The cast of Alpha Dog has a lot of heavyweights, some of whom where already major-League actors and celebrities at the time of it's creation. Some of them have meanwhile arrived there, so if you're watching it for the first time, you'll probably see a lot of actors you've seen elsewhere.
However, i've heard almost nothing about Alpha Dog which led me to the believe that it is another movie you rent on DVD and fast-forward through it or do something else as it's playing. Well, i was wrong.
The whole cast delivers an excellent performance. The banality of acts committed by the characters is at times frightening. I kept asking myself what led the hostage to act so meek toward his kidnappers. Was it his age and the fact that his parents kept him isolated from the realities of life? They surely wanted the best for their kid but, as any teenager, he got bored of that. Partying, drinking, smoking pot and meeting girls must have been much more appealing that writing homework, even if he was initially taken there against his will.
Beware, Alpha Dog is heartbreaking at times.
EDIT
It is seldom that i think of a movie as much as i've reminisced about Alpha Dog. There are several reasons for that. One is the tragic true story of a harmless young man punished by idiots for no reason whatsoever.
The other is the gallery of characters we meet in the movie: Nazi-Jews (sic), stoned teenagers and an occasional careless parent. One mother stuck in my memory, boosting her wedding anniversary by ecstasy.
The final is again the performance of the cast. Even Justin Timberlake blew away my skepticism about his abilities as actor.
However, i've heard almost nothing about Alpha Dog which led me to the believe that it is another movie you rent on DVD and fast-forward through it or do something else as it's playing. Well, i was wrong.
The whole cast delivers an excellent performance. The banality of acts committed by the characters is at times frightening. I kept asking myself what led the hostage to act so meek toward his kidnappers. Was it his age and the fact that his parents kept him isolated from the realities of life? They surely wanted the best for their kid but, as any teenager, he got bored of that. Partying, drinking, smoking pot and meeting girls must have been much more appealing that writing homework, even if he was initially taken there against his will.
Beware, Alpha Dog is heartbreaking at times.
EDIT
It is seldom that i think of a movie as much as i've reminisced about Alpha Dog. There are several reasons for that. One is the tragic true story of a harmless young man punished by idiots for no reason whatsoever.
The other is the gallery of characters we meet in the movie: Nazi-Jews (sic), stoned teenagers and an occasional careless parent. One mother stuck in my memory, boosting her wedding anniversary by ecstasy.
The final is again the performance of the cast. Even Justin Timberlake blew away my skepticism about his abilities as actor.