TRAINING DAY
US, 2001, 115 minutes, Colour.
Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawk, Scott Glenn, Tom Berenger, Harris Yulin, Raymond J. Barry, Cliff Curtis.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua.
A very well made, but very disturbing film.
In the late 90s a number of investigations of American police departments, including top-ranking squads in Los Angeles, have found a large number of police guilty of corruption and fraud. Great demands are put on the police at the best of times. The burdens when considering only their confronting with drug dealers in major cities are heavy and dangerous. For those going undercover, it is much more perilous. There have been quite a number of films on this theme. One thinks back to Al Pacino in Serpico and Cruising and other thrillers which have titles like Deep Cover and In Too Deep.
The screenplay for Training Day was begun before the late 90s investigations. It now looks prophetic rather than far-fetched. It takes us into a world of moral ambiguities where the upholders of the law have to mix with the criminals, blending in so that they go undetected, participating in criminal operations that have to be timed exactly so thatarrests can be made. The psychological wear and tear on the individual is severe. There are many stories of police crossing the line. This is one of those stories.
Training Day is a tough thriller about Californian police. It is about law enforcement, a type of vigilanteism, corruption amongst the police force. It gives a very vivid picture of police in action, especially on the drug scene, and the possibility of standover tactics, the use of violence and brutality, the stealing of drugs, the stealing of part of money stashes - without being caught. The film is an interesting dramatisation as well as critique of this kind of action. (An interesting comparison is the Ray Liotta vehicle, Narc.)
What makes it more compelling is that the action takes place during one day. A young rookie, Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke), with high hopes of becoming a detective has to spend a 'training day' with the experienced head of a special squad and prove himself. He is recently married with a young child. He goes into his training day as an innocent who has studied conscientiously in the academy and acts by the book.
At first he thinks that his superior, Alonzo Harris (Denzel Washington), is eccentric, trying to test him by putting him off guard. He determines to try even harder. It soon emerges that there is something far more than eccentricity motivating Harris. While committed to eradicating crime, he has crossed the line. He is a rogue cop manipulating his young rookie. The situation goes from bad to evil to worse, ending in a moral and physical confrontation between the two.
But what makes it special are the performances of the stars. Ethan Hawke conveys the personality of the sometimes naively ambitious rookie who accepts too willingly the odd demands of his superior so that he finds himself ultimately framed and morally trapped. Denzel Washington is superb as Harris. Washington usually plays heroes like Steve Biko or Malcolm X, the Civil War sergeant in Glory or the anti-racist coach in Remember the Titans. We have come to expect him to play morally good characters. Harris exudes charm so that we, like Hoyt, can scarcely believe what is happening when he manifests his ruthless manipulation.
Training Day is also the film which won Denzel Washington his second Oscar. It is a surprising choice of roles.
The film is generally seen from the point of view of the rookie who wants to prove himself in the eyes of his superior officer and go on to the narcotics squad. Instead, he is offered all kinds of temptation, is set up very drastically at the end to take the fall for the corrupt officer's plans to get money to pay back debts.
A strong supporting cast in cameo roles, including Scott Glenn and Tom Berenger, round out a very strong cast.
The film is swift paced, well directed, a rather intense experience. It was directed by Antoine Fuqua whose previous films were more routine action like the Chow Yun Fat thriller Replacement Killers.
Training Day is a very strong film on ethics and integrity. It shows the power of corruption, the ever-present temptations in ordinary situations and people being trapped. It shows freedom of will, the range of choices, the difficulties in crossing the line. The end of the film highlights the theme that whoever lives by the sword dies by the sword.
The Press Information refers to the film as presenting an 'ethical mire' where moral choices must be made. This makes it both disturbing and challenging.
1. The impact of the film? Its ugly portrait of corrupt cops? Its portrait of a young man faced with moral situations and making choices?
2. Denzel Washington and his Oscar-winning performance? Ethan Hawk? The strong casting for the criminals and police? The musical score?
