The Reality Paradox

Rating: 5/10 (7 October 2013)

"Training Day" is an intelligently produced police/corruption movie, which presents us with some very realistic, and very scary situations, showing us that in the big bad world, there are no laws, no rules - only the dictates of angry mobs, and guys with guns. And the environment of menace, and grimness is created expertly.
And yet, having appreciated this movie for what it is, I could never bring myself to watch it again. That's because, as good as the acting may be, it's very difficult to enjoy this film overall, not because of its' content, but because of its' approach to the subject matter. To be brutally honest, it compromises its' own integrity, in a way that superior "realistic"dramas, like "Taxi Driver", and "Get Carter", would never dream of doing. All of which raises the main problem about the movie: something which I like to refer to as "the reality paradox."
Basically, it goes something like this: If a film presented a totally realistic account of street life, or police corruption, then it would not be an entertaining two hours of your life. Real life is devoid of dramatic incidents, of heroes and villains, and of moral boundaries, as well as of generally insightful dialogue. Therefore, to be "realistic", in that sense, means to be dramatically lacking. Realism is often attempted, but more often than not, the writers realise the need to spice things up with those old Hollywood clichés: in "Training Day"'s case, there's car chases, a rooftop fight of ridiculous proportions, in which both Alonzo and Hoyt would definitely never walk away from, and a last half hour which totally dissolves the powerfully mature atmosphere which had been built up. That's why I cannot consider "Training Day" to be a realistic film, although it is peppered with insightful moments.
What it is, is a tour of a really nasty city, presented in an extremely threatening and scummy fashion. I cannot fault Denzel Washington's acting, and even Ethan Hawke (whom I rather dislike as an actor) gives a good account of himself. What I can fault, is the narrative of the movie itself. The world of "Training Day", IS believable. It is nasty, and unsanitised. But the story which the movie tells, is flawed considerably, because of its' self conscious theatricality, and rather perverse logic twists. Hawke would not have lasted nearly as long as he did in this neck of the woods. When he's about to get shot in the bath, I sincerely doubt that one lucky coincidence would stop three sinister nutcases from killing him, and it is at this point, that the movie starts to collapse. Hawke has been easily manipulated by Washington's cop all the way through, so his sudden desire to hunt him down seems ludicrous. To be fair, when Roger is killed, I'd find it equally hard to believe that the rest of the cops would not kill Hawke, in best "Serpico" fashion, even if Denzel wants to keep him alive as his master fall guy - which seems a touch Machievellian to be taken seriously. Hawke may be reluctant to kill in cold blood and smoke weed, but he doesn't seem principled enough to risk his neck to take down Alonzo, just to satisfy his own sense of justice.
The ending is far too clichéd, and out of touch with the more visceral realism of the rest of the movie. And, I'm sorry, but why would the neighbourhood scum not just gun Hawke down in the final confrontation? Stretching reality too much, for a downbeat ending which makes you wonder whether or not the whole two hours was worth your while, and Alonzo's death seems to be a big, clichéd full stop to a film which, if it had the courage of its' first ninety minutes, would not have had a proper ending, and would definitely have seen Hawke dead by the time the end credits roll.
So,is "Training Day" a great movie? It's well made, by a director with a brain, and a sense of the macabre nature of everyday street life. But, it's far too afraid to go all out, and be really realistic. Just enough to make you scared, but not enough to really make you think. As a piece of entertainment, as a story, as an imaginative vision, "Training Day" is definitely lacking, and it's bolted on thriller elements clash with its' grisly realistic moments.
Did I enjoy it? Honestly? No. I didn't. But I respected it. An "A" for effort, but a "C" for content.