Movie Review: Training Day

Training Day 

Warner Bros., Village Roadshow Pictures, NPV Entertainment, Outlaw Productions, WV Films II, USA, 2001. 

Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke) is a rookie cop in drug squad. He gets mentoring from detective Alonzo Harris (Denzel Washington). Jake has one day to prove his skills to Alonso. Jake is idealist who wants to make the world a better place by arresting criminals. Little does Jake know what Alonzo has planned for him. Alonzo's training methods are unconventional. Jake must get street-credibility to gain the trust of criminals and soon Alonzo forces him to take a puff from drug pipe. Jake stops to save a schoolgirl from being raped but Alonzo is only after big criminals. He teaches Hoyt that it takes a wolf to catch a wolf.

Jake Hoyt

Jake's wife Lisa (Charlotte Ayanna)

Alonzo Harris

Alonzo and his detective friends rob Alonzo's friend, a retired dirty cop Roger (Scott Glenn). Alonzo has his own gang of corrupt cops and soon Jake finds himself knee-deep in trouble. He can either join the corrupt cops or die. Jake must find a way to beat Alonzo in his own game. The key to survival on the streets is respect so Jake must also make impact on Latin thugs and black gangstas. 

Roger

Latin thugs

Gangstas

Denzel Washington makes an Oscar-worthy role as manipulative cop who always has good explanations for the crimes he commits. Ethan Hawke makes a good heroic cop role. The plot is cleverly written with exciting twists. The first half has street-credible atmosphere but the second half of the film uses some action film clichés. Towards the end the pondering of the ethical gray areas is left to backseat and some convenient coincidences break the realism of the first half. That's why it doesn't quite reach the "L.A. Confidential" level of smartness although it comes close. Some famous actors and musicians appear briefly during the film. Snoop Dogg makes a small role as a crack dealer in wheelchair and Dr. Dre as corrupt cop Paul. Tom Berenger makes a brief visit as District Attorney's shooting team chief (!) and Macy Gray as drug dealer's wife. 

Paul

Rating: Good

Starring: Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, Scott Glenn, Tom Berenger, Harris Yulin, Raymond J. Barry, Cliff Curtis, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Macy Gray , Charlotte Ayanna, Eva Mendes, Nick Chinlund, Jaime Gomez, Raymond Cruz, Noel Gugliemi, Samantha Esteban, Richard Browner, Ronald Ellis, William English, Kyjel N. Jolly, Fran Kranz, Janeen Krikorian, Princera Lee, Robert Leon, Seidy Lopez, Kenneth Allen Madden, Sarah Danielle Goldberg, Chris Patterson, Rudy Perez, Darrel Sellers, Ben Skorstad, Cle Sloan, Brett Sorenson, Abel Soto, Will Stewart, Denzel Whitaker, Garland Whitt 

Director: Antoine Fuqua