Alpha Dog

Alpha Dog is a 2006 American crime drama film written and directed by Nick Cassavetes. It is based on the true story of the kidnapping and murder of Nicholas Markowitz in 2000. The film features an ensemble cast that includes Ben Foster, Shawn Hatosy, Emile Hirsch, Christopher Marquette, Sharon Stone, Justin Timberlake, Anton Yelchin, and Bruce Willis.

Alpha Dog had its world premiere at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival on January 27, 2006, and was released in the United States on January 12, 2007, by Universal Pictures. The film received mixed reviews and was a minor box office success, grossing $32 million worldwide on a budget of $9.5 million.

Plot
In 1999, Johnny Truelove works as a young drug dealer while making a living in the San Gabriel Valley.

Johnny's father, Sonny, supplies him with marijuana, which he distributes with his gang of friends: Frankie Ballenbacher, Johnny's right-hand man and best friend; Tiko Martinez, the group's muscle; Elvis Schmidt, who is ridiculed for being in debt to Johnny; and Jake Mazursky, a local Neo-Nazi drug addict also in debt with Johnny. Jake attempts to borrow money from his father, Butch, and stepmother, Olivia, while his younger half-brother Zack looks up to him and longs to escape his home life.

A fight breaks out when Jake tries to pay Johnny only part of his debt, leading Johnny to get him fired from his telemarketing job by ratting on him to his boss that Jake is on drugs, and Jake to retaliate by breaking into and trashing Johnny's house with a couple of his friends. Johnny brings Frankie and Tiko to confront Jake, but he is nowhere to be found. Spotting Zack on the side of a road, the gang impulsively kidnaps him, planning to hold him until Jake pays up, and drive to Palm Springs. Frankie is left to watch Zack while Johnny and Tiko return to San Gabriel for prior commitments. That night, while attending a street fiesta, Frankie offers Zack a chance to leave, but he declines, wanting a break from home and not wanting to cause more problems for Jake, and the two strike up an unlikely friendship.

Staying at the house of Frankie's father, Juergen, Zack meets Frankie's friends Keith Stratten, Julie Beckley (with whom he falls in love with), Sabrina Pope (Frankie's girlfriend), and Susan Hartunian, the only one concerned about his abduction. Johnny comes over and contemplates with Frankie on what to do. Frankie suggests that they pay Zack to keep quiet about the kidnapping and send him home, to which Johnny agrees. However, after a threatening phone-call from Jake and learning from his lawyer that he could face life in prison for his actions, Johnny goes to Elvis and offers to cancel his debt if he kills Zack, handing him a submachine gun before going out with his girlfriend, Angela Holden, to celebrate her birthday. Believing Zack will be returning home that night, Frankie and his friends throw a raucous party at a hotel, during which Zack goes skinny dipping with Julie and her friend Alma, leading to a threesome wherein he loses his virginity.

Julie, Alma, Susan, and Sabrina all happily say goodbye to Zack and leave. A little while later, Elvis arrives and argues with Frankie over Johnny's plan to kill Zack. While Frankie runs off, Elvis politely introduces himself to Zack, then takes Keith to dig a grave in the nearby mountains. Frankie returns and gives Zack a final chance to escape, but Zack declines, oblivious to the danger he's in. Elvis and Keith return, and Frankie finally relents when Elvis explains they could all face life in prison if Zack goes home. Sonny, Johnny's godfather and Sonny's older accomplice Cosmo Gadabeeti, and their lawyer confront Johnny, telling him they will try to make a deal with Olivia so the crew will get a light sentence, which Johnny believes will never work. Sonny also furiously orders Johnny to call off the hit, but Johnny refuses, believing Zack is already free.

Frankie, Elvis, Keith, and Zack drive out into the mountains and begin walking up a remote hiking trail. Keith tearfully embraces Zack and refuses to go any further up. Zack finally realizes the danger he's in when he sees the grave and begins to break down crying, pleading for his life. Frankie contemplates to Elvis that they shouldn't do it, but Elvis insists on following through to repay his debt. Frankie calms Zack down, telling him that he would never hurt him, and ties his hands and mouth with tape. Elvis then knocks Zack down into the grave and shoots him dead before he and Frankie silently leave. Left in the hastily covered shallow grave, Zack's body is found by hikers a few days later.

Intercuts throughout the film include interviews conducted by Detective Tom Finnegan with people connected to Johnny's gang, and some of the 38 witnesses who saw Zack between his kidnapping and eventual murder. One of the people interviewed is Olivia, now suffering from obesity and depression, who talks candidly about attempting suicide in the weeks after her son's murder. She details how the brutal, pointless end to Zack's life destroyed her own: "They have their own rules in the drug world. They killed my son for $1,200."

