Nick Cassavetes, son of John, one of the greatest of American independent film-makers, is having a hard time living up to his father's standard. But this film, based on the story of white drug dealer Jesse James Hollywood, now awaiting trial, comes as close as he has managed yet.
He shows us a group of young suburbanites, whose parents work and haven't the time to look after them, falling for a life of drugs, parties and gang warfare.
Led by Hollywood (Emile Hirsch) - called Johnny Truelove here, for legal reasons - they are drawn into a situation they can't begin to handle.
A drug debt causes a 15-year-old (Anton Yelchin) to be held hostage by members of the group, and the only safe course seems to be to dispose of him.
At first, the group seem to be play-acting - but then it gets all too real. Justin Timberlake is in the cast - and if you flinch at that, be assured that he gives a surprisingly strong, edgy performance as Hollywood's best pal.
Alpha Dog is admittedly uneven and too long for comfort, awkwardly mixing up documentary and fictional footage. However, its originality lies in the fact that it depicts white middle-class kids on the loose, calling their women bitches and listening endlessly to violent, misogynist and homophobic black rap.
Cassavetes, apparently a worried parent himself, shows surprisingly little sympathy for his subjects, even though he gets holding performances from them. That's a disadvantage.
But the cast - which also includes Bruce Willis, Sharon Stone and Lukas Haas - do everything they can by way of veracity. When this is good, it is very good indeed.
Alpha Dog
Cert: 15
