Training Day
2001
***
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Cast: Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, Scott Glenn, Tom Berenger, Harris Yulin, Raymond J. Barry, Cliff Curtis, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Macy Gray, Eva Mendes, Charlotte Ayanna
On his first day in the LAPD narcotics unit, rookie detective Jake Hoyt rides with Alonzo Harris, a seasoned and world-weary cop who seems to operate outside the boundaries of the law. At the outset, Antoine Fuqua's funny and gritty crime drama presents an intriguing contrast between the theory and practice of police work. However, when Alonzo exposes all of his illegal activities to Hoyt within hours, the plot becomes increasingly preposterous and dull. In any case, Denzel Washington deservedly won an Academy Award for his compelling and charismatic performance. The film was scripted by David Ayer, and this is the first of his many stories centred around LAPD (these include Dark Blue, End of Watch, and Bright).
