Training Day
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Template:Infobox Movie (2) Training Day is a 2001 film starring Denzel Washington as Alonzo Harris, a decorated and corrupt police officer, and Ethan Hawke as Jake Hoyt, his new green recruit looking to become a detective in NARC. The entire movie takes place over a single intense 24 hour period that changes the lives of both officers. The movie was written by David Ayer and directed by Antoine Fuqua, both whom grew up in gang neighborhoods.
Fuqua wanted Training Day to look as authentic as possible, and he shot on location in some of the most infamous neighborhoods of Los Angeles, California. He even obtained permission from gangs to shoot in the notoriously dangerous Imperial Court housing project. His crew ended up receiving a warm welcome from local residents, who were all happy that a movie was being made that showed some of the regular life that exists in their world. When Fuqua wasn't able to shoot directly on location, he recreated the locations on sets exactly as they existed.
There were two police officers on hand as technical advisors, Michael Patterson and Paul Lozada. Shiheed "Bone" Sloan served as the gang advisor. Washington and Hawke also met with local drug dealers and gang bangers to help them understand their roles better.
Denzel Washington's portrayal of Alonzo Harris gathered the glowing praise from the critics. Fuqua wanted his character to be seductive and part of a machine, and not just a random rogue cop. In Washington's own words,
- "I think in some ways he’s done his job too well. He’s learned how to manipulate, how to push the line further and further, and, in the process, he’s become more hard-core than some of the guys he’s chasing."
In the movie Harris shows a liking towards Hoyt, and in many ways he sees Hoyt as a younger version of himself.
Denzel Washington won the Academy Award for Best Actor. Ethan Hawke was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Training Day also features appearances by Scott Glenn, Tom Berenger, Harris Yulin, Eva Mendes and musical artists Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Macy Gray.
Trivia
- The coffee shop in the beginning of the movie, called Quality Cafe, appears in many movies: Se7en, Ghost World, Gone in Sixty Seconds and Catch Me If You Can
- It was the first time LA street gangs allowed cameras to be brought into the Imperial Courts neighborhood
- It's script was altered to add some aspects of the Rampart Scandal, which happened after it was written
- Denzel Washington's character looks were designed to resemble Rafael Perez's, who played a central role in the Rampart Scandal
External links
- Official site (http://www.warnerbros.co.uk/movies/trainingday/index.html)
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- Notes (http://www.kingroom.com/movies/2001/training_day/notes.htm)