Based on true events, Alpha Dog tells the story of Jesse James Hollywood (called Johnny Truelove here due to ongoing legal wranglings), a wannabe LA gangster who in 2000 became one of the youngest people ever to appear on the FBI’s most wanted list.
When a drug deal goes bad Truelove decides to take revenge by kidnapping the kid brother (Yelchin) of the man responsible. But what begins as a bit of fun soon turns ugly when the police start a state wide search for the boy that culminates in bloody murder.
They say:
Empire: “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.”
Total Film: “Lengthy and often off hot topic, this is still a gripping saga with stand out turns from Timberlake, Hirsch and kid in the spotlight Yelchin.”
Channel 4: “Worth seeing for Stone's grotesque bow and some great youthful performances. But it's not half as gritty as it thinks it is.”
We say:
Equipped with such a thrilling real life story it is a mystery as to how writer/ director Nick “The Notebook” Cassavetes has managed to produce such a dog’s dinner of a movie.
Despite coming in at two hours long, Cassavetes neglects the most interesting part of Hollywood’s story (he spent five years on the run from the FBI before being caught) and it is unclear who the central protagonist is meant to be as the focus flips randomly between Hirsch and Yelchin without developing either perspective fully.
The subplot involving Ben Foster’s character, which kick starts the whole episode, also disappears without trace half way through and the crude framing device (a reporter interviewing some of the characters after the event) continually upsets the flow – and the less that’s said about Sharon Stone’s ridiculous fat suit the better.
Cassavetes also fails to condemn the world of drugs, underage drinking and wannabe gangsters that these characters inhabit, especially after the booze fuelled sexcapades that Zack goes through late on in the story.
On a more positive note, Cassavetes shows plenty of quirky directorial touches and Yelchin is a young actor with potential.
Watch out too for Justin Timberlake, giving his most enjoyable performance since the 2004 Super Bowl. It’s just a shame that he suffers a “wardrobe malfunction” of his own, sporting a bizarre trilby that somewhat reduces his credibility as a bad ass gangsta.
Teenage boys will no doubt tell you this is the dog’s bollocks, well, they’re half right.
CAST
Emile Hirsch
Justin Timberlake
Anton Yelchin
Ben Foster
Shawn Hatosy
Sharon Stone
Bruce Willis
DIRECTOR
Nick Cassavetes
TIME
122 mins
POSTED...
Mon 23 Apr 2007 at 4:02pm
