History Film / AlphaDog

** Johnny and his group casually drop homophobic insults towards Elvis because of his suckup attitude towards Johnny. It should come as no surprise considering not just the timeframe, but also the type of lifestyle these people live (see DamnItFeelsGoodToBeAGangster above).
** Even the NiceGuy Zack [[PoliticallyIncorrectHero isn’t exempt]] from acting a little homophobic. He describes trying to act nice to his stepmother as “kinda gay” to Frankie and the others.

* HypocriticalHumour: The guys don't like gangsta rappers and joke when seeing a video "The only thing these guys are shooting is music videos", even though they literally act like them.

* NiceGuy: 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 behaviour seems mostly influenced by those around him. He is a dick around Johnny but much nicer around others.

* RippedFromTheHeadlines: And an extra scene was filmed and added to the end when [[spoiler:Jesse James Hollywood was arrested]] in real life.

* DeliberateValuesDissonance: Since this movie takes place in the late 1990s, plenty of characters are prone to homophobia since it was the norm at the time, and the movie doesn’t shy away from showing the attitudes.
** Johnny and his group casually drop homophobic insults towards Elvis because of his suckup attitude towards Johnny. It should come as no surprise not only considering the timeframe, but also the type of lifestyle these people live (as drug-dealing wannabe gangstas who act super macho).
** Even the NiceGuy Zack isn’t exempt from acting a little homophobic. He describes trying to act nice to his stepmother as “kinda gay” to Frankie and the others.

''Alpha Dog'' is a 2006 crime drama based on the true story of Jesse James Hollywood.

It stars Emile Hirsch as Johnny Truelove, an impulsive and cocky PsychopathicManChild marijuana dealer in late '90s Southern California. Johnny, alongside best bud Frankie Ballenbacher (Music/JustinTimberlake), suckup Elvis (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, Sonny (Creator/BruceWillis). Where Johnny goes, the money, the friends, and the girls follow.

It stars Emile Hirsch as Johnny Truelove, an impulsive and cocky PsychopathicManChild marijuana dealer in Southern California in the late 1990s. Johnny, alongside best bud Frankie Ballenbacher (Music/JustinTimberlake), suckup Elvis (Shawn Hatosy), and a host of other tagalongs, 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, Sonny (Creator/BruceWillis). Where Johnny goes, the money, the friends, and the girls follow.

* ClusterFBomb: This film has one of the highest uses of the word "Fuck" at a staggering three hundred and ninety-seven.
* DamnItFeelsGoodToBeAGangster: An ''extreme'' aversion. Right from the start it's clear that these 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".

* DoYouWantToCopulate: Holed up in a hotel room with nothing else to do, Angela casually asks Johnny if he wants to have sex.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: Frankie, Elvis and Keith genuinely like Zach and are horrified at Johnny's utter heartlessness (not that it stops ''them'' from doing the deed anyway).

* IdiotBall: Arguably the entire point of the movie. These guys come up with a pretty stupid idea and execute it in perhaps the dumbest way imaginable. To say "they brought this on themselves" hardly begins to cover it.

* StockholmSyndrome : Zack's response is a combination of this and not taking the situation seriously. He's beaten up, kidnapped, tied up and gagged. And yet he shows absolutely no ill will towards his captors. He ends up having a great time with them, and freely offers to claim he ran away to keep them from getting in trouble.

* ThoseWackyNazis: Jake Mazursky and his girlfriend are shown to have Neo-Nazi tattoos, the girlfriend does a Nazi salute, and Jake has a huge poster of Hitler at a rally hanging in his kitchen. Neither of them is really villified, however. Ironically, [[BoomerangBigot Jake's also Jewish]].
* TooDumbToLive: At least as depicted in this movie, [[spoiler:Zack taking his own kidnapping so lightly no doubt contributed to his death. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] because he is, after all, ''still a kid'' who sees the lifestyle of Truelove's friends as exciting, not understanding the real gravity of the situation.]]

* TwoPersonPoolParty: A ''three''-person pool party, actually. Zack makes out with Julie and Alma in a pool they break into. Unfortunately, the real Nicholas Markowitz never got to enjoy any such thing [[spoiler:before his death.]]

It stars (Creator/EmileHirsch) as Johnny Truelove, an impulsive and cocky PsychopathicManChild marijuana dealer in Southern California in the late 1990s. Johnny, alongside best bud Frankie Ballenbacher (Music/JustinTimberlake), suckup Elvis (Shawn Hatosy), and a host of other tagalongs, 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, Sonny (Creator/BruceWillis). Where Johnny goes, the money, the friends, and the girls follow.

