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Alpha Dog

387 statements
75 feature instances
21 referencing feature instances

Alpha Dog	type	TVTItem
Alpha Dog	label	Alpha Dog
Alpha Dog	page	AlphaDog
Alpha Dog	comment	Alpha Dog is a 2006 crime drama based on the true story of low-level drug dealer Jesse James Hollywood and his involvement in the kidnapping/murder of Nicholas Markowitz in 2000.It stars Emile Hirsch as Johnny Truelove, an impulsive and cocky Psychopathic Man Child marijuana dealer living in the late '90s Southern California. Johnny, alongside best bud Frankie Ballenbacher (Justin Timberlake), suckup Elvis Schmidt (Shawn Hatosy), and a host of other friends and business associates, spends his day-to-day life partying, getting high, and generally living the hip-hop thug life he idealizes from music, movies, and video games, much to the dismay of Johnny's father and supplier, Sonny (Bruce Willis). Where Johnny goes, the money, the friends, and the girls follow.But when a drug deal goes awry, a friendly meeting in Johnny's house between him and Jake Mazursky (Ben Foster) turns into a violent dispute. Jake owes Johnny $1,200, but Jake won't pay. In their eagerness to get revenge on Jake, Johnny and his friends kidnap his 15-year-old brother Zack (Anton Yelchin).Unfortunately, if there's one thing Johnny really does poorly, it's long-term planning. We see a three-day account of the events that follow as Johnny and Frankie desperately attempt to find a way to resolve the situation peacefully. As it stands, all of them are looking at life in prison. But no one knows what to do with the kid, who seems oblivious to the seriousness of the situation in which he now finds himself.As their lives crumble, Johnny and Frankie realize that every choice has a consequence...
Alpha Dog	fetched	2024-02-13T02:35:57Z
Alpha Dog	parsed	2024-02-13T02:35:57Z
Alpha Dog	processingComment	Dropped link to AdaptationalNameChange: Not a Feature - UNKNOWN
Alpha Dog	processingComment	Dropped link to AnAesop: Not a Feature - IGNORE
Alpha Dog	processingComment	Dropped link to TheNineties: Not a Feature - IGNORE
Alpha Dog	processingUnknown	AdaptationalNameChange
Alpha Dog	isPartOf	DBTropes
Alpha Dog / int_1235f055	type	Dirty Coward
Alpha Dog / int_1235f055	comment	Dirty Coward: Johnny presents himself as a Fake Ultimate Hero, but he hides when Jake breaks into his house despite being armed, refuses to de-escalate the kidnapping because he's afraid of prison, and becomes a Nervous Wreck when the police takes down his gang and has multiple off-screen freak-outs as he gets more paranoid that he will be caught. Elvis gets more confident when given the order to kill Zack, but when the murder is discovered he starts panicking and begging for help.
Alpha Dog / int_1235f055	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_1235f055	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_1235f055
Alpha Dog / int_1616e13	type	Ripped from the Headlines
Alpha Dog / int_1616e13	comment	Ripped from the Headlines: And an extra scene was filmed and added to the end when Jesse James Hollywood (the real-life criminal in which the character of Johnny Truelove is based on) was finally arrested in real life.
Alpha Dog / int_1616e13	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_1616e13	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_1616e13
Alpha Dog / int_171ef47c	type	Not-So-Harmless Villain
Alpha Dog / int_171ef47c	comment	Not-So-Harmless Villain: Elvis is initially a Butt-Monkey forced to do embarrassing and menial tasks for Johnny to work off his debt, but he's the guy who pulls the trigger that ends Zack's life.
Alpha Dog / int_171ef47c	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_171ef47c	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_171ef47c
Alpha Dog / int_17fe1048	type	Naked on Arrival
Alpha Dog / int_17fe1048	comment	Naked on Arrival: Jake's girlfriend is introduced in the movie while the two of them are having sex until they are interrupted by Zack showing up outside of their apartment. This leads to the Naked First Impression as mentioned above.
Alpha Dog / int_17fe1048	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_17fe1048	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_17fe1048
Alpha Dog / int_184e7708	type	Hands-Off Parenting
Alpha Dog / int_184e7708	comment	Essentially all of the major characters are teenagers who party, smoke, drink, and do drugs with their parents either nowhere to be seen or actively encouraging their activity.
