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 Training
Day
Starring:
Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, Scott Glenn, Tom Berenger,
and a wee bit of Snoop Doggy Dogg
Directed
by: Antoine
Fuqua
Rated: R
Denzel
is dynamite! Denzel Washington is pure hydraulics; non yielding
and unrelenting in his portrayal of narcotics officer Alonzo Harris.
Ethan Hawke's signature wide-eyed innocence below a scraggy goatee-cloaked
façade worked in symphony with his Valley Cop hits the
Hood detail role of Jake Hoyt.
Officer
Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke) wants a better life for his growing family,
and to help rid the streets of drugs and perps. This means he
has to make detective. Jake knows the fastest way to detective,
and better income, is via the narcotics division. Eighteen months
of down and dirty street policing (no pun intended) and Jake's
a regulation shoe-in for the position. Especially if he can last
with the legendary Alonzo Harris--narcotic cop extraordinaire.
Training
Day brings us to Jake's first day on the LAPD Narcotic Force
LAPD. He's meeting his mentor in-waiting Alonzo (Denzel--aging
like a fine merlot-- Washington) for breakfast and then out to
the streets for a bit of training. It's gonna be a hell of a first
day!
Alonzo's
a bit gonzo. He's in with all the drug dealers; he has to be to
do his job right. He's talking wolves and sheep, howling as he
sucks down a few brewski's while cruising for bad guys. Alonzo's
also into some pretty shading dealings and Jake starts to wonder
if his new partners antics are even a by-line in the officer's
manual. There's a big bust going down but  who's
busting who and what's their motive?
Jake
starts to wish he was still pedaling parking tickets back in the
cozy gang-free-SUV powered-Starbuck slurping suburban anti-ghetto
he called home. This is no walk in Echo Park at high noon.
Denzel Washington is one fine looking man. A chocolate smorgasbord
of talent and yummy bits. Mmmm. He's always a treat to watch and
not just for his immense...acting ability!
It's
nice to see dear Ethan back upon the screen. He burst on then
went away and started breeding (Uma "even a kid won't ruin
my shape!" Thurman calls him daddy man). Ethie's no flash
to be quickly forgotten mind you. He's something of a genius.
Novelist, musician of many instruments and even speak a few languages...fluently.
Uma's a smart chickbabe huh? Of course Ethan still looks like
he's about twenty, but if you check out around the eyes during
the super dramatic close-ups you can see those baby-wakes -me-
up-constantly- crows- feet- of the- thirties etching into the
handsome lad's face.
Training
Day is gripping from the moment Denzel and Ethan share the
screen. The hip-hop oh-so-popular soundtrack keeps the mood dark
and slithering. The cast members along with the two stellar performances
by Hawke and Washington will have you trading in your Los Angeles
Weekend for little fluffier fare like, Burlington Vermont. Like
any city, in LA crime and underworld mix well with the pole-lease.
Training Day slaps you upside the head with its violence and brutal
honesty. If you like cop stories with balls run and see this,
if Starsky and Hutch gave you nose bleeds from fear...go see Bandits
you'll be much better off.
Snack
recommendation: Scotch and Salvadorian delicacies.
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