REVIEW: ‘Training Day’ not for the faint-hearted
This film came along at an odd time – a time when police officers have been elevated to hero status in the wake of the World Trade Center attacks. America now looks to law enforcement as a source of protection from the evils of terrorism. Training Day takes us back to a time before this was not so – a time when the police didn’t enjoy their current popularity.
It stars Denzel Washington as Alonzo Harris, a crooked narcotics detective who roams the streets of L.A. like a Chinese warlord, terrorizing the locals and strong-arming the neighborhood criminals into giving him a cut of their earnings. He is joined by Jake Hoyt, played by Ethan Hawke, an aspiring detective who wants to advance his career by serving and protecting as best he can.
It’s clear from the beginning Harris has plans for Hoyt, but the story moves along at such a whirlwind pace, it keeps us guessing at what those intentions really are. Harris begins by giving him the usual advice about life on the street, reciting the usual epithets about beating the street before it beats you and being able to smell both trouble and opportunity. As the story continues, we begin to wonder if the streets haven’t already gotten the best of Harris.
As the story gallops along, we are left continually wondering if Harris is really a good guy who has wandered off the path. And will he redeem himself in the final hour? The fact the movie doesn’t give the answer away until the end is what makes it so good. We are given clues all along as to how the story might end, but they are not readily interpreted until it’s too late.
Films like this take skill to write. But even well-written movies can’t stand on their own without talented actors to bring them to life. Training Day would have been nothing special without the superior performances rendered by both Washington and Hawke. Washington plays a role like no other he has done before. I could watch this film two or three times out of appreciation for the way he plays the part of Alonzo Harris. It’s clear he put everything he had into it. And this alone makes the film worth watching. Hawke was perfectly cast and also gave a strong performance in his role. I found myself feeling sympathetic as I watched him struggle to succeed in an unfamiliar world while trying to maintain his sense of ethics.
Performance and story aside, Training Day is a dark film which is both beautifully acted and uncompromisingly visceral. It’s a dark film which, after a long season of worthless fluff, is likely to take viewers by surprise. Don’t see this movie expecting to leave the theater feeling light and happy. Don’t expect a great sense of resolution in the end. It simply isn’t there. Watch “Training Day” because it is a powerful film – a dark sister to the gang film “Colors”. See it if you’re in the mood for a story with substance and some powerful performances. You won’t be disappointed.
B+