To paraphrase Dr. Phil, Alpha Dog is one dog that won't hunt. After hearing negative buzz about Justin Timberlake's performance, I was shocked to find that the former-N'Syncer is the only good thing about this movie. If you are interested in watching a movie about stupid people getting high and making stupid decisions, this might be for you; but if you are smart, you'll avoid this one.

Alpha Dog is based on the true story of Jesse James Hollywood who, at the tender age of 20, became the youngest man ever to make the FBI's Most Wanted List. What made this drug dealer so infamous? Well, he kidnapped the younger brother of a client who owed him money and later ordered the 15-year-old killed. The real Jesse James was a fugitive for about four years before being arrested in South America and extradited back to the States to stand trial.

The film version features a drug dealer named Johnny Truelove (Emile Hirsch). For reasons that are never sufficiently explained, he has a loyal entourage who seem to stay with him out of fear or admiration. Frankie Ballenbacher (Justin Timberlake) seems to be along for the ride - to get high, get laid and have a good time. Elvis Schmidt (Shawn Hatosy) has an admiration of Truelove that borders on infatuation. Truelove is the 'brains' of the business and he's upset when client Jake Mazursky (Ben Foster) is unable to pay his $1,200 debt. So, when Truelove and friends see Jake's brother, Zach, walking down the street, they decide to take him. Over the next couple of days, Zach and Frankie go from house to house and party to party. Zach knows he's being held as 'ransom' until his brother pays his debt and he's fine with that. The sheltered Zach basically enjoys his time getting high, hanging out, and watching movies.

But when Truelove runs his 'hypothetical' kidnapping scenario past his attorney, he realizes that he could get life for kidnapping and he makes a desperate, stupid decision. Sure, he could get in trouble for kidnapping, but somehow he thinks there will be less trouble if they kill the kid instead. He is smart enough not to pull the trigger himself but his flunkies are obviously not so bright.

Yes, I know this is a true story. I saw the real version on MSNBC. But stupid is still stupid and if you are going to 'fictionalize' the story anyway, why not give the characters more sense or at least more motive. Truelove was not that impressive. He was merely a little manchild with a big ego. He was not intimidating. He was not scary. He was not charismatic. Why he commanded that kind of extreme loyalty was never explained. Why no one called the police, we never know.

Bruce Willis gets to wear a bad wig as Johnny's drug-dealing dad. The wig gives a better performace than he does. And we can't forget Sharon Stone. Not only does she get to overact as Zach's overprotective mother, she gets to do it in a fat suit during her final scene. And believe me that suit was scarier and more intimidating than anything Johnny Truelove did.