Sometime later, Susan angrily confronts Frankie over Zack's murder before she goes to alert the police, who catch Elvis trying to secure a lift out of town. Johnny flees to Albuquerque, New Mexico where an old classmate of his, Buzz Fecske, then drives him to Cosmo's house. Tiko, Keith, Frankie, and Elvis are convicted for their roles in the kidnapping and eventual murder, with Tiko serving nine years in prison, Keith staying at the California Youth Authority until the age of 25, Frankie receiving a life sentence, and Elvis on Death Row in San Quentin State Prison.

Upon being asked about how Johnny was able to escape authorities for four years without any known source of help, Sonny and Cosmo deny having anything to do with it and take no responsibility in how Johnny turned out and the crimes he committed. In 2005, after over five years on the FBI's most wanted list, Johnny is arrested in Paraguay, now back in California awaiting trial, facing the death penalty if found guilty.

Cast

 * Emile Hirsch as Johnny Truelove, the leader, or the "alpha dog." Inspired by Jesse James Hollywood. Hollywood was convicted on July 8, 2009, for ordering the kidnapping and murder of Nick Markowitz and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He was 20 years old at the time of the murder.
 * Justin Timberlake as Frankie "Nuts" Ballenbacher, Johnny's right-hand man and best friend, who becomes friends with Zack when he is assigned to watch him. Inspired by Jesse Rugge. Rugge was acquitted of 1st degree murder, but was charged with aggravated kidnapping with special circumstances. He was sentenced to life in prison, with the possibility of parole after seven years. His petition for parole was denied in 2006. On July 2, 2013, Rugge was granted parole, and on October 24, 2013, he was released from prison after serving 11 years of his life sentence. He was 20 years old at the time of the crime.
 * Ben Foster as Jake Mazursky, Zack's older brother. Inspired by Benjamin Markowitz. Markowitz was 22 years old at the time of the crimes against his half-brother and served three years in prison for robbery but has since been released.
 * Shawn Hatosy as Elvis Schmidt, the lowest member of the gang and the shooter. At the beginning of the story, he is in debt to Johnny. Inspired by Ryan Hoyt. Hoyt is currently on death row at San Quentin for the murder of Nick Markowitz. He was 21 years old at the time of the crime.
 * Anton Yelchin as Zack Mazursky, the victim. Inspired by Nicholas Markowitz. Markowitz was murdered by Ryan Hoyt, a member of Jesse James Hollywood's crew; he was 15 years old when he died. Hollywood has since been tried and convicted for the kidnapping and his role in the murder.
 * Sharon Stone as Olivia Mazursky, Zack's mother. Inspired by Susan Markowitz. Susan is Nick Markowitz's mother; she later authored a book called My Stolen Son: The Nick Markowitz Story
 * Bruce Willis as Sonny Truelove, Johnny's father and marijuana supplier. It is implied that he has Mafia connections. Inspired by John "Jack" Hollywood. Hollywood is Jesse James's father. He was arrested in 2005, the same day son Jesse James was captured in Brazil, for manufacturing GHB, but the charge was later dismissed. Jack remained in custody on an outstanding 2002 warrant for a marijuana-related charge and later received 18 months in an Arizona prison. He has since been released.
 * Chris Marquette as Keith Stratten, a friend of Frankie who digs Zack's grave but is not present for the murder. Inspired by Graham Pressley. In July 2002, he was tried as a minor and in October 2002 as an adult. Served eight years at the California Youth Authority until he was released in 2007 at the age of 25. Age 17 at the time.
 * Dominique Swain as Susan Hartunian, a friend of Frankie's who is concerned about Zack's well-being. Inspired by Natasha Adams-Young. Adams-Young was given immunity in exchange for her testimony. Friend of Rugge and Pressley. After reading in the paper that Nick was murdered, she confronted Rugge and asked if he had anything to do with it. Despite Rugge explaining that he didn't, she knew he was lying and told her father, a lawyer, what happened. He, in turn, called the police. Age 19 at the time.
 * Alex Solowitz as Bobby "911" Kaye, a member of the gang. Inspired by Brian Affronti. Affronti was one of Hollywood's friends. 20 years old at the time.
 * Fernando Vargas as Tiko "TKO" Martinez, a member of the gang and muscle of the group. Inspired by William Skidmore. Skidmore served nine years in state prison for kidnapping and robbery out of a plea bargain and was released in April 2009. 20 years old at the time.
 * Olivia Wilde as Angela Holden, Johnny's girlfriend. Inspired by Michelle Lasher. Hollywood's girlfriend. She was arrested while on the run with him and charged with harboring a fugitive. 19 years old at the time.
 * Amanda Seyfried as Julie Beckley, Zack's girlfriend. Inspired by Jeanine, Nick's girlfriend. 17 years old at the time.
 * Vincent Kartheiser as Pick Giaimo, a member of the gang whose mother's car was used in the murder. Inspired by Casey Sheehan. Sheehan was one of Hollywood's friends. His vehicle was used in the murder of Nick Markowitz. Arrested, then bailed out; 20 years old at the time.
 * Lukas Haas as Buzz Fecske, Johnny's childhood friend who drives him back to Los Angeles after he escapes the police in New Mexico.
 * Heather Wahlquist as Wanda Haynes, Jake's girlfriend, a waitress at a steakhouse.
 * Harry Dean Stanton as Cosmo Gadabeeti, Johnny's godfather and Sonny's older accomplice. Implied he has connections to the Mafia. Inspired by John Roberts. Roberts was a Hollywood family close friend. His van was used in the kidnapping of Nick Markowitz.
 * David Thornton as Butch Mazursky, Zack and Jake's father. Inspired by Jeff Markowitz. Markowitz was Nick and Ben Markowitz's father.
 * Charity Shea as Sabrina Pope, Frankie's girlfriend. Inspired by Kelly Carpenter, Rugge's girlfriend. Carpenter was given immunity in exchange for testimony; 16 at the time.
 * Holt McCallany as Detective Tom Finnegan, police officer. Finnegan was the officer looking for Hollywood; he arrested the crew as well as interviewed witnesses.
 * Amber Heard as Alma, a friend of Julie who hooks up with Zack.
 * Alex Kingston as Tiffany Hartunian, Susan's mother.

