:Training Day

Jake Hoyt, an ambitious LAPD officer, is assigned to work with Detective Alonzo Harris, a highly decorated narcotics officer for a one-day evaluation to determine if Jake will be invited to join the narcotics squad. Driving around in Alonzo's Monte Carlo, they begin the day by catching some college kids buying marijuana. Alonzo confiscates the drugs, puts them into a pipe and tells Jake to smoke it. When Jake refuses, Alonzo threatens him at gunpoint, stating that such a refusal while on the streets would get him killed. Jake smokes the pipe and gets very high. Alonzo laughs, disclosing that it was laced with PCP.

They pay a visit to Roger, an ex-cop turned drug dealer. After they leave, Jake notices a pair of addicts attempting to rape Letty, a teenage girl in an alley. Jake intervenes while Alonzo watches him subdue the attackers. After Letty leaves, Alonzo menaces the rapists, but declines to arrest them and Jake collects Letty's wallet from the ground.

Later, Alonzo and Jake apprehend a dealer named Blue, who has crack rocks and a loaded handgun in his possession. Rather than go to jail, Blue informs on his employer Kevin "Sandman" Miller, who is in prison. Using a fake search warrant, Alonzo steals $40,000 from Sandman's home. At lunch, the two visit Alonzo's mistress Sara and their young son. Alonzo then meets with a trio of corrupt high-ranking police officials he dubs the "Three Wise Men". Aware that the Russian mafia is hunting Alonzo, they suggest he skip town. Alonzo insists he has control of the situation and trades the $40,000 for an arrest warrant.

Alonzo assembles his squad of narcotics officers, and with Jake in tow they return to Roger's house and use the warrant to seize $4 million, a quarter of which Alonzo keeps and shares with his squad. Jake refuses to take a share of the money, worrying Alonzo and the other officers. Alonzo executes Roger after Jake refuses his order to do so, staging the scene with his men to make the shooting look justified. Infuriated, Jake gets into a standoff with the corrupt officers. Alonzo reveals he orchestrated the day's events to have leverage over Jake and threatens him with the police department's post-incident blood test, which will catch the PCP Jake smoked and end his career. Alonzo promises to protect Jake from the drug test in exchange for his cooperation and Jake begrudgingly complies.

Later that evening, Alonzo drives Jake to the home of a Sureño gangster named Smiley for an errand. As he waits for Alonzo, Jake reluctantly plays poker with Smiley and his fellow gang members, Sniper and Moreno. Smiley then explains Alonzo's situation: Alonzo got into a fight with a connected Russian mobster in Las Vegas and killed him. Alonzo must pay a million dollars as compensation, or be killed himself. Additionally, Smiley reveals Alonzo has abandoned Jake and paid Smiley to kill him. Jake attempts to flee but is beaten and dragged to the bathroom to be executed. Moreno searches Jake for money and finds the wallet of Letty, who happens to be Smiley's cousin. After calling Letty and confirming that Jake saved her, Smiley releases Jake out of gratitude.

An infuriated Jake returns to Sara's apartment to arrest Alonzo before he leaves to pay the Russians with Roger's money. A gunfight and chase ensue, and Alonzo is eventually subdued on the street while the entire neighborhood gathers to watch. Alonzo offers money to whoever kills Jake, but the neighborhood residents, tired of Alonzo's abuse, refuse. Jake takes the stolen cash to submit as evidence against Alonzo and the neighborhood gang allows him to leave safely with earned respect. An enraged Alonzo, realizing his plan has been foiled, unravels into a final desperate tantrum and threatens retaliation against the neighborhood, but, knowing he no longer holds any sway over them, the residents ignore Alonzo and walk away during his rant. Alonzo attempts to flee for the Los Angeles International Airport, but is ambushed and gunned down by the Russians. Jake returns home as the press reports on Alonzo's death.