It stars Creator/EmileHirsch as Johnny Truelove, an impulsive and cocky PsychopathicManChild marijuana dealer in Southern California in the late 1990s. Johnny, alongside best bud Frankie Ballenbacher (Music/JustinTimberlake), suckup Elvis (Shawn Hatosy), and a host of other tagalongs, 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, Sonny (Creator/BruceWillis). Where Johnny goes, the money, the friends, and the girls follow.

* ButtMonkey: Elvis, from most of Johnny’s group. They resort to throwing homophobic insults to make fun of his “kiss-ass” attitudes towards Johnny.

But when a drug deal goes awry, a friendly meeting in Johnny's flat between him and Jake Mazursky (Creator/BenFoster) 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 Zach (Creator/AntonYelchin).

* {{Adorkable}}: Zach. Doesn't hurt that he's such a contrast to the rest of the tough, tattooed guys in the movie either.

* AnachronismStew: An Xbox was shown even though the console didn't appear until 2001.

-->'''Jake''': YOU BETTER PRAY, JOHNNY, YOU BETTER F@&KING PRAY THAT THE COPS FIND YOU BEFORE I DO, GET ON YOUR COCK-SUCKIN' KNEES AND PRAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY!!!!!

* ButtMonkey: Elvis.
* ChekhovsSkill: Averted. Zach's Tae Kwon Do skills are displayed in a throwaway scene [[spoiler:yet they have no practical application as Zach is led to his death.]]

* DamnItFeelsGoodToBeAGangster: An ''extreme'' aversion. Right from the start it's clear that these are a bunch of loser assholes that only an idiot would want to emulate, though Zach himself admires them and grows to enjoy his "kidnapping".
* DownerEnding: [[spoiler:Zach is killed at the end of his kidnapping and Johnny's gang completely falls apart as a result.]]

* FaceDeathWithDignity: [[spoiler:Averted. Zach breaks down crying and desperately pleads and begs as they put the tape over his mouth all while Frankie and Keith are in tears.]]

* FreudianExcuse: 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. Zach's parents in contrast are overprotective and rule every part of his life, pushing him towards the other end. In fact, there don't seem to be any good parental figures.
* HypocriticalHumour: The guys don't like gangsta rappers and joke when seeing a video "The only thing these guys are shooting is music videos".

* KarmaHoudini: 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. (See RippedFromTheHeadlines.)
* KnightTemplarBigBrother: When Jake Mazursky learns that Johnny Truelove has kidnapped his little brother Zack 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. Subverted however, as it doesn't help Zack's return at all and prompts Truelove to relocate with his victim.

* MoodWhiplash: Zach is having the time of his life [[spoiler:up until it comes time for Johnny and Frankie to do something about him...]]
* MyBelovedSmother: Part of the reason Zach doesn't take the obvious opportunities for escape is the freedom he feels at finally being away from his overprotective mother.
* NiceGuy: Zach, 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 behaviour seems mostly influenced by those around him. He is a dick around Johnny but much nicer around others.

* [[OnlySaneMan Only Sane Woman]]: When Susan learns that Zach has been kidnapped, she immediately begins panicking and trying to make everyone understand how serious it is. Everyone else, including Zach, look at her like she's crazy, and go on hanging out like nothing's happened.
* PsychopathicManChild: Johnny Truelove is an impulsive, shortsighted, criminally dumb wannabe gangster trying to project a "tough guy" image. He kidnaps Zach on a whim, threatens 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 [[spoiler:the murder he orders]] while going out with his girlfriend and having fun, and rejects the option his father offers to release Zach and spend minimal jail time even though he has no other plan himself. [[spoiler:He remains elusive for so long only because of blind luck.]]

* SkinnyDipping: Alma (Creator/AmberHeard) and Julie (Creator/AmandaSeyfried) do this in a swimming pool, and encourage Zach to join them.

* StockholmSyndrome : Zach's response is a combination of this and not taking the situation seriously. He's beaten up, kidnapped, tied up and gagged. And yet he shows absolutely no ill will towards his captors. He ends up having a great time with them, and freely offers to claim he ran away to keep them from getting in trouble.
* TattooedCrook: Almost everyone sports a lot of ink but Frankie and Jake really stand out.
* TeensAreMonsters: 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.

