Year Of Release: 2007 Rotten Tomatoes Score: 55% Powerful, realistic, shocking, and a criminally underrated crime drama, Alpha Dog might be the most overlooked film thats based on a true story. Despite many of the actual names and locations being changed for the movie, Alpha Dog still remains mostly factual to the tragic story of a ransom related homicide that took place in Southern California during the summer of 2000. The crime involved a group of young and privileged drug dealers that are in over their heads after they kidnap an acquaintances 15-year-old brother. What Alpha Dog does most effectively is provide an overlooked glimpse of Americas troubled youth and how drugs, sex, and guns can often lead to dire consequences. The mature content and troubling dialogue is meant to be an accurate interpretation of the real life individuals that lived out this lifestyle and its also meant to leave the viewer shaken and uncomfortable. Alpha Dog is also Justin Timberlakes acting debut, and while he did give a great first performance, the film deserves to be remembered for much more that just that.
