Training Day

A closer look at the story

Jake Hoyt is an idealistic young officer starting out in the narcotics unit, convinced that everything should be done by the book. On his first day he is paired with veteran detective Alonzo Harris, who is supposed to teach him the streets. Alonzo, however, lost the idealism of his early days long ago and believes nothing gets done by following the rules; he has no qualms about bending the very law he is meant to uphold. As the day wears on, Jake begins to realise that the man beside him is not who he appears to be, and how blurred the line between right and wrong has become on these streets. With David Ayer writing and Antoine Fuqua directing, this 122-minute 2001 film stars Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke in a hard-edged police thriller.