Alpha Dog / int_184e7708	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_184e7708	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_184e7708
Alpha Dog / int_22294000	type	Sarcastic Title
Alpha Dog / int_22294000	comment	Sarcastic Title: Johnny Truelove would very much like to be top dog, but he is shown to be an idiot wannabe gangster and Dirty Coward whose spur-of-the-moment kidnapping and later murder of Zack Mazursky was an overreach that puts him and his entire crew in jail.
Alpha Dog / int_22294000	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_22294000	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_22294000
Alpha Dog / int_24321e44	type	Only Sane Man
Alpha Dog / int_24321e44	comment	When the one sane woman tries to talk to her mother about the kidnapping she gets blown off, as her mother is only interested in having drug-fueled sex for her anniversary.
Alpha Dog / int_24321e44	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_24321e44	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_24321e44
Alpha Dog / int_259d5879	type	Anachronism Stew
Alpha Dog / int_259d5879	comment	Anachronism Stew: An Xbox was shown even though the console wasn't widely available until 2001, and the film (based on a crime that occurred in 2000) takes place in late 1999.
Alpha Dog / int_259d5879	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_259d5879	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_259d5879
Alpha Dog / int_267ce120	type	Dirty Old Man
Alpha Dog / int_267ce120	comment	Dirty Old Man: During the scene at the steak house, Johnny's godfather and Sonny's accomplice Cosmo tries to hit on Jake's girlfriend Wanda, much to Sonny's chagrin.
Alpha Dog / int_267ce120	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_267ce120	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_267ce120
Alpha Dog / int_28a5213a	type	Small Name, Big Ego
Alpha Dog / int_28a5213a	comment	Small Name, Big Ego: Johnny Truelove. He slings some weed around and suddenly he thinks he's the king.
Alpha Dog / int_28a5213a	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_28a5213a	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_28a5213a
Alpha Dog / int_2d4fa515	type	Ax-Crazy
Alpha Dog / int_2d4fa515	comment	Ax-Crazy: Elvis becomes more and more grim when the news of who needs to carry out the hit on Zack reaches him.
Alpha Dog / int_2d4fa515	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_2d4fa515	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_2d4fa515
Alpha Dog / int_2f36d97	type	Older Than They Look
Alpha Dog / int_2f36d97	comment	Older Than They Look: Zack is 15 during the events of the story, but, as Julie and Susan point out when they meet him, he looks like he's 12. In a couple scenes, he claims he's 17.
Alpha Dog / int_2f36d97	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_2f36d97	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_2f36d97
Alpha Dog / int_319e4a2f	type	Even Evil Has Standards
Alpha Dog / int_319e4a2f	comment	Even Evil Has Standards: Frankie, Keith, and to an extent Elvis genuinely like Zack and are horrified at Johnny's utter heartlessness (not that it stops them from doing the deed anyway).
Alpha Dog / int_319e4a2f	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_319e4a2f	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_319e4a2f
Alpha Dog / int_33449d14	type	Face Death with Despair
Alpha Dog / int_33449d14	comment	Face Death with Despair: Zack breaks down crying and desperately pleads and begs as they put the tape over his mouth all while Frankie and Keith are in tears.
Alpha Dog / int_33449d14	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_33449d14	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_33449d14
Alpha Dog / int_35a858b3	type	Cluster F-Bomb
Alpha Dog / int_35a858b3	comment	Cluster F-Bomb: This film has one of the highest uses of the word "Fuck" at a staggering 367, or 3.11 uses per minute.
Alpha Dog / int_35a858b3	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_35a858b3	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_35a858b3
Alpha Dog / int_38d12399	type	Teens Are Monsters
Alpha Dog / int_38d12399	comment	Teens Are Monsters: Pretty much every young person is at best an indifferent slacker and at worst a violent sociopath. Not that the adults are any better, mind you.
Alpha Dog / int_38d12399	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_38d12399	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_38d12399
Alpha Dog / int_3923297a	type	PsychopathicManChild
Alpha Dog / int_3923297a	comment	Psychopathic Man Child: Johnny Truelove is an impulsive, shortsighted, criminally dumb wannabe gangster trying to project a "tough guy" image. He kidnaps Zack on a whim, all the while threatening people wherever he goes and doesn't realize how many witnesses he creates because of his own poor planning. He doesn't even keep tabs on the murder he orders while going out with his girlfriend and having fun, and rejects the option his father offers to release Zack and spend minimal jail time even though he has no other plan himself. He remains elusive for so long only because of blind luck.