{{Cast listing|

• Denzel Washington as Detective Alonzo Harris (LAPD)
• Ethan Hawke as Officer Jake Hoyt (LAPD)
• Scott Glenn as Roger
• Tom Berenger as Stan Gursky (LAPD, "Three Wise Men")
• Harris Yulin as Doug Rosselli (LAPD, "Three Wise Men")
• Raymond J. Barry as Lou Jacobs (LAPD, "Three Wise Men")
• Cliff Curtis as "Smiley"
• Andre Young as Paul (LAPD, Alonzo's squad)
• Calvin Broadus as "Blue"
• Macy Gray as Sandman's Wife
• Charlotte Ayanna as Lisa
• Eva Mendes as Sara
• Nick Chinlund as Tim (LAPD, Alonzo's squad)
• Jaime P. Gomez as Mark (LAPD, Alonzo's squad)
• Raymond Cruz as "Sniper"
• Noel Gugliemi as Moreno
• Kyjel N. Jolly as Alonzo's Son
• Peter Greene as Jeff (LAPD, Alonzo's squad) (uncredited)
• Samantha Esteban as Letty
• Cle Shaheed Sloan as "Bone"
• Terry Crews as A Gang Member (uncredited){{cite news|url=https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2018/07/terry-crews-best-roles/blended|work=Complex|title=Terry Crews' Best Roles|date=July 30, 2018|accessdate=January 24, 2024|last=List|first=Mallorie}}

}}

Although corruption in the LAPD's C.R.A.S.H. unit was yet to be exposed when Training Day was written, Antoine Fuqua has stated that the emergence of the Rampart Scandal in the late 1990s catalyzed the completion of the film. Denzel Washington also grew a beard in order to emulate the appearance of Rafael Pérez, an LAPD narcotics officer involved in multiple scandals.{{cite book|title=Bad: Infamy, Darkness, Evil and Slime on Screen|author=Murray Pomerance|author-link = Murray Pomerance |publisher=SUNY Press|date=February 1, 2012}}{{cite book|title=Racial Spectacles:Explorations in Media, Race and Justice|author=Jonathan Markovitz|publisher=Taylor & Francis|date=October 14, 2011}} Fuqua wanted Washington's 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."[http://www.rediff.com/entertai/2001/oct/06us.htm "Man on a mission"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080726200734/http://www.rediff.com/entertai/2001/oct/06us.htm |date=July 26, 2008 }}. Rediff.com. October 2006. Retrieved October 20, 2011.

Fuqua also saw Ethan Hawke's character as generally honorable but so driven by ambition that he was willing to compromise his principles, particularly when following the charming and persuasive example of Washington's character. He has said that he fought with studio executives who wanted to cut the Three Wise Men scene, thinking it slowed the film. He insisted that the scene was pivotal in establishing that at least some of Alonzo's illegal actions were sanctioned by his superiors who regarded unethical behavior as a necessary evil.{{cite AV media | people=Fuqua, Antoine (director, primary contributor) | date= June 3, 2002 | title=Training Day DVD | medium=Motion picture commentary | location=U.S.}}

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. He even obtained permission to shoot in the Imperial Courts housing project, the first time L.A. street gangs had allowed a film crew to be brought into that neighborhood. The crew also filmed in Hoover Block and Baldwin Village.{{cite web |title='Training Day' Production Notes |url=http://www.kingroom.com/movies/2001/training_day/notes.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020122034510/http://www.kingroom.com/movies/2001/training_day/notes.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 22, 2002 |work=Warner Bros. |access-date=February 11, 2010 }} Parts of the film were shot on the dead end street Palmwood Drive, where Black P. Stones gang members were seen on the rooftops. Cle Shaheed Sloan, the gang technical advisor of Training Day, managed to get on screen real-life gang members from Rollin' 60 Crips, PJ Watts Crips, and Black P. Stones. According to Fuqua, the actors and crew ended up receiving a warm welcome from local residents. When he was unable to shoot a scene directly on location, he recreated the locations on sets.

There were also two police officers on hand as technical advisors, Michael Patterson and Paul Lozada (the latter from the San Francisco Police Department). Washington, Hawke and other cast members also met with undercover police officers, local drug dealers, and gang members to help understand their roles better.

Davis Guggenheim was originally attached to direct the film, with Matt Damon as Jake Hoyt and Samuel L. Jackson as Alonzo Harris.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/1999/film/news/wb-recruits-ayer-s-training-day-1117744031/|title=WB recruits Ayer's 'Training Day'|date=July 21, 1999}} Once Washington became attached to the project, however, he requested to have Guggenheim replaced with Fuqua.{{Cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/waiting-for-superman-director-davis-guggenheim-1798222035/|title=Waiting for Superman director Davis Guggenheim|website=The A.V. Club|date=October 13, 2010 }} Eminem was offered the role of Hoyt, but turned it down in order to focus on preparing for 8 Mile (2002).{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=116107|title = Eminem Gets Day vs. Denzel?|website = ABC News}} If he had appeared, he would've shared scenes with his mentor Dr. Dre as well as Snoop Dogg, both of whom do appear in the film. Tobey Maguire, Paul Walker, Freddie Prinze Jr., Ryan Phillippe, and Scott Speedman all auditioned for the role of Hoyt.{{Cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2001/09/06/training-day/|title = Training Day|magazine = Entertainment Weekly}}

{{Main|Training Day (soundtrack)}}

A soundtrack to the film was released on September 11, 2001, by Priority Records. It peaked at 35 on the Billboard 200 and 19 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and spawned two hit singles, Nelly's "#1" and Dr. Dre and DJ Quik's "Put It on Me".

