Training Day
He’s got one day to prove himself and he’s a little anxious. He should be. Today is going to be the toughest of his life. Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke) has been assigned to Detective Alonzo Harris (Denzel Washington), the head of an elite narcotics team and he’s got about 8 hours to prove his worth to him. Fresh faced and idealistic, Hoyt is keen to make an impression but it is Harris that will be doing all the impressing.
After 13 years on the streets, Harris walks a blurred line between right and wrong. When he pushes Hoyt into trailing some of the drugs they have just seized, Hoyt discovers that the law according to Harris is not the same one he has been taught to uphold.
As the day wears on and the assignments get more dangerous and less lawful, Hoyt starts to see his day as less of a test and more of a masterful, deadly set-up.
Training Day is frighteningly real, and Denzel Washington's commanding performance – some of his best work so far on screen – has a lot to do with the film's success – David Stratton, SBS Movie Show
Critic Reviews:
- " Cast against type as a corrupt cop, Denzel Washington, usually seen in noble and heroic roles, is nothing short of brilliant; with some luck, he should earn an Oscar nomination. " – Emanuel Levy
- " Marred slightly by an unsatisfactory climax, this is a cracking cop drama anchored by great performances and intelligent direction from Fuqua. " – Chris Hewitt (UK)
- " An intelligent and riveting action movie that doesn't rely on a lot of special effects to tell a genuinely interesting story. " – David Nusair