Alpha Dog / int_3923297a	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_3923297a	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_3923297a
Alpha Dog / int_3d699462	type	Curb-Stomp Battle
Alpha Dog / int_3d699462	comment	Curb-Stomp Battle: Jake and Johnny. And then Jake beats the shit out of an entire party's worth of people.
Alpha Dog / int_3d699462	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_3d699462	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_3d699462
Alpha Dog / int_40bb59d0	type	Blatant Lies
Alpha Dog / int_40bb59d0	comment	Blatant Lies: When Susan confronts Frankie about Zack being dead, Frankie lies through his teeth about not knowing (since he was there at the murder scene), not having anything to do with it, and about dropping him off.
Alpha Dog / int_40bb59d0	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_40bb59d0	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_40bb59d0
Alpha Dog / int_42c186e	type	A Tragedy of Impulsiveness
Alpha Dog / int_42c186e	comment	A Tragedy of Impulsiveness: Things quickly begin to spiral out of control and an impulsive kidnapping leads to a shocking conclusion.
Alpha Dog / int_42c186e	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_42c186e	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_42c186e
Alpha Dog / int_44e06bb6	type	Boisterous Weakling
Alpha Dog / int_44e06bb6	comment	Boisterous Weakling: Johnny acts like and thinks he's a tough guy but is rather hopeless in a fight with no one to back him up. Early in the film, he tries to kill Jake, only for Jake to immediately gain the upper hand and nearly drown Johnny in his own swimming pool.
Alpha Dog / int_44e06bb6	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_44e06bb6	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_44e06bb6
Alpha Dog / int_47fea76b	type	Butt-Monkey
Alpha Dog / int_47fea76b	comment	Butt-Monkey: Elvis, from most of Johnnyâ€™s group. In one scene, they resort to throwing homophobic insults to make fun of his kiss-ass attitudes towards Johnny.
Alpha Dog / int_47fea76b	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_47fea76b	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_47fea76b
Alpha Dog / int_4e3d253b	type	Downer Ending
Alpha Dog / int_4e3d253b	comment	Downer Ending: Zack is killed at the end of his kidnapping and Johnny's gang completely falls apart as a result. If anything, the only real bittersweet element to it is that those directly involved are at least implicated, so it's impossible to feel sorry for most of the other main characters since the rest of them are Asshole Victims at best.
Alpha Dog / int_4e3d253b	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_4e3d253b	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_4e3d253b
Alpha Dog / int_4fb23aa8	type	I Have This Friend
Alpha Dog / int_4fb23aa8	comment	I Have This Friend: Johnny Truelove calls his lawyer and asks what kind of trouble "his friend" is in for kidnapping the little brother of someone who owes him money. He doesn't take the bad news well since he's referring to himself.
Alpha Dog / int_4fb23aa8	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_4fb23aa8	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_4fb23aa8
Alpha Dog / int_537dd8fe	type	Affably Evil
Alpha Dog / int_537dd8fe	comment	Affably Evil: With the exception of Johnny and maybe Elvis, all of the gangsters. This goes a long way to explaining why Zack doesn't want to leave.
Alpha Dog / int_537dd8fe	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_537dd8fe	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_537dd8fe
Alpha Dog / int_55ca8aa	type	The Mob Boss Is Scarier
Alpha Dog / int_55ca8aa	comment	The Mob Boss Is Scarier: Frankie is very reluctant to carry out Johnny's order to murder Zack, but Elvis convinces him they have no choice, saying that if they disobey him, they are risking retaliation from Sonny Truelove, Johnny's father and supplier. Ironically, Sonny is completely against the idea and intervenes to try to stop it, not least because Johnny and his gang are already on the police's radar as prime suspects.
Alpha Dog / int_55ca8aa	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_55ca8aa	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_55ca8aa
Alpha Dog / int_5b9dcd73	type	Empty Promise
Alpha Dog / int_5b9dcd73	comment	Prior to that, Olivia, Zack's mom, tells Jake she'll write a check for whatever he owes to Johnny, but Jake tells her "its not as simple as that" and promises her he'll find Zack.
Alpha Dog / int_5b9dcd73	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_5b9dcd73	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_5b9dcd73
Alpha Dog / int_607d4ada	type	Run for the Border
Alpha Dog / int_607d4ada	comment	Run for the Border: With the cops fast on his heels for his role in Zack's murder, Johnny decides he needs to leave the country, initially planning to go to Canada, then Mexico, but both times he has a Villainous Breakdown off-screen and refuses because of the likelihood that he will be caught. He eventually escapes to Paraguay with help from Sonny and his godfather, where he's arrested 5 years later. (The real Jesse James Hollywood fled to Brazil.)
Alpha Dog / int_607d4ada	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_607d4ada	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_607d4ada
Alpha Dog / int_614a4e11	type	Do You Want to Copulate?
Alpha Dog / int_614a4e11	comment	Do You Want to Copulate?: Holed up in a motel room with nothing else to do, Angela casually asks Johnny if he wants to have sex.
Alpha Dog / int_614a4e11	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_614a4e11	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_614a4e11
Alpha Dog / int_63d861f8	type	Even Evil Has Loved Ones
Alpha Dog / int_63d861f8	comment	Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Most of the wannabe criminals in Truelove's crew have girlfriends or family members they care about. Tiko is even arrested watching television with his entire family when the police break down the door, and Truelove is celebrating his girlfriend's birthday during Zack's murder.
Alpha Dog / int_63d861f8	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_63d861f8	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_63d861f8
Alpha Dog / int_65fcc287	type	Lima Syndrome
Alpha Dog / int_65fcc287	comment	Lima Syndrome: Downplayed and ultimately subverted. Frankie comes to bond with Zack and even quietly offers to let him go free. He also balks at Johnny when he proposes they kill him. When the time to carry out said kill comes, tears are streaming down Frankie's face.
Alpha Dog / int_65fcc287	featureApplicability	-0.3
Alpha Dog / int_65fcc287	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_65fcc287
Alpha Dog / int_6e27397	type	Missed Him by That Much
Alpha Dog / int_6e27397	comment	Missed Him by That Much: The police actually track down Johnny to the motel where he's hiding out with his girlfriend, but he just went out for a pack of smokes when they knock on his door. His girlfriend is arrested for aiding and abetting, but Johnny escapes again, eventually deciding to Run for the Border.
Alpha Dog / int_6e27397	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_6e27397	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_6e27397
Alpha Dog / int_71384f0e	type	Two-Person Pool Party
Alpha Dog / int_71384f0e	comment	Two-Person Pool Party: A three-person pool party, actually. Zack makes out with Julie and Alma in a pool they break into.
Alpha Dog / int_71384f0e	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_71384f0e	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_71384f0e
Alpha Dog / int_735b3587	type	Naked First Impression
Alpha Dog / int_735b3587	comment	Naked First Impression: As Jake lets in his little brother Zack inside his apartment, Jake's girlfriend walks up to them wearing nothing except for a pillow.
Alpha Dog / int_735b3587	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_735b3587	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_735b3587
Alpha Dog / int_7870735b	type	From Bad to Worse
Alpha Dog / int_7870735b	comment	From Bad to Worse: Facing life in prison for kidnapping? Not to worry, just upgrade to homicide and surely it'll all work out.
Alpha Dog / int_7870735b	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_7870735b	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_7870735b
Alpha Dog / int_7cf2f728	type	Boomerang Bigot
Alpha Dog / int_7cf2f728	comment	Boomerang Bigot: Jake Mazursky is a Jew, but he and his girlfriend appear to be Neo-Nazis, with several white supremacy tattoos on their bodies and a Hitler poster decorating his kitchen. Played for laughs more than anything, with her doing a Nazi salute then goose-stepping while wearing a pillow when his (equally Jewish) brother Zack pays them a visit.
Alpha Dog / int_7cf2f728	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_7cf2f728	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_7cf2f728
Alpha Dog / int_86b21114	type	Badass Boast
Alpha Dog / int_86b21114	comment	Badass Boast: Jake gives Johnny a phone conversation he won't soon forget.
Alpha Dog / int_86b21114	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_86b21114	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_86b21114
Alpha Dog / int_898ff050	type	Villain Protagonist
Alpha Dog / int_898ff050	comment	Villain Protagonist: Johhny and his friends are the main characters, as well as drug dealing screw-ups who kidnap a teenage boy. Eventually, they kill him.
Alpha Dog / int_898ff050	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_898ff050	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_898ff050
Alpha Dog / int_8ed5c6e4	type	Asshole Victim
Alpha Dog / int_8ed5c6e4	comment	Asshole Victim: Somewhat applies to Elvis once he realizes how much trouble he is in. He tries to beg Pick for help but Pick refuses to help him since he used his mom's car to drive to the area that he would be excecuting Zack at. Soon enough, Elvis is then cornered and arrested shortly after and is sentenced to Death Row. Given that he showed no mercy in killing Zack it's hard to feel sorry for him.
Alpha Dog / int_8ed5c6e4	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_8ed5c6e4	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_8ed5c6e4
Alpha Dog / int_90e31482	type	Laser-Guided Karma
Alpha Dog / int_90e31482	comment	Laser-Guided Karma: After the murder is discovered, Johnny Truelove becomes a wanted man and goes on the run and flees with his girlfriend as far as Albuquerque. Once there, he realizes he is not safe anywhere and flees the hotel he is hiding at as soon as he sees his girlfriend being arrested and gets an old friend to drive him back to California where he isn't seen after that. 5 years later, Johnny is finally caught and arrested in Paraguay and knowing the real life case, is sentenced to life in prison without parole. Same can pretty much also apply to Tiko, Keith, Elvis, and Frankie when they get arrested.
Alpha Dog / int_90e31482	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_90e31482	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_90e31482
Alpha Dog / int_93dc4e37	type	Villain of Another Story
Alpha Dog / int_93dc4e37	comment	Villain of Another Story: Johny's godfather Cosmo (Harry Dean Stanton). The real person he's based on, Jon Roberts, was an associate of the Medellin Cartel. Although there are hints to his criminal past, in this film he just functions as an old friend and confidante of the Truelove family. He also helps Johnny escape to Paraguay.
Alpha Dog / int_93dc4e37	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_93dc4e37	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_93dc4e37
Alpha Dog / int_957e5fc2	type	Villainous Breakdown
Alpha Dog / int_957e5fc2	comment	Villainous Breakdown: Johnny has an offscreen one at the Mexican border and Elvis has one when he realizes how much shit he is in.
Alpha Dog / int_957e5fc2	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_957e5fc2	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_957e5fc2
Alpha Dog / int_9a6990	type	Skinny Dipping
Alpha Dog / int_9a6990	comment	Skinny Dipping: Alma (Amber Heard) and Julie (Amanda Seyfried) do this in a swimming pool, and encourage Zack to join them.
Alpha Dog / int_9a6990	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_9a6990	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_9a6990
Alpha Dog / int_9b06e314	type	Greater-Scope Villain
Alpha Dog / int_9b06e314	comment	Greater-Scope Villain: Sonny raised Johnny to be a drug dealer and acts as his supplier in the present. While he is strongly opposed to the gang's kidnapping of Zack when he eventually finds out about it, he did facilitate Johnny's criminal career and set the stage for those events to happen.
Alpha Dog / int_9b06e314	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_9b06e314	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_9b06e314
Alpha Dog / int_9e943076	type	One-Man Army
Alpha Dog / int_9e943076	comment	One-Man Army: As screwed up as Jake Mazursky's life is, he's a very brutal fighter. As soon as he finds out his brother has been kidnapped by Johnny Truelove, he bursts into a house party regularly frequented by Truelove, and when the party-goers get hostile at his confrontational tone, he beats up half the room.
Alpha Dog / int_9e943076	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_9e943076	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_9e943076
Alpha Dog / int_a0bb0b37	type	Knight Templar Big Brother
Alpha Dog / int_a0bb0b37	comment	Knight Templar Big Brother: When Jake learns that Johnny has kidnapped his little brother to get back at Jake, he promises his estranged stepmom that he will do anything to get Zack back. Jake immediately goes on a rampage, crashes a local house party held by some of Truelove's friends by beating up half the people in the room and when Truelove calls him up, Jake threatens Truelove with enacting brutal and painful vengeance unless he releases Zack. Deconstructed, however, in that this doesn't help Zack's return at all and just prompts Truelove to relocate with his little brother.
Alpha Dog / int_a0bb0b37	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_a0bb0b37	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_a0bb0b37
Alpha Dog / int_a1d48853	type	Stupid Crooks
Alpha Dog / int_a1d48853	comment	Stupid Crooks: Kidnapping a 15-year old boy in broad daylight over a feud with his brother is stupid enough, but anyone in Johnny's gang thinking murdering Zack would alleviate their situation and that they wouldn't get caught and eventually receive capital punishment for it is truly deserving of a Darwin Award. This is especially open-and-shut considering there are 38 witnesses to this. Johnny is actually given an offer by his lawyer to possibly serve minimum jail time to return Zack safely and plead guilty, but chooses not to simply for not wanting to do any jail time at all. Even dumber for Johnny, his father (and likely the other family and maybe their lawyer) knows Johnny ordered Zack killed, and his father pleads with him to call off the hit. Johnny refuses, claiming that Zack is probably already free because his gang are just a bunch of fuck ups. He seems to literally be putting faith in his criminal partners being idiots.
Alpha Dog / int_a1d48853	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_a1d48853	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_a1d48853
Alpha Dog / int_a4c37cbe	type	Mood Whiplash
Alpha Dog / int_a4c37cbe	comment	Mood Whiplash: Zack is having the time of his life up until it comes time for Johnny and Frankie to do something about him...
Alpha Dog / int_a4c37cbe	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_a4c37cbe	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_a4c37cbe
Alpha Dog / int_a54534a0	type	Parental Neglect
Alpha Dog / int_a54534a0	comment	Parental Neglect: Zack's overbearing mother accuses his father of being too hands-off with Zack, and states that that parenting style is the reason Jake turned out the way he did. When the one sane woman tries to talk to her mother about the kidnapping she gets blown off, as her mother is only interested in having drug-fueled sex for her anniversary. Essentially all of the major characters are teenagers who party, smoke, drink, and do drugs with their parents either nowhere to be seen or actively encouraging their activity.
Alpha Dog / int_a54534a0	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_a54534a0	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_a54534a0
Alpha Dog / int_a70223	type	Karma Houdini
Alpha Dog / int_a70223	comment	Karma Houdini: Subverted. Johnny looks like he has escaped capture for his crimes until an epilogue informs us that he was captured and faces the death penalty if found guilty (See Ripped from the Headlines below.) Assuming what happened to the Real Life criminals also applied to their film counterparts, this would mean that Frankie would be paroled in 2013 and that Truelove never got the death penalty but is still serving life without parole. So this ultimately may be in effect.
Alpha Dog / int_a70223	featureApplicability	-0.3
Alpha Dog / int_a70223	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_a70223
Alpha Dog / int_a8559a9f	type	RealLife
Alpha Dog / int_a8559a9f	comment	Assuming what happened to the Real Life criminals also applied to their film counterparts, this would mean that Frankie would be paroled in 2013 and that Truelove never got the death penalty but is still serving life without parole. So this ultimately may be in effect.
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Alpha Dog / int_a8559a9f	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_a8559a9f
Alpha Dog / int_a90fff3	type	Based on a True Story
Alpha Dog / int_a90fff3	comment	Based on a True Story: Oh God, yes it was. The victim's mother Susan Markowitz (fictionalized in the film as Olivia Mazursky) wrote in a book published after the film's release that 90% of it was true.
Alpha Dog / int_a90fff3	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_a90fff3	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_a90fff3
Alpha Dog / int_aabe2fb	type	Deliberate Values Dissonance
Alpha Dog / int_aabe2fb	comment	Deliberate Values Dissonance: As mentioned in Damn, It Feels Good to Be a Gangster! above, the film goes out of its way to show how foolish it is to emulate the lifestyle of a drug-dealing street gangster.
Alpha Dog / int_aabe2fb	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_aabe2fb	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_aabe2fb
Alpha Dog / int_acecb17d	type	Chekhov's Skill
Alpha Dog / int_acecb17d	comment	Chekhov's Skill: Averted. Zack's Tae Kwon Do skills are displayed in a throwaway scene yet they have no practical application as Zack is led to his death.
Alpha Dog / int_acecb17d	featureApplicability	-1.0
Alpha Dog / int_acecb17d	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_acecb17d
Alpha Dog / int_ad3e13c5	type	The Loins Sleep Tonight
Alpha Dog / int_ad3e13c5	comment	The Loins Sleep Tonight: If you can't get it up with Olivia Wilde, you are far more stressed out than you'd like to admit.
Alpha Dog / int_ad3e13c5	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_ad3e13c5	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_ad3e13c5
Alpha Dog / int_add931af	type	I Choose to Stay
Alpha Dog / int_add931af	comment	At one point, Frankie actually offers Zack a chance to be free from his captivity and go home, but Zack, not wanting to exacerbate the situation for his brother, chooses to stay ultimately sealing his fate a couple of days later. Prior to that, Olivia, Zack's mom, tells Jake she'll write a check for whatever he owes to Johnny, but Jake tells her "its not as simple as that" and promises her he'll find Zack.
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Alpha Dog / int_add931af	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_add931af
Alpha Dog / int_b58b4e3c	type	Too Dumb to Live
Alpha Dog / int_b58b4e3c	comment	Too Dumb to Live: Zack taking his own kidnapping so lightly no doubt contributed to his death. While he's still a teenager, he's old enough to comprehend the gravity of the situation.
Alpha Dog / int_b58b4e3c	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_b58b4e3c	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_b58b4e3c
Alpha Dog / int_b58c51d8	type	My Beloved Smother
Alpha Dog / int_b58c51d8	comment	Zack's overbearing mother accuses his father of being too hands-off with Zack, and states that that parenting style is the reason Jake turned out the way he did.
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Alpha Dog / int_b58c51d8	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_b58c51d8
Alpha Dog / int_b707726f	type	Hypocritical Humor
Alpha Dog / int_b707726f	comment	Hypocritical Humor: The guys make fun of a rap group for being posers, stating "The only thing these guys are 'shooting' is music videos," even though they act exactly like them.
Alpha Dog / int_b707726f	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_b707726f	featureConfidence	1.0
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Alpha Dog / int_b77808f2	type	"Where Are They Now?" Epilogue
Alpha Dog / int_b77808f2	comment	"Where Are They Now?" Epilogue: The legal consequences to the individual members of Truelove/Hollywood's crew as a result of the kidnapping and murder of Zack Mazursky/Nick Markowitz are shown at the end. Tiko Martinez/William Skidmore gets 9 years for taking part in the initial kidnapping, Keith Stratten/Graham Pressley is convicted of Murder 2 and detained until 25, Frankie Ballenbacher/Jesse Rugge gets life imprisonment for aggravated kidnapping, and Elvis Schmidt/Ryan Hoyt is on death row for Murder 1. Johnny Truelove/Jesse James Hollywood himself initially escaped the country, but was finally apprehended after eluding the authorities for five years and if convicted, faces the death penalty.
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Alpha Dog / int_bb18a227	type	It's All About Me
Alpha Dog / int_bb18a227	comment	Johnny Truelove, while not an entirely bad guy, is thoroughly unlikeable. He only puts any real thought into his job when he calls his lawyer about his own ass on the line that he shamelessly tries to cover throughout the film, and repeatedly shows himself to be a liability, smarmily in denial of that fact.
Alpha Dog / int_bb18a227	featureApplicability	1.0
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Alpha Dog / int_bc74ef27	type	Berserk Button
Alpha Dog / int_bc74ef27	comment	Berserk Button: Making fun of Johnny's height is a very good way to drastically reduce your life expectancy.
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Alpha Dog / int_c3c18143	type	Hope Spot
Alpha Dog / int_c3c18143	comment	Hope Spot: Quite a few actually making the ending all the more heart-wrenching. At one point, Frankie actually offers Zack a chance to be free from his captivity and go home, but Zack, not wanting to exacerbate the situation for his brother, chooses to stay ultimately sealing his fate a couple of days later. Prior to that, Olivia, Zack's mom, tells Jake she'll write a check for whatever he owes to Johnny, but Jake tells her "its not as simple as that" and promises her he'll find Zack. Johnny is told he'd possibly get a light sentence of two years (as opposed to 25-to-life imprisonment) by his lawyer and his dad if he turns himself in and calls off the hit on Zack. They came really close to making him do it, but Johnny resists and Zack is murdered.
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Alpha Dog / int_c5249b29	type	Nice Guy
Alpha Dog / int_c5249b29	comment	Nice Guy: Zack, despite embracing the lifestyle, cares very much for his friends and is more than willing to accept blame for other people's mistakes. Frankie is something of an example as his behavior seems mostly influenced by those around him. He is a dick around Johnny but much nicer around others.
Alpha Dog / int_c5249b29	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_c5249b29	featureConfidence	1.0
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Alpha Dog / int_c868a42a	type	Freudian Excuse
Alpha Dog / int_c868a42a	comment	Freudian Excuse: The film shows the parents being every bit as indulgent and hedonistic as their children or at the very least unconcerned about the lifestyle they embrace. Sonny, for instance, pretty much raised Johnny to be a dealer and yet takes no responsibility for his part in the crimes committed by his son. Zack's parents, in contrast, are overprotective and rule every part of his life, pushing him towards the other end. In fact, there doesn't seem to be any good parental figures.
Alpha Dog / int_c868a42a	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_c868a42a	featureConfidence	1.0
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Alpha Dog / int_cde51255	type	Antagonist Title
Alpha Dog / int_cde51255	comment	Antagonist Title: The title refers to the kidnapping's ringleader Johnny Truelove, or really what he imagines himself to be.
Alpha Dog / int_cde51255	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_cde51255	featureConfidence	1.0
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Alpha Dog / int_cde51255
Alpha Dog / int_da3043c5	type	Fake Ultimate Hero
Alpha Dog / int_da3043c5	comment	Fake Ultimate Hero: Johnny likes to make himself out to be a tough resourceful leader. But in reality, he is cowardly, short-tempered, and deeply stupid, rarely thinking of the consequences of his actions.
Alpha Dog / int_da3043c5	featureApplicability	1.0
Alpha Dog / int_da3043c5	featureConfidence	1.0
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Alpha Dog / int_dca97045	type	Just Following Orders
Alpha Dog / int_dca97045	comment	Elvis, though initially Just Following Orders, firmly becomes one after his desire to kill Zack sinks in, becoming demanding and unhinged.
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Alpha Dog / int_dde43ab	type	Tattooed Crook
Alpha Dog / int_dde43ab	comment	Tattooed Crook: Almost everyone sports a lot of ink, but Frankie and Jake really stand out.
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Alpha Dog / int_de7b7cbf	type	Drugs Are Bad
Alpha Dog / int_de7b7cbf	comment	Drugs Are Bad: This movie did a pretty good job of hammering the point home.
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Alpha Dog / int_de7b7cbf	featureConfidence	1.0
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Alpha Dog / int_e34400ab	type	Ambiguously Gay
Alpha Dog / int_e34400ab	comment	Ambiguously Gay: There's a scene where the gang makes fun of Elvis, saying he's in love with Johnny. He eventually denies it, but his body language and mannerisms imply that there might be some truth to it.
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Alpha Dog / int_e5fd8bc2	type	Hate Sink
Alpha Dog / int_e5fd8bc2	comment	Hate Sink: Johnny is a rare example of the main character being this, being the most unlikable of the main characters by far. While not a completely bad person, he's arrogant, violent, rude, abusive, manipulative, and, oh yeah, he organized the murder of a 15-year-old boy over $1,200. When he gets arrested at the end of the movie and has the possibility of getting the death penalty if found guilty, you're not gonna feel sorry for him.
Alpha Dog / int_e5fd8bc2	featureApplicability	1.0
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Alpha Dog / int_eb8ec7c8	type	Jerkass
Alpha Dog / int_eb8ec7c8	comment	Jerkass: Where to start? Johnny Truelove, while not an entirely bad guy, is thoroughly unlikeable. He only puts any real thought into his job when he calls his lawyer about his own ass on the line that he shamelessly tries to cover throughout the film, and repeatedly shows himself to be a liability, smarmily in denial of that fact. Elvis, though initially Just Following Orders, firmly becomes one after his desire to kill Zack sinks in, becoming demanding and unhinged.
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Alpha Dog / int_ecc8b108	type	Damn, It Feels Good to Be a Gangster!
Alpha Dog / int_ecc8b108	comment	Damn, It Feels Good to Be a Gangster!: An extreme aversion. Right from the start of the film, it's very clear that Johnny and his gang are a bunch of loser assholes that only an idiot would want to emulate, though Zack himself admires them and grows to enjoy his "kidnapping." Just to drive the point home further, Johnny's gang eventually murders Zack, making him Too Dumb to Live.
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The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

Alpha Dog	hasFeature	A Tragedy of Impulsiveness / int_d0733878
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Antagonist Title / int_d0733878
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Boisterous Weakling / int_d0733878
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Boomerang Bigot / int_d0733878
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Damn, It Feels Good to Be a Gangster! / int_d0733878
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Dueling Dubs / int_d0733878
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Knight Templar Big Brother / int_d0733878
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Missed Him by That Much / int_d0733878
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Not-So-Harmless Villain / int_d0733878
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Pooping Where You Shouldn't / int_d0733878
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Present-Day Past / int_d0733878
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Run for the Border / int_d0733878
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Sarcastic Title / int_d0733878
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Skinny Dipping / int_d0733878
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Stupid Crooks / int_d0733878
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Tattooed Crook / int_d0733878
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	The Loins Sleep Tonight / int_d0733878
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	The Mob Boss Is Scarier / int_d0733878
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Two-Person Pool Party / int_d0733878
Alpha Dog	hasFeature	Villain of Another Story / int_d0733878
Alpha Dog	seeAlso	Alpha Dog

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