"No more rock videos"
-Tiko-
Every once in a while, a film you think you might not like hits you right between the eyes and you’re hooked.
Alpha Dog, I was warned, is exceptionally violent and involves kids, drugs and murder. It’s based on the real life story of alleged drug dealing murderer Jesse James Hollywood, the ‘alpha dog’ of his group, who faces the death penalty in California for ordering his friends to murder a fifteen-year-old boy in their ‘care’.
The story sounded grim and “same old same old,” nothing new to offer. It was, instead, exciting, challenging and remarkably captivating.
It opens as a group of rich kids lie around watching a rock video featuring a murder, casual sex and lyrics meant to inflame hatred. The kids style their tight little group on the gangs, and model their lives on the bangers’.
Emile Hirsch, the sweet kid from The Girl Next Door, is Johnny, who runs his gang of white wannabes, rich kids with nothing to do but use their parents’ resources to get high and get chicks.
Johnny has earned enough money from drugs to own his own home and support al his friends. They love him in return; he’s the parent they never had – the alpha dog.
There are yards and yards of tattoos in this film – must have had a large standby tattoo team. The look is strong, cool and appropriate in this circle.
Johnny runs the local drug market and among his clients is Jake (Ben Foster – amazing!) He owes Johnny $800. Jake launches a one-man, drug-fueled war against Johnny that quickly spirals into dangerous territory.
Foster’s electrifying – as a crystal meth addict, he jumps all over the place, mentally, physically, raging against the merest slight, a frighteningly out-of-control aspiring alpha dog.
Jake’s parents (Sharon Stone and David Thornton) are aghast at Jake’s lifestyle and are over protective of their younger son, Zach (fearful he’ll end up like his brother).
Zack begs Jake to take him away from his mother, but Jake has enough sense to know where the vulnerable kid belongs.
Mr. Alpha Dog, Johnny, wants his 800 bucks back. He’ll kidnap Zach and demand ransom. He has the ideas, but not the courage to do the deeds, so he orders his slavishly devoted crew (Shawn Hatosy and Justin Timberlake) to get him.
Zach likes being kidnapped. His captor/babysitter (Timberlake) shows him a good time – girls, drugs, parties – and Zach’s intrigued enough to stick around, even though he’s given chance after chance to make a run for it. As long as Johnny doesn’t find out.
The girls call the new young celeb “Stolen Boy.’ The moniker becomes sadly more significant as the story progresses.
The intrigues are Shakespearean, and the performances are stellar. These kids are hungry to create with their art, and the result is dead on.
Unusual casting choices to say the least – aside from the gifted young cast, are Alan Thicke and Janet Jones Gretzsky as parents of a drug dealer and Courtney Cox was apparently cut from the film. Bruce Willis plays Johnny’s father, who is twice as deadly as Johnny is.
The scary thing is the film is based on a true-life murder case that is still unfolding in California. In addition, it’s a powerful indictment of uncaring and absent parents.
Cassavettes obviously has his late father’s talent – John Cassavettes was a groundbreaking filmmaker in the sixties and seventies, While Alpha Dog isn’t exactly ground breaking, it is a searing story told through mesmerizing performances.
Alpha Dog
Opens wide USA January 12. MPAA: Rated R for pervasive drug use and language, strong violence, sexuality and nudity.
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