Movie Mobsters

Rated R for pervasive drug use and language, strong violence, sexuality and nudity.

117 Minutes

Written and Directed By: Nick Cassavettes

A young boy in the suburbs of LA is abducted by local drug dealers as ransom for his older brother who owes them a whopping $1200.  Along the way it becomes clear these rookie criminals don’t know what their doing, and it becomes a dangerous road of whether their fear or common sense will prevail.

There was no way I imagined this would be a good movie.  With no question the film had it’s issues, but in general I found myself enjoying it’s over the top drama.  This sensationalized story inspired by true events was much more than it promised in it’s previews.  Ten minutes into the film it’s apparent there will be no Oscar performances and the story is going to cross into the land of fiction more often than not, but what is offered onscreen in those first few minutes is enough intrigue about the character’s and the promise of a story that will keep you entertained if not intellectually sustained. 

The obvious holes in the story, and ignorance of it’s main character’s to their situation that leads to the finale don’t necessarily add up in a way that makes sense for any of the character arcs or the climax in general, and that’s where the film lacked the most.  Suspension of disbelief only works if there is a remotely logical answer to the viewers questions and Alpha Dog ignored that at times.  It was certainly melodramatic and could have done without the last fifteen minutes.  It’s definitely on the softer side and often it fails simply because it tries to come off more abrasive than it truly is.

However, some of the twists and conflicts the story and character’s take begins to give the tale a bit more substance and suddenly it seems like Alpha Dog might actually be about more than young attractive actors glamming the silver screen up.  What the film did was demand some respect, and attention from it’s viewer, and in general was a successful story that worked.

Where the film lacked in structure and general direction it made up for with a charismatic cast that often preoccupied the audiences mind and saved it from thinking too much.  Hirsch was downright believable and kept his sidekick played by Timberlake grounded.  The touching emotional scenes Timberlake was brilliant and natural.  It was the in between moments that he felt awkward, but with some training and practice it’s something he can get past.  Ben Foster is overwhelming in whatever he does, but it felt like Cassavettes literally took away the reins and let him go bonkers.  At times I felt like he was trying to be too Ed Norton in American History X, but his twisted high pitched interpretation mostly made it his own.  His behavior didn’t always make sense with the story, but it kept you entertained.  Anton Yelchin was so sweet and adorable, I’d want to keep him as a pet too.  By the end of the film he had me honestly concerned about him and his well being.  The supporting ladies, including a small role by Sharon Stone, were great supporters, but there were so many and they all looked like carbon copies on one another.  So much so, that I began to confuse them at points.  Shawn Hatosy is a seasoned actor, and his veteran skills showed next to Timberlake again providing a strong counterpart to play off of.  In the end each others weaknesses were upheld by each others strengths, and that’s good directing.
Ratings and Suggestions

With an attractive and charming cast this film will no doubt appeal to the teen crowd, but it does have something to offer an older, smarter audience as well.  There is nothing profound about Alpha Dog, but it entails an engaging story about glamorous rich kids who do something very bad, and the choices they make thereafter.  The performances are fun, and entertainment value on point.  Alpha Dog was definitely more than it should have been, and is certainly worth checking out.  Two and a half stars out of Four.