Suburban drug dealer Johnny Truelove (Emile Hirsch, not a convincing tough guy), his friend (Justin Timberlake, impressive) and his muscle (Shawn Hatosy) kidnap the younger brother of Truelove’s rival (Ben Foster). The kid doesn’t want to be released, but the crooks must decide what to do with him. It’s based on the true story of Jesse James Hollywood, who’s currently awaiting trial for the incident.
Big question: Can this violent saga be handled by Nick Cassavetes, director of the ultraromantic “The Notebook”?
Catch it: Like a real-life “Brick” with more vulnerable criminals, “Alpha Dog” is a throbbing loss-of-innocence story about kids who become too big for their britches and wind up with friends who are as scary as prison. The film’s documentary-esque style of presenting fringe characters as witnesses isn’t a gimmick but a reminder that–as the young thugs should know–you can’t get away with this forever.
Skip it: If you only want to see the brutal side of fresh-faced drug dealers. They actually get high and play video games too!
Bottom line: “Alpha Dog” goes too far in connecting violent video games and rap videos to the motivation of suburban punks. But Cassavetes captures the way people can act differently based on who they’re around, and there’s truth in the movie’s point that when you’re born with protective gloves on, you might not notice when you’re playing with fire.
Bonus: Do you plan on lying about your age when you get older? We suggest that you don’t get a tattoo like Frankie (Timberlake), whose chest permanently declares “Est. 1976.”
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MPAIS@TRIBUNE.COM
