As the boy in the middle of the crisis, Anton Yelchin delivers the standout performance of the movie. His gradual discovery that these people actually aren’t his friends results in a powerful finale, made even more powerful by Yelchin‘s empathetic acting.

Like Larry Clark’s Bully, it’s one of those films where criminal acts are dealt with in an arbitrary manner but at the climax, it finally hits us. The climax here is uncomfortably tense and brutal and ultimately gives the film a resonance it had previously not even come close to. Unlike Bully, it’s an infinitely more accessible film and will not disappoint the hordes of teens who will go to see it based on their familiarity for Justin Timberlake.

What they may struggle with however is a sense of empathy. In She’s All That I’m sure many ‘beautiful girls with glasses’ were able to relate but it’s unlikely many modern kids are involved with kidnapping. But like I said, I’m getting old so who knows, maybe I’m out of touch?

Alpha Dog is a solidly entertaining movie that has its flaws but remains nothing less than watchable. It aims for more but in the end you realize it’s just a teen movie, a teen movie with pretensions. And in a time where all teen movies are based around either Lindsay Lohan and/or a convoluted bet, pretensions are duly welcomed.

Movie Grade: B-

Synopsis:

Inspired by actual events, Alpha Dog revolves around a mid-level drug dealer from the San Gabriel Valley whose thirst for power led him to become, at 19, the youngest man ever to appear on the FBI's Most Wanted list. Emile Hirsch stars as teenage suburban drug dealer Johnny Truelove, an ambitious young man whose lifestyle is a mecca for guns, sex and drugs. When a "client" cheats Johnny and a deal goes bad, he devises a plan to get his money back by kidnapping the client's younger brother - but it's not a typical kidnapping when it turns out that everyone knows and likes the kid. So what now? Things take an unexpected twist as Johnny and his crew get caught up in the dangerous and violent world they once idealized. Featuring a strong ensemble cast that includes Hirsch, Justin Timberlake, Bruce Willis, Sharon Stone, Ben Foster, Shawn Hatosy and Anton Yelchin, Alpha Dog is written and directed by Nick Cassavetes (The Notebook, John Q).