This film is Denzel’s dark side. “Training Day” tells the story of Alonzo (Denzel) and new recruit Jake (Ethan Hawke), as Alonzo spends the day teaching Jake about the “streets” of Los Angeles.
Warning: Parental guidance suggested. Drug use, nudity, violence. Not for kids unless an adult is with them.
This film is Denzel’s dark side. “Training Day” tells the story of Alonzo (Denzel) and new recruit Jake (Ethan Hawke), as Alonzo spends the day teaching Jake about the “streets” of Los Angeles.
This movie is superbly directed by Antoine Fuqua (who recently collaborated with Hawke on “Brooklyn’s Finest”). However, Alonzo’s streets are the real streets, the crook cops, the drugs and murder. Essentially, this day of training is not what Jake (Hawke) signed up for.
Washington won his first best actor Oscar for this film. In fact, he was the first African-American male to win the Oscar since 1963 (Sidney Poitier in “Lilies of the Field”). Oddly enough the same night, Sidney was given an honorary Oscar.
The movie has incredible music, to true movie and music fans you’ll notice some of the tunes are done by Dr. Dre (who plays one of Alonzo’s henchmen) and Snoop Dog, who has a cameo in a few scenes. The film magnificently uses Los Angeles as the perfect character.
Like Michael Mann’s “Collateral” which uses Los Angeles at night, this movie puts us right into day time Los Angeles. The entire movie takes place in one day and really gives us a completely bad side of Washington. He’s psycho and although he deserved the Oscar for “The Hurricane,” he finally grabbed it for this film.
The director does an amazing job of putting us into the fear the characters feel. Fuqua became known for the movie “The Replacement Killers” and has an excellent concert film at Lihu‘e Blockbuster titled “Lightning in a Bottle.”
He’s a young, diverse director who is creating the best African-American cinema since Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing” and John Singleton’s masterpiece “Boyz N the Hood.”
I only say “African-American cinema” because it’s a genre. I don’t believe it matters, but in examining the growth of films directed by African-American directors from Gordon Parks (original “Shaft”), Fuqua is carrying the torch.
Studio: Warner Brothers
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Starring: Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, Dr. Dre, ScottGlenn
Oscars: best actor, Denzel Washington; Ethan Hawke, nominatedfor best supporting actor
1. Serpico
2. Ransom
3. 16 Blocks
4. The Departed
5. Bad Lieutenant
6. L.A. Confidential
7. Streets of Blood
8. Exit Wounds
9. Pride and Glory
10. Brooklyn’s Finest
— Top 10 list courtesy of Shastin Snyder and David Simon
