Alpha Dog

Sporadically intriguing but ultimately ineffective, Alpha Dog, based on the true story of notorious fugitive Jesse James Hollywood, follows a group of wealthy thugs (led by Emile Hirsch’s Johnny Truelove) as they inadvertently find themselves caught up in a kidnapping scheme. Written and directed by Nick Cassavetes, Alpha Dog proceeds at a snail’s pace for much of its opening hour – with the arms-length feel exacerbated by the filmmaker’s reluctance to offer up compelling (or even likable) characters. This is despite the inclusion of several unexpectedly effective performances, with Ben Foster and Justin Timberlake (!) certainly two of the most obvious examples of this. But Cassavetes’ decision to initially place the emphasis on the hard-partying exploits of his characters prevents the viewer from connecting with the storyline, although, admittedly, this does start to change once the whole kidnapping angle kicks in. Yet there’s no denying that, as a whole, Alpha Dog just never quite takes off; that Hirsch is unable to convincingly step into Truelove’s shoes doesn’t help matters (he’s a good actor, certainly, but there’s little doubt that he’s woefully out of his league in this role). Cassavetes’ various attempts to infuse the proceedings with an edgy vibe fall flat, while the overlong running time and needlessly protracted conclusion dulls the impact of the film’s surprisingly effective midsection. Alpha Dog‘s failure to rise above its inherently dull premise ensures that most viewers will be left scratching their heads at the inclusion of so many familiar faces among the film’s cast, although, if nothing else, the movie does prove that Timberlake isn’t even remotely as objectionable an actor as one might’ve expected.

** out of ****