* TooDumbToLive: At least as depicted in this movie, [[spoiler:Zach taking his own kidnapping so lightly no doubt contributed to his death. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] because he is, after all, ''still a kid'' who sees the lifestyle of Truelove's friends as exciting, not understanding the real gravity of the situation.]]

* TwoPersonPoolParty: A ''three''-person pool party, actually. Zach makes out with Julie and Alma in a pool they break into. Unfortunately, the real Nicholas Markowitz never got to enjoy any such thing [[spoiler:before his death.]]
* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory: [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Markowitz Oh God, yes it was]]...

* WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue: [[spoiler:The legal consequences to the individual members of Truelove/Hollywood's crew as a result of the kidnapping and murder of Zach Mazursky/Nick Markowitz is shown at the end. Truelove himself was finally apprehended after eluding the authorities for five years.]]

* TeensAreMonsters: 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.
* TheLoinsSleepTonight: If you can't get it up with ''Olivia Wilde'', you are far more stressed out than you'd like to admit.

* ClusterFBomb: This film has one of the highest uses of the word "Fuck" at a staggering four hundred and eleven.

* {{Badass}}: 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.

It stars Emile Hirsch as Johnny Truelove, an impulsive and cocky PsychopathicManChild marijuana dealer in Southern California in the late 1990s. Johnny, alongside best bud Frankie Ballenbacher (Music/JustinTimberlake), suckup Elvis (Shawn Hatosy), and a host of other tagalongs, 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, Sonny (Creator/BruceWillis). Where Johnny goes, the money, the friends, and the girls follow.

* ChekhovsSkill: Averted. Zach's Tae Kwon Do skills are displayed in a throwaway scene [[spoiler: yet they have no practical application as Zach is led to his death.]]

* DawsonCasting: Averted. Zach is fifteen and Anton Yelchin was seventeen at the time.
* DownerEnding

* SmallNameBigEgo: Johnny Truelove.

* ButtMonkey: Elvis

* SkinnyDipping: Alma (AmberHeard) and Julie (Creator/AmandaSeyfried) do this in a swimming pool, and encourage Zach to join them.

->'''''Sonny Truelove''': You wanna know what this is all about? You can say it's about drugs or guns or disaffected youth, or whatever you like. But this whole thing is about parenting. It's about taking care of your children. You take care of yours, I take care of mine.''

But when a drug deal goes awry, a friendly meeting in Johnny's flat between him and Jake Mazursky (BenFoster) turns into a violent dispute. Jake owes Johnny $1,200, but Jake won't pay; in response, Johnny and his friends impulsively kidnap Jake's 15-year-old brother Zach (AntonYelchin).

* ATragedyOfImpulsiveness: Largely the main point of the movie.

* ATragedyOfImpulsiveness: This movie is pretty much the definition.

* {{Badass}}: 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 busts 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.

* FauxAffablyEvil: Zach had a HorribleJudgeOfCharacter on the gangsters, and thinks that they were nice people. In reality, they were planning to kill him, should things not go their way.

* [[OnlySaneMan Only Sane Woman]]: When Susan learns that Zach has been kidnapped, she immediately begins panicking and trying to make everyone understand how serious it is. Everyone else, including Zach, look at her like she's crazy, and go one hanging out like nothing's happened.

* SkinnyDipping: Alma (AmberHeard) and Julie (Creator/AmandaSeyfried) do this in a swimming pool, and don't mind when Zach walks in on them. And joins them.

* AffablyEvil: Pretty much all the gangsters which is why Zach didn't want to leave. It just makes the ending more shocking.

* JerkAss: Where to start? Johnny Truelove, while not an ''entirely'' bad guy, is thoroughly unlikeable.

'''''Alpha Dog''''' is a 2006 crime drama based on the true story of Jesse James Hollywood.

It stars Emile Hirsch as Johnny Truelove, an impulsive and cocky PsychopathicManChild marijuana dealer in Southern California in the late 1990s. Johnny, alongside best bud Frankie Ballenbacher (JustinTimberlake), suckup Elvis (Shawn Hatosy), and a host of other tagalongs, 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, Sonny (BruceWillis). Where Johnny goes, the money, the friends, and the girls follow.

* PsychopathicManChild: Johnny Truelove.

* BadassBoast: Jakes give Johnny a phone call conversation he won't soon forget.

* AffablyEvil: Pretty much all the gangsters which is why Zach didn't want to leave. It just make the ending more shocking.
* AnachronismStew: An Xbox was shown even though the console didn't appeared until 2001