Training Day
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Template:Infobox Film Training Day is a 2001 film starring Denzel Washington as Alonzo Harris, a highly decorated but corrupt LAPD police officer, and Ethan Hawke as Jake Hoyt, his new green recruit looking to become a part of Harris's Narcotics unit. The entire movie takes place over a single, intense 24-hour period in Los Angeles that changes the lives of both officers. The movie was written by David Ayer and directed by Antoine Fuqua, both of whom grew up in gang neighborhoods.
Fuqua wanted Training Day to look as authentic as possible, and he shot on location in some of the most infamous neighborhoods of Los Angeles, California. He even obtained permission from gangs to shoot in the notoriously dangerous Imperial Courts housing project. His crew ended up receiving a warm welcome from local residents, who were all happy that a movie was being made that showed some of the regular life that exists in their world. When Fuqua wasn't able to shoot a scene directly on location, he did an outstanding job of recreating these locations on sets.
There were two police officers on hand as technical advisors, Michael Patterson and Paul Lozada. Shiheed "Bone" Sloan served as the gang advisor. Washington, Hawke and other cast members also met with undercover police officers, local drug dealers and gangbangers to help them understand their roles better.
Denzel Washington's portrayal of Alonzo Harris gathered glowing praise from the critics. Fuqua wanted his character to be seductive and part of a machine, and not just a random rogue cop. In Washington's own words,
- "I think in some ways he’s done his job too well. He’s learned how to manipulate, how to push the line further and further, and, in the process, he’s become more hard-core than some of the guys he’s chasing."
In the movie Harris shows a liking towards Hoyt, and in many ways he sees Hoyt as a younger version of himself, naive and idealistic before being hardened by harsh realities of police work and street life, before turning into a morally questionable individual himself.
Training Day brings up a moral dilemma of committing little crimes to prevent large ones and getting things done effectively even if it is not done the right way. Denzel Washington won the Academy Award for Best Actor. Ethan Hawke was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Training Day also features appearances by Scott Glenn, Tom Berenger, Harris Yulin, Eva Mendes and musical artists Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Macy Gray.
The story
The movie, as the title suggests, follows a single day in the life of a young LAPD cop Jake Hoyt (Hawke) as he is subject to a single day of evaluation by a senior, decorated LAPD police narcotics officer Alonzo Harris (Washington) to see if he has what it takes to be a 'narc'.
During the first few moments of their riding together as partners, it becomes quickly apparent that Jake's 'by the book' dictum is in stark contrast to Alonzo's philosophy of blending in with the street. Jake is put into a compromising position when Alonzo offers him a hit of marijuana that is, unknown to Jake, laced with PCP. After initially refusing, Alonzo informs Jake that in order to blend in with the criminal element, he needs to be able to take drugs without hesitation, or he'll be shot. After threatening to throw Jake out of the car, Jake gives in, much to Alonzo's delight. As they're cruising down the street, Jake notices a girl being attacked by two men in a side alley. Jake jumps out of the car and saves the girl, though Alonzo disapproves - by being 'public' for what he considers to be a minor infraction.
During the course of the day, Alonzo brings Jake further and further into the world of the 'street'. He openly and friendly converses with a known drug dealer (Scott Glenn), searches a house without a warrant (using a Chinese restaurant menu as his 'warrant') and harasses various drug dealers. When Alonzo meets with three men in suits in a restaurant, it's clear from their conversation that Alonzo has bigger problems than breaking in a new rookie, but that he somehow seems to have a handle on the situation.
Later in the day, Alonzo's schemes come to bear fruit. Working with his 'team' - officers he trained and who share the same worldview as Alonzo - he goes back to the drug dealer he conversed with before and steals the money the man was hiding in his floorboards. Alonzo, it turns out, needs the money to pay off the Russian mafia. Alonzo's temper got the better of him when he was in Las Vegas, and he beat the son of the head of the Russian mafia to death after an argument. Alonzo needs to pay off the debt at midnight, or else he'll be killed. Alonzo then shoots the drug dealer, making it look like they busted in and they had to fire in self-defense. When Jake threatens to report Alonzo to the cops, Alonzo replies that he had this covered as well - the drugs Jake ingested at the beginning of the day will discredit him and throw him off the force.
Alonzo then decides to get rid of Jake. He leads Jake to an apartment where Latino men are, then abruptly makes an exit. Jake is in danger of being killed by the men, but they find a wallet on him - the wallet from the girl Jake had saved earlier in the day, who happens to be the cousin of one of the men. After establishing that Jake had directly saved her, they let him go. Jake, angry at being set up and wanting to see justice done, goes to the L.A. complex where one of Alonzo's 'mistresses' lives with her young son. Despite the fact that the complex is notorious for being against the cops, the gang members there allow Jake entry, knowing that Alonzo poses the greater threat to them. Jake tracks Alonzo down, but Alonzo is ready for him, shooting at Jake. After a cat-and-mouse game - including Alonzo using his own son as a 'hostage' against Jake - Jake finally gets the upper hand, shooting Alonzo in the buttocks and taking the money Alonzo was going to use to pay off the mafia. Alonzo then angrily declares his dominance to the community, screaming: "I'm the police, I run shit around here! You just live here!" The crowd, in disgust and pity, simply walk away from his ranting.
Alonzo then is driving in the area of the airport when he's surrounded by hooded men from the Russian mafia, who riddle him with bullet holes, killing him. The movie then ends with Jake pulling in to his driveway and going home to his family, while a radio report tells of Alonzo's death.
Trivia
- The coffee shop in the beginning of the movie, called Quality Cafe, appears in many movies, including Se7en, Ghost World, Gone in Sixty Seconds, and Catch Me If You Can.
- This movie marked the first time L.A. street gangs allowed cameras to be brought into the Imperial Courts neighborhood.
- The movie's script was altered to add some aspects of the Rampart Scandal, which happened after it was written.
- Denzel Washington's character looks were designed to resemble Rafael Perez's, who played a central role in the Rampart Scandal.
- This marks one of the first movies where Washington plays a "bad" character.
- About 30% of Washington's dialogue was improvised.
- This movie was parodied to a 5-minute segment of Chappelle's Show. The parody involves Wayne Brady and Chappelle cruising in a neighbourhood to show Brady's "real" side.
- An extended ending shows that Jake Hoyt (Hawke) knew the entire time the truth behind Alonzo's actions, and that he was coerced by the 'three wise men' to bring him down.