We already know that the crack-infested streets of East LA are no picnic. This film fully conveys, and thoroughly reinforces any notions you might have had about how tough it can be out there.
Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke) is a promising freshman cop, given an opportunity to try out for an elite narcotics squad. Gearing up for his tryout day, he's excited but nervous. Wouldn't you be? Who among us hasn't had their turn as the fresh-faced, idealistic new guy?
Alonzo Harris (Denzel Washington) is charged with showing Jake the ropes, and show them he does... and then some! Jake gets an uncensored, brutal and unrelenting tour of the nastiest parts of LA. Toughening up to this environment seems an overwhelming task.
The performances are very noteworthy. Ethan Hawke is great as the rookie. He succeeds in making us feel like we're right there with him as he gets dragged through his day from hell. Denzel Washington makes a major breakthrough as Alonzo, the corrupt senior narc. He conjures a nasty side we've never seen before. He retains the magnetic charm that is his trademark, but his characteristic politeness is completely gone. His presence has always been soothing; this time it was definitely unsettling. Way to go, Denzel!! (There's nothing I love more than to see an actor break out of his/her typecast.)
The film does a great job of establishing this ultra-punishing environment, and for a long time, it really drew me in. Unfortunately, they couldn't resist the temptation to turn it into a cheesy thriller. It does more than adequately in this capacity, but it also robs the film of some of it's intelligent, credible edge that was so effective, earlier on. Training Day is good, but with a little more ambiguity and a little less resolution, it could have been a real classic.
Compromised as it was, Training Day still has a lot to recommend it. It may be no Serpico, but it's still much sharper than a run-of-the-mill cop caper, and the actors really rocked my world. While I was mildly disappointed by the wrap-up, I didn't mind it too much. In the wake of the WTC calamity, perhaps a little escapism is a good thing. Training Day won't turn up on the best-of-decade list, but it could easily be one of the best of the year.