Training Day (2001)

A rookie cop spends his first day as a Los Angeles narcotics officer with a rogue detective who isn't what he appears to be.

Jess’ Review

Sam had mentioned Training Day to me a few times and whilst I’d heard it was decent, he hyped it up in such a way that I figured I had to give it a go. Whilst not really my go-to genre, I was at least expecting a gritty tone and some bomb-ass performances to make it worthwhile. And I wasn’t disappointed here.

The film follows Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke), a rookie cop seeking recruitment within narcotics, and accompanies the roguish Detective Alonzo Harris (an Oscar-winning Denzel Washington), for a training day. Set over the course of a single day, Training Day’s plot is perfectly balanced, gripping and well-paced to allow a controlled descent into more and more sinister territories. It’s a film that grows progressively darker, yet always stands as scathingly uncomfortable in its realism. The tone is spot-on, a permeating sense of foreboding gradually saturating bright-eyed Hoyt’s experiences of LAPD life.

Denzel Washington is astounding in his villainous turn as Alonzo, a truly unnerving man whose extent of corruption is thinly veiled behind a charming facade. Its a masterclass of character performance. The sinister depth and complexities of the way Alonzo works is revealed so gradually to the audience that we’re left winded by the increasingly shady behaviour unfolding before us. Washington’s portrayal is unforgettable, iconic even, and left my skin prickling. Ethan Hawke is also fantastic, naive yet principled and wholly likeable. Together, the two breathe life into a riveting story about power and morality.

The dialogue is fantastic, and the grimy backdrop of the streets of Los Angeles encapsulates the dangerous mood. It’s a film full of threat and distrust. And whilst the cinematography seems perhaps a little dated, the gritty texture now lends itself to the over-arcing tone of hostility. The supporting cast help expand this dark, criminal underworld and it’s oft-times hard to find the light, except in brief moments of comedy from our leads. Even then, it often feels disconcerting. But it’s this element of the film, combined with the acting that truly captured my attention and later my praise.

Training Day is a cult-film with spotlighted performances from two fantastic actors, which in itself warrants at least one viewing. Whilst the were moments when I felt lost within the plot (I am fortunate for Sam’s expert explanations), and perhaps a plot-hole or two, it’s easy to skim over. It’s not my favourite film, but not only was it enjoyable, it’s pretty damn memorable too.

7.5/10

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Sam’s Review

This is an acting masterclass, and I implore any would-be thespians to watch this. Denzel Washington plays narcotic officer Alonzo with such tenacity. He oozes cool confidence in his every movement, yet there’s constrained energy simmering beneath his swagger. At first his cold demeanour, that fluctuates wildly, appears to be a test for the young officer, Jake (Ethan Hawke). Though as Alonzo grows increasingly volatile, it becomes unclear if he’s truly a bad person or if he’s been jaded by years on the force, as well as circumstance. I suspect a mixture of the two, but it certainly makes for a fascinating character. The lesson he feeds to Jake is, you have to be a wolf to catch a wolf. And a wolf he is.

Ethan Hawke’s performance, though in the looming shadow of Denzel’s, is still brilliant. The innocence and integrity that he attaches to Jake makes him instantly likeable, and you root for the rookie the worse things get for him.

Mixed is the fairest way to describe the writing, but I lean towards calling it terrific. Perhaps unfairly buoyed by the phenomenal performance. It certainly was a lot to pack into one day, and you wonder why Alonzo didn’t push Jake’s training day back, considering his itinerary had more pressing issues on it. There are plot holes, which are disappointing because they are down to laziness, it appears. The rigmarole could have been cut drastically if they’d just stayed at Roger’s home originally, instead of doing a bizarre amount of work just to end up back there. Yet, the dialogue is sharp. Again, perhaps, made better by those who said it. And the way subtle clues are placed along the way, that slowly grow in importance, is impressive. They make the payoffs a lot more satisfying, while also holding the shaky plot together as best they can.

The cinematography is stunning, it captures an intimate and gritty side to L.A. The high energy stopped the film, with a runtime of over two hours, from dragging. And also, it has an authentic soundtrack that gels smoothly with the feel of the film. Which isn’t surprising, considering West Coast legend Dr. Dre was in charge of the music.

Overall, it’s a staggering film. Flawed in many ways, and some that are pretty obvious. Yet, Denzel’s performance is so epic that it’s easy to ignore any issues and focus on the film.

8/10