Recently I had the misfortune of watching “Alpha Dog”, based on the true story of a wannabe gangster who kidnaps the younger brother of someone who owes him money. I wasn’t impressed. The casting is questionable to say the least, seeing as the “gangster” was played by Emile Hirche. Now it may just be me, but when I see Emile Hirsch, he doesn’t scream gun wielding, drug taking nutter, but more the nerdy character he played in “The Girl Next Door”, and although he probably doesn’t want to be typecast into being the go to geek guy, that’s what he is, and he should stick to roles that play into his wheelhouse.
Justin Timberlake is, surprisingly, the standout performer in a cast which includes a cameo from Bruce Willis as Hirsch’s father, Ben Foster, and emerging stars Olivia Wilde and Amanda Seyfried. He portrays his character as panic stricken and awkward at the idea of being involved in a kidnapping and the path that it takes him on, often trying to convince Hirsch’s character that they should let their hostage go.
Anton Yelchin also puts in a good performance as the teenager taken hostage, initially being scared, but then growing to enjoy his time spent with older boys. Taken under the wing of Timberlakes character, he gets drunk, stoned and laid, thinking he has made friends with the group. It is this sense of friendship that make the ending a little hard to watch.
All in all I wouldn’t bother watching it again, but I don’t entirely regret the two hours I spent watching it. I just wish it was a bit faster, that Emile Hirsch had not been cast as a tough guy, and that I was made to feel a bit more empathetic towards Yelchin’s character, rather than feeling that he was a bit of a prat for having so many chances to escape his captors, but decides not to as he is having too much fun.
5/10
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