TRAINING DAY (2001)

MORGAN'S RATING

Every day, there is a war being waged on America's inner city streets -- a war between residents, drug dealers and the people sworn to protect one from the other. This war has its casualties, none greater than LAPD Detective Sgt. Alonzo Harris, a 13-year veteran narcotics officer whose questionable methodology blurs the line between legality and corruption. His optimism has long since been chipped away by this tour of duty in the streets, where fighting crime by the book can get you killed, and getting the job done often requires Alonzo and his colleagues to break the law they are empowered to enforce. Alonzo tests the resolve of idealistic rookie Jake Hoyt, who has one day and one day only to prove himself to his fiercely charismatic superior.

Denzel Washington (Alonzo Harris), Ethan Hawke (Jake Hoyt), Scott Glenn (Roger), Tom Berenger (Stan), Cliff Curtis (Smiley), Snoop Doggy Dog (Sammy), Macy Gray (Sandman's Wife), Eva Mendes (Sara Hoyt), Charlotte Ayanna (Lisa Hoyt), Harris Yulin (Doug Rosselli), Raymond J. Barry (Lou Jacobs), Emilio Rivera (Veterano), Samantha Becker (Letty), Raymond Cruz (Smiley's thug), Dr. Dre (Paul), Mimi Fletcher, Jaime Gomez (Mark), Peter Greene, Sarah Danielle Madison, Cle Shaheed Sloan, Will Foster Stewart, Julie Stranaham (Female Cop).

THE ONLY THING MORE DANGEROUS THAN THE LINE BEING CROSSED, IS THE COP WHO WILL CROSS IT.

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

DIRECTOR: Antoine Fuqua (The Replacement Killers). WRITER: David Ayer. PRODUCERS: Robert F. Newmyer and Jeffrey Silver. ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: Susan E. Novick. CO-PRODUCERS: David Ayer, Scott Strauss and David Wisneivitz. EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Bruce Berman and Davis Guggenheim. ORIGINAL MUSIC: Mark Mancina (score), Snoop Doggy Dog, Dr. Dre, Eminem (songs).  DISTRIBUTOR: Warner Bros.

FACTS

RELEASE DATE: October 5th, 2001 (USA) DVD RELEASE DATE: March 19th, 2002 (USA) BOX OFFICE OPENING: $22.5 million (USA) BOX OFFICE RESULT: $76.2 million (USA) BUDGET: $45 million (USA) SHOOTING DATES: January 2001 -- April 2001 - Eminem was offered the role of the villain but refused. - Many of Denzel Washington's lines are ad-libbed. - The coffee shop in the beginning of this film is the same one used in Se7en (1995) in the scene where Morgan Freeman meets Gwyneth Paltrow to talk. In the window in both movies, the writing reads "Quality Cafe". The Quality Cafe is also used during the first diner scene in Ghost World (2001). - The picture of his early years as a cop that Harris (Denzel Washington) shows to Hoyt (Ethan Hawke) in one of the deleted scenes is a still frame from Ricochet (1991). - This film marks the first time LA street gangs allowed cameras to be brought into the Imperial Courts neighborhood. - Raymond Cruz character is named "Sniper". In Clear and Present Danger (1994) he plays a Marine sniper. - One of the songs in the film is titled "Cry Freedom". Denzel Washington received his first Academy Award nomination for his work in the film Cry Freedom (1987). - Alonzo Harris's house in this film is the same house used as Janiece's (Tamala Jones) house in Blue Streak (1997) with Martin Lawrence. - Winner of one 2002 Academy Award for Best Actor (Denzel Washington). Nominated for one 2002 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (Ethan Hawke).

CRITICAL COMMENTS

"Riveting and intense." -- James Berardinelli, ReelViews

"Even when it falls back excessively on coincidence and contrived set pieces, even when it gushes irretrivably over the top in its final act, Washington makes this film sizzle." -- Jay Carr, Boston Globe

"As usual Washington is astounding. He grabs the screen like a vise and never lets go." -- Paul Clinton, CNN

"For its kinetic energy and acting zeal, I enjoyed the movie. I like it when actors go for broke." -- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times

"Washington plays Alanzo like a con man with a one-two punch...it's tour-de-force acting." -- Bob Graham, San Francisco Chronicle

"Is a case of synthetic sensationalism, a glorified star-image makeover that grows glossier and more monotonous as it goes along." -- Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly