In this life, our world is filled with grand ideas, great promises, and numerous people and institutions that guarantee to give us it all.

One pill to change your life. One phone call to have the life you’ve always wanted. Five hours a week to have the income you’ve always dreamed of. One step left, two steps right, jump back, jump up, happiness, wealth, beauty, popularity, and contentment. I don’t have to work at all anymore! I have never felt so sexy before in my life! What’s stopping you from having the life you always wanted!

Open Nick Cassavetes’ Alpha Dog. Sunshine, money, handsome men, beautiful woman, drugs, alcohol, big screen televisions, sprawling mansions, crystal swimming pools, and of course the man behind it all…Johnny Truelove. Wealthy southern Californian drug dealer. Kidnapper. Murderer. Fugitive. The friend with it all. The “friend” who demanded it all, ran from it all, and left everyone else to take all the blame.

In Johnny’s world, he is nothing short of a god who provides all of his friends with everything they ever wanted. The problem is, as glamorous as the life he gives them seems, it quickly becomes clear that it comes at price and casts an ugly spell on everyone who follows its magician.

Get me a drink now. Clean my house again. Fix it now. Take care of it now. Bow down, kiss my feet, give me what I deserve…or you’d better watch your back.  

Just watching the face of captive Zack Mazursky during his journey as ransom for an unpaid debt, you see the way the spell takes hold as even he becomes just another one of the gang.

The entranced stare of escape and freedom. The dazed high of chemicals, parties, and women. The confident look of ultimate popularity and invincibility. The relaxed smile of zero responsibility and complete contentment.

But then, for instant, he remembers another world. He is fine just watching TV and relaxing. Going back won’t be that bad. He’ll learn guitar, maybe learn to appreciate his mom a little more. For moment, the spell loses its power, fades in the face a life that just seems a bit more logical. But then, as quickly as it stepped back, the spell explodes all around him and curls its hungry claws into any hope the boy ever had of ever getting away.

I promise. I won’t tell anyone. Just come with us. Please, no. We would hurt you. We’re just taking you home. Ok. Just give me your hands. Please, no. You know we wouldn’t hurt you. Ok….

In many ways, Alpha Dog is as beautifully entrancing as the spell that flows through its story. It is a party that is fun to watch. And in Cassavetes’ hands, the conflicted reality he recreates as the story unfolds to its ugly end is also incredibly engaging.

At the same time, its inability to completely disconnect from an almost teen movie feel makes parts of it absolutely ridiculous. Its position in a privileged world that feels like it should know better is maddening. But more than anything else, Alpha Dog is really just plain sad.

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