A Day you'll never forget

Rating: 9/10 (20 November 2001)

A friend of mine and I have been waiting a very long time to see Denzel Washington in a role where his talent really shines. The best movie I've seen him in to date is Fallen, although I haven't seen Malcolm X, so can't comment on that. For me, the difference between Fallen and most of Denzel's other roles is an edge, a sharpness, a *reality* that just doesn't appear in movies like The Hurricane or Remember the Titans. To put it as my friend does, we wanted to see Denzel play a character that would 'kick puppies and step on kittens' for a change.
This movie takes what he brought to Fallen and puts it on steroids.

Washington is Alonzo Harris, a corrupt cop. A man who believes he's part of the big time but, in reality, he's just a small-time criminal hiding behind his LAPD badge. As a member of a covert narcotics squad, he gets to cruise the streets of LA looking for his next big bust. He may have originally been a fresh-faced rookie with an idealistic streak and a notion that justice involved returning the streets to the community, but his thirteen-year tour of duty in the narc unit have left him jaded, disillusioned, and willing to do whatever it takes.
Throw young Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke) into the mix. Hoyt is that self-same fresh-faced rookie with an idealistic streak, a young wife, and a nine-month-old daughter. He's looking to make detective, and wants nothing more than to be able to provide for his family and take down the questionable elements of society that run rampant in downtown LA. Alonzo, however, has totally different ideas about Jake's future.

Alonzo seems to have surrounded himself with a plethora of fools, and it's implied during the film that he's done it so that he can keep control. Because as long as Alonzo has control of the men in his unit, has control of the streets--which he rules with an iron fist--he has control of his life. As he gets to know Jake, however, he can see that there's something different about him...that he's not going to be just another follower. Jake has one single day to prove to Alonzo that he can cut it as a narc. Failure means he goes back to 'cutting traffic tickets' and maybe never gets his coveted job as detective.
MINI-SPOILER
However, an incident in Las Vegas with some nebulously defined and never-seen Russians suddenly has Alonzo in over his head. He has to provide a million dollars by midnight or his life is forfeit. His upper-echelon contacts (the semi-satirical 'Wise Men') are worried that he's not going to be able to find the money, and then they'll lose their man on the street, the guy who can be relied upon to get things done when the system can't. But Alonzo has a plan, and that plan centres around Jake.
END MINI-SPOILER
Washington turns in an incredibly driven and fiercely charismatic performance as Alonzo. Hawke, as his counterpoint, plays his role in a perfectly understated fashion, which only adds to Washington's impact in the film. Washington's character *needs* to be compared to a bland background, just so you can appreciate exactly what it is that's going on.

But when the film comes to its resolution, we're still left with the question unanswered. Which view is the right one? Does Jake's initial idealism have a place in the warzone--the drug-fuelled hotbed of intolerance and violence that is 'the office' for these covert narcs? Or is Alonzo's brutal and almost fanatical version of justice the only way to catch--and kill--the wolves prowling around the edges of the flock?

It's also refreshing to see a movie on this subject-matter that doesn't have a 'message'. Training Day simply explores the issues and puts them on the table, and whilst some people may believe it falls down on one side more than the other, I prefer to see it as giving the audience the option to make their own decision.
The real stinger though, is that despite his unorthodox methods, his disregard for due process, and his uncompromising, severe attitude, Alonzo shares the same ideals as Jake. Both of them want to eliminate the scum of the streets. However, whereas Jake wants to create his perfect Aryan-esque world where it's safe for a fourteen-year-old to walk through the worst parts of town in the dead of night, Alonzo is much more interested in landing the biggest of fish--whatever the cost.
Pros: Superb acting from Washington and a fine counterpoint by Hawke. A fast-paced character- and event-driven drama that assaults the senses and leaves you reeling from its mental impact.
Cons: The last ten/fifteen minutes or so may leave some unsatisfied.

Likely Oscar nominations: Well, I'm going to forego my usual comical comment here. Seriously, Denzel should get _something_ for his performance in this movie. It's just a pity this is the sort of movie the Academy usually overlooks.
Verdict: A tour-de-force led by Washington that proves that violence and intelligence don't necessarily have to be mutually exclusive in a modern movie. Go see if if you liked Fallen, or want to see what Denzel can really do when he turns on the afterburner. Plus the ins and outs of this movie can easily lead to lengthy discussions over coffee afterwards.

9 out of 10.