Stumbled across the movie Alpha Dog last night, which features Justin Timberlake, Bruce Willis, and Emile Hirsch.  The movie was alright — lots of potential, but definitely didn’t deliver.  The plot was there, but the ending just leaves you saying, “what the fuck!” and certainly not in the good “what the fuck!” way.  The acting was nothing special, as well.  In specific, Justin Timberlake’s performance was average, I suppose.  At time, he was brilliant, and at other times, you could tell he was trying too hard.

The first half of the movie was very entertaining — it certainly started in the right direction.  It had plenty of character introductions, and developments, and it was perfect setting up the plot lines.  The characters are all very likable and believable; suburban America and drugs.  The first half sets the perfect mood, and gives you a feeling that this isn’t just some massed produced cliche Hollywood movie.

But then the world comes crumbling down.  Somewhere half way through the movie, the ball got dropped.  I suppose the producers hit X minutes into the movie and said to themselves, “holy shit, how do we wrap all of this up in Y minutes!”  The second half is jumbled, and all over the place.  It mainly features Justin Timberlake and the kidnapped teenager,  Alec Vigil, socializing and becoming good friends.  However, by the end of the movie, it’s not about Justin Timberlake, but instead about the mastermind behind the kidnapping — which is fine, since the this was the original plot.  But, the mastermind was rarely in the second half of the movie except for a few scenes where he’s out partying and or worrying about going to jail.

Justin makes his last appearance about 15 minutes before the movie ended when he tells a girl he had no part in the murder.  Then, you never see him again.  All you get is a brief text message on the screen telling of his fate.  Justin’s role was a huge part of the movie, and the people behind the movie tore it to pieces.

Now I feel like I’m all over the place with this post, too.  Great.  But things are coming to me more now.

The teenager who was kidnapped had an older brother (he was the reason why the boy was kidnapped in the first place).  In the first half, the older brother goes ape-shit — telling everyone and anyone that he’ll go after his brother’s kidnappers and seek revenge.  However, get this — he’s not in the second half of the movie.  He plays no role in saving his brother, or trying to save his brother.  All I’m left with is wondering that the producers just cut his scenes out?  But still, he played such a large part in the first half.

Again, this movie had much potential, and it totally killed itself in the second half.  Is it worth seeing?  Eh, possibly, maybe if it’s on tv and you have nothing else to do.  My rating?  2 out of 5 possible stars.