Review of Alpha Dog (2006) by Mark B — 12 Jan 2010

Despite a major error in casting, and some over-the-top action, Alpha Dog is surprisingly edgy and entertaining. Emile Hirsch isn't a good fit as the antagonist Johnny Truelove, but he still manages to pull off a decent performance. Justin Timberlake, of all people, really steals the show, augmented by solid performances from Ben Foster and Anton Yelchin. Oh, and there's lots of very good looking girls, which makes it even more watchable.

Based on a true story, Hirsch's character Trueblood and Foster's character Jake Mazursky butt heads over a drug debt. After a couple of volatile encounters, Trueblood, on a whim, kidnaps Mazurky's little brother, played by Yelchin. It?s not your typical kidnapping though. Trueblood and his posse basically take the boy partying with them, and after a while the kidnapped boy actually begins enjoying himself.

But Trueblood's world is collapsing quickly. The Mazursky family and police are treating it as a kidnapping, and Trueblood realizes that he could be facing some serious jail time when his little criminal adventure finally winds down.

If true crime dramas are your thing, you'll probably enjoy Alpha Dog. It mirrors the true story fairly well, although names and places have been changed. Timberlake's performance, and all those pretty girls, really stands out, but it is also an emotionally wrenching tale that is told well.