes a decent job of his role as a bodyguard/friend to the kidnapped kid. Covered in tattoos and oozing testosterone, Timberlake revels in his role, and his female following will find plenty to gush over here. The film itself is executed at a lightning-fast pace, with quick jump cuts and on-screen captions that point out who the witnesses in the case were. Cassavetes plays around with split-screen techniques and nonlinear storytelling, but he remains acutely aware of what his young target audience is seeking from a modern crime drama, not letting the tension drop for a second. Small roles for Sharon Stone and Bruce Willis provide suitable support to the young cast, and a thumping rap and metal soundtrack supplies a perfect backdrop to the explosive on-screen shenanigans.
