I watched Alpha Dog for the first time last night. Interesting movie (considering I knew the backstory of teh jesse James Hollywood case). It's a little frustrating they had to change the names of the people involved, dates, and the location of the story (a different part of California). The name changes , I'm sure, were because Jesse James Hollywood was still on the run when the movie was originally made and doing so would have maybe influenced a jury in the minds of the courts (It wasn't released for some time after the actual production except at independent film festivals).
I do find it interesting how UM leaves out some tidbits of information regarding victims (I'm sure this is done out of respect for the family). For example, the UM segment does not mention Nick's involvement with drugs (newspaper stories, other reports of the incidenet, and the movie itself all touch on the fact that Nick had been caught with Valium and Marijuana before). Nick was certainly completely inncoent of his brother's actions with JJH but was in no way the naieve kid that is protrayed in the UM segment (with the exception that he truly did believe he would be released).I just hope JJH gets sentenced soon (His trial started in april 2008) and receives the death penalty.

On a side note, The Amy Billig segment was treated in similar fashion by UM. UM mentions Amy was a flower child but does not say that she was heavily involved with the drug scene and kept roach clips in her hair (these are both detailed in other stories about her case as well as the A&E show done on her (which I would love to see if anybody has a copy). I do think the drug connection may have been a leading factor in Billig's disappearance.

I've seen Alpha Dog also and enjoyed it , I also was familiar w/ the Jesse James Hollywood case, and i think the descrepencies were due to the fact that Alpha Dog was loosely based on the true events, which often times film adaptaions often differ to the actual events and certain elemets r added to the film , because afterall they r trying to sell tickets and make money...:)

I saw it too and liked everything about it except Justin Timberlake's acting.

I know a lot of people who didn't the real story about Alpha Dog until they came out in the theaters. Right before it was released Dateline did a two hour show on the real story and I really felt bad for the woman that JJH impregnanted in Brazil. She seems like a nice person.

I know a lot of people who didn't the real story about Alpha Dog until they came out in the theaters. Right before it was released Dateline did a two hour show on the real story and I really felt bad for the woman that JJH impregnanted in Brazil. She seems like a nice person.

Yeah, she was conned by that scumbag. His trial is now set for February 2009. He use dher in order to have a child. There was some law on the books that said somebody could not be extradited if they had achild in the country.

I saw it too and liked everything about it except Justin Timberlake's acting.
I probably dislike Timberlake more than anyone in the world, but I actually thought he did a good job in the movie. I thought it was a great movie, much better than I anticipated.

I probably dislike Timberlake more than anyone in the world, but I actually thought he did a good job in the movie. I thought it was a great movie, much better than I anticipated.
I though he overacted a lot.He's an okay singer but his talking voice gets to me.

UM mentions Amy was a flower child but does not say that she was heavily involved with the drug scene and kept roach clips in her hair

This is kind of off-topic, but what are "roach clips"? :confused:

This is kind of off-topic, but what are "roach clips"? :confused:


I wasn't sure either when I first read about them. They are small metal clips that are designed to hold the end of joints (less often cigarettes) so the user can smoke them down to the end without burning their fingers.

Was Amy Billig's mother aware of what roach clips were, or did she think they were just newfangled hair decorations?

Was Amy Billig's mother aware of what roach clips were, or did she think they were just newfangled hair decorations?


I do not know. I was completely ignorant as to what roach clips were. After I first read about them online (i was looking for info on Billig), I researched to see what they were (wikipedia). It is my understanding that many parents of the era were not familiar with roach clips as many people who wore them kept feathers, etc in them. The parents simply thought their kids wore feathers or flowers.