Alpha Dog

Name: Alpha Dog
Genre: Drama, Crime
Released: January 12, 2007
Duration: 122 min
Rating: 53
Cast: Emile Hirsch, Justin Timberlake

2007

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 30 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 115 Ratings

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6.2

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6.2	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 115 Ratings

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Alpha Dog

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Movie Details & Credits

Universal Pictures | Release Date: January 12, 2007 | R

Starring: Emile Hirsch, Justin Timberlake

Summary: Versatile filmmaker Nick Cassavetes directs an impressive group of both young and veteran performers in Alpha Dog, inspired by actual events, a film that follows three fateful days when the lives of a group of Southern California teens suddenly dead-ended. (Universal)

Director: Nick Cassavetes

Genre(s): Drama, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 122 min

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Critic Reviews

Scott Foundas

In his best film to date, Nick Cassavetes directs with ferocious energy, taking scenes past their logical stopping points and pushing his actors (particularly Foster, who can be as terrifying as Edward Norton in "American History X") to, but never over, the precipice of absurdity. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Ken Fox

Cassavetes' instincts are spot-on, particularly when it comes to casting Timberlake in what turns out to be the most important role in the film. He manages to be both reprehensible and deeply charismatic, and winds up stealing the picture. Read full review

Robert Wilonsky

If nothing else, Alpha Dog's worth a look for the performance of Justin Timberlake, the moral center of a movie sorely in need of some conscience. Already a gifted comic actor--his Saturday Night Live appearances are now anticipated events--he proves himself able to go to a pitch-black place. Read full review

Sean Axmaker

For all of the credibility of the performances (or at least the teens), it all feels like recycled social commentary. Read full review

Lisa Schwarzbaum

Cassavetes throws in everything he can recycle to grab a core-demo viewer -- slutty teens making out, blaring rock music, guns, split screens. Read full review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Apart from the grim forebodings of tragedy, writer-director Nick Cassavetes seems to have modeled this ambitious docudrama on Larry Clark's kiddie-porn shockers, but he doesn't know what to leave out, and the movie becomes excessively complicated with ancillary agendas. Read full review

Lawrence Toppman

Its main feature is incessant, unimaginative profanity...Take out the cursing, and you're left with a plebeian drama about angry, aimless potheads, sloppily directed by the man who wrote it. Read full review

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User Reviews

Habibiehakim

Oct 14, 2021

Alpha Dog is a lesson, it's an open minded, it's a movie that dragling, added with an amazing performance by all the cast, Alpha Dog was a horrible true story, stupid but realistic and it's amazing.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Stpehanie

Jan 13, 2007

I thought this movie was very good. I liked everything about it, to the actors, to the drama, everything. This movie was very mind catching, and really hit me at the end. It was a very sad story and I'm glad someone smart made the movie.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

KathiS.

Jan 8, 2008

As a 47-year-old woman with a 53-year-old husband we did not expect to love this movie. We did, though. Timberlake was great but I thought the rest of the cast was, too. I don't kn ow why it received all the bad reviews. Was it really just the cursing. Big deal. I know it was As a 47-year-old woman with a 53-year-old husband we did not expect to love this movie. We did, though. Timberlake was great but I thought the rest of the cast was, too. I don't kn ow why it received all the bad reviews. Was it really just the cursing. Big deal. I know it was disturbing but real life often is. We loved the movie and plan on buying the DVD.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

grandpajoe6191

Sep 25, 2011

The movie's cast is seriously spoiled. But despite these obstacles, "Alpha Dog" does a pretty good job maneuvering itself chronologically till the end.

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

ChristopherW.

May 6, 2007

Anton Yelchin and Justin Timberlake provide the way inside this film. Virtually every character in 'Alpha Dog' is despicable and unsympathetic, but there is something emotionally honest and somewhat purposeful that develops out of the most unlikely of friendships between Yelchin Anton Yelchin and Justin Timberlake provide the way inside this film. Virtually every character in 'Alpha Dog' is despicable and unsympathetic, but there is something emotionally honest and somewhat purposeful that develops out of the most unlikely of friendships between Yelchin and Timberlake. I really think Timberlake played his cards right in this one. If not for this pairing, the film would have remained utterly bereft of focus and empathy. Despite its many artistic flaws, the tragic ending does indeed seem, well, tragic...and emerges as the heart piece in this cold depressing film.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

SaraG.

May 8, 2007

I couldn't decide if I should laugh or cry, the whole thing was really confusing...They really should've picked a genre and stuck with it, also it was shocking to find that it was based on actual events. Not very believable.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

GregH.

Jan 12, 2007

Justin Timberlake single-handedly brought this movie down. Sounds like a pre-pubescent little boy acting like a gangsta.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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