Additionally, Alec Vigil plays Johnny's younger brother P.J. Truelove, producer Chuck Pacheco plays Frankie's friend Chucky Mota, and Xan Cassavetes plays Jonna Kirshner, one of the first witnesses of Zack's kidnapping.

Legal issues
During filming in 2004, Santa Barbara County Deputy District Attorney Ronald J. Zonen provided copies of many documents on the case and served as an unpaid consultant to the film, citing his desire to have Hollywood captured. Zonen prosecuted Hollywood's co-defendants and was poised to prosecute Hollywood. After Hollywood was captured in Saquarema, Brazil, and subsequently returned to the United States, his defense lawyer claimed Zonen had a conflict of interest; the California Court of Appeal for the Second District ruled on October 5, 2006, that Zonen should be recused from further involvement in prosecuting Hollywood because of his disclosure of the files and work on the film. The California Supreme Court subsequently reversed that holding, but Zonen was replaced as lead prosecution attorney by Deputy District Attorney Joshua Lynn.

Hollywood's attorney, James Blatt, tried to block the release of the film. After the delay, Hollywood's trial started May 15, 2009, with the defense's opening statements saying Hollywood was not involved with the murder. In his opening statement, Lynn described Hollywood as "a ruthless coward." On July 8, 2009, Hollywood was convicted of simple kidnapping and first-degree murder with special circumstances and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Release
Alpha Dog was first screened at the Sundance Film Festival on January 27, 2006, as the closing film. The film was originally set to be distributed by New Line Cinema, who previously distributed John Q. (2002) and The Notebook (2004) for director Nick Cassavetes. However, the film was sold to Universal Pictures after New Line requested edits to the film that Cassavetes didn't want to make. The film's release was delayed by a year to January 12, 2007.

Home media
Alpha Dog was released on DVD and HD-DVD on May 1, 2007 by Universal Studios Home Entertainment. DVD sales gathered $12,324,535 in revenue from 743,036 units sold. It was released on Blu-ray on July 13, 2010.

Box office
During its opening weekend, Alpha Dog grossed $6,412,775 and was #7 at the box office. The film closed on February 22, 2007, after grossing $15,309,602 domestically, and totaled $32,145,115 worldwide over its six-week release.

In the United States, Alpha Dog was released on January 12, 2007, along with Stomp the Yard & Primeval.

Critical response
Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B−" on an A+ to F scale.

Justin Chang of Variety wrote: "Writer-director Nick Cassavetes' sprawling dramatization recklessly blurs the line between reconstruction and reality in ways that are admittedly interesting, if more than a little artistically suspect." Yelchin was praised as "able to bring all of the conflicting emotions of Zack," and conveying all of it beautifully.

Markowitz family reaction
Susan Markowitz attempted suicide three times. Jeff Markowitz elaborated, "She is so tortured by what happened that she has tried to take her own life. The last thing that either of us want is to see this picture. How would any loving parent feel about a Hollywood movie that glamorizes their son's death and allows celebrities to cash in on a brutal, evil murder?" Nonetheless, both Susan and Jeff attended the film's premiere, and Susan stated she was moved by Anton Yelchin's portrayal of Zack (Nick). After the screening, she embraced Sharon Stone, who played Olivia (Susan).

Music
A soundtrack was released by Milan Records on January 9, 2007.