3. Los Angeles as a setting, homes and apartments, neighbourhoods, rich and poor, drug areas? The highways? The police stations? An authentic atmosphere? The style of photography, the angles, the angled close-ups for Alonzo's face and his moral pressure? The psychedelic scenes with Jake and his experience of the drugs? The contribution to the visual impact of the moral issues?
4. The structure of the film: Jake getting up in the morning, the beginning of a testing day, the initial encounters with Alonzo, the tests, the action, the violence, the build-up to the climax and what seems to be Jake's passion and death, his overcoming this, the confrontation with Alonzo, Alonzo and his death?
5. The film seen from the point of view of Jake, a moral perspective? His waking up, his relationship with his wife, with his daughter, his not wanting them brought into the conversation by Alonzo? The phone call, Alonzo checking on him, meeting him, not having anything to eat, talking while Alonzo read the paper, Alonzo forcing him to tell the story, his constant ridicule of him? In the car, the instructions for the day? The trapping of the high school students and their drug dealing? His forcing Jake to try the drugs, the refusal, the pressure, the psychedelic effect? The crossing of the line? The visit to Roger, the discussions, the seeming friendliness? Jake and his getting out of the car when seeing the young woman being attacked, his fight with the two men, Alonzo watching, finally coming to his help? The young girl, her going home, Jake finding her identity card - and its being its salvation later? The decision to raid Roger, getting the squad, Jake and his relationship with the squad? Attacking Roger's house, in the house, Alonzo's change of attitude, getting the tools, digging up the money, shooting Roger? The set-up, letting Jake take the blame, his shooting the other policeman and wounding him so that the set-up looked true? The arrival of the police? The pressure on Jake to go along with the set-up? The threat to his family? The afternoon going on, going to Smiley's house, Jake caught up with the cards, the suspicions of the men, taking him to the bath, his almost being killed? Smiley and the phone call about his cousin, their letting him go? His going to Alonzo's home, the little boy, the woman? The confrontation, the shooting? His escape and the people letting him through, going home? The contrast with Alonzo, the people not supporting him? His going to the rendezvous with the money, his death? Jake going home? The achievement of the day, his future with the police, narcotics, the possibility of becoming a detective? The impact of the experience of this training day?
6. Alonzo, the phone call, in the diner, reading the paper, his contradicting Jake, making him tell the story, ridiculing him? The flash car, driving around, his philosophy of policing, his memories of himself at the beginning of his career? Watching the drug dealers, busting the young people, taking their drugs, letting them go? His forcing Jake to take the drugs? His rationale for this, that the police should know what they were dealing with? His friendship with Roger, the easy talk? His later return, setting up his squad, their acting as a gang, Alonzo getting the money, taking part of it, wanting Jake to take some of the money and his refusing? The others and their eagerness? The set-up and blaming Jake? His having planned this previously? His going to the three officers, their easy talk, getting permission to make the raid? His visit to his son and the woman? The end of the day, his having to get the money and pay up? Leaving Jake with Smiley? Thinking that he would be killed or not? The shoot-out in the house, the people not supporting him, his declaration that he was the police? The Russian Mafia, his being shot?
7. The other police, the hierarchy, their sitting and telling stories in the restaurant, their giving permissions - how corrupt? The squad, their being on the take, their agreeing to the set-up and the lies? The need for internal affairs investigation?
8. Roger, his friendship with Alonzo, meeting Jake, the discussions, his wanting to retire? Dream of the Philippines? Alonzo's return, the confrontation, his money buried, his being shot?
9. Smiley, the drug neighbourhood, friendship with Alonzo? Playing cards with Jake? The group, suspicions, wanting to be violent? Smiley and his listening to Jake about his cousin, ringing her, her initial lies, her telling the truth about Jake? His being saved?
10. The woman, her relationship with Alonzo, the little boy? Her having to make a choice, the choice against Alonzo?
11. Corruption, integrity, ethics?
