def dispatch(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
        """
        `.dispatch()` is pretty much the same as Django's regular dispatch,
        but with extra hooks for startup, finalize, and exception handling.
        """
        self.args = args
        self.kwargs = kwargs
        request = self.initialize_request(request, *args, **kwargs)
        self.request = request
        self.headers = self.default_response_headers  # deprecate?

        try:
            self.initial(request, *args, **kwargs)

            # Get the appropriate handler method
            if request.method.lower() in self.http_method_names:
                handler = getattr(self, request.method.lower(),
                                  self.http_method_not_allowed)
            else:
                handler = self.http_method_not_allowed

            response = handler(request, *args, **kwargs)

        except Exception as exc:
            response = self.handle_exception(exc)

        self.response = self.finalize_response(request, response, *args, **kwargs)
        return self.response