Training Day was originally scheduled for release on September 21, 2001, and had a strong advertising push.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/ledger-enquirer-training-to-have-its-d/128815616/ |title='Training' to have its day Oct. 5 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230725010101/https://www.newspapers.com/article/ledger-enquirer-training-to-have-its-d/128815616/ |date=September 19, 2001 |access-date=July 25, 2023 |archive-date=July 25, 2023 |page=41 |publisher=Ledger-Enquirer |via=Newspapers.com |url-status=live}} {{Open access}} However, following the September 11 attacks, the film was pushed back to October 5, 2001, replacing Collateral Damage{{'}}s original release date.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/messenger-inquirer-men-in-black-2-endi/126102241/ |title='Men in Black 2' ending changed because of attack |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230619195535/https://www.newspapers.com/article/messenger-inquirer-men-in-black-2-endi/126102241/ |date=September 15, 2001 |access-date=June 19, 2023 |archive-date=June 19, 2023 |page=14 |publisher=Messenger-Inquirer |via=Newspapers.com |url-status=live}} {{Open access}}

Training Day was initially released on DVD and VHS on March 19, 2002.{{cite news |last=Godinez |first=Victor |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122525912/heroes-of-the-past-are-resurrected/ |title=Heroes of the past are resurrected |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408215908/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122525912/heroes-of-the-past-are-resurrected/ |date=March 8, 2002 |access-date=April 8, 2023 |archive-date=April 8, 2023 |page=98 |work=The Dallas Good Morning News |publisher=Sun Herald |via=Newspapers.com |url-status=live}} {{Open access}} A Blu-ray version was initially released on August 1, 2006.{{cite web|last=McCutcheon|first=David|title=Warner's Bundle of Blu-ray|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/07/31/warners-bundle-of-blu-ray|publisher=IGN|access-date=May 19, 2023|date=July 31, 2006}} A 4K Blu-ray version was released on February 28, 2023.{{cite web|url=https://screen-connections.com/2023/01/17/training-day-4k-uhd-release-details/|title='Training Day'; Arrives On 4K Ultra HD February 28, 2023 & Digital On February 7 From Warner Bros|date=January 17, 2023 }}

Training Day opened at number one, grossing $22.5{{nbsp}}million, ahead of fellow new release Serendipity in second place.{{cite web |url=http://www.hive4media.com/news/html/theatrical_article.cfm?article_id=1892 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011215110312/http://www.hive4media.com/news/html/theatrical_article.cfm?article_id=1892 |title=Weekend Box Office Report:'Training Day' Is Lesson No. 1 for Washington, Warners; 'Serendipity' Bubbles Up to No. 2 |website=hive4media.com |archive-date=December 15, 2001 |date=October 8, 2001 |access-date=September 21, 2019 |via=The Hollywood Reporter |url-status=live}} Upon opening, it achieved the second-highest October opening weekend, behind Meet the Parents.{{cite web|url=https://www.screendaily.com/training-day-opens-to-242m/407108.article|title=Training Day opens to $24.2m}} It repeated in the top spot in its second weekend, above that week's new release of Bandits in second place, and spent its first six weeks in the Top 10 at the box office.{{cite web |title=Patriot Games {{!}} Domestic Weekly |website=Box Office Mojo |publisher=IMDb |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1165460993/weekly/?ref_=bo_rl_tab#tabs |access-date=2023-08-23}} It went on to gross $76.6{{nbsp}}million in the United States and Canada, and $28.2{{nbsp}}million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $104.9{{nbsp}}million,{{Cite Box Office Mojo |access-date=2023-08-23}} against a budget of $45{{nbsp}}million.{{Cite The Numbers |id=Training-Day-(2001) |access-date=2023-08-18}}

{{RT prose|74|3=170|4=The ending may be less than satisfying, but Denzel Washington reminds us why he's such a great actor in this taut and brutal police drama.|ref=yes|access-date=January 27, 2024}} {{MC film|71|36|ref=yes|access-date=2023-08-23}} Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.{{cite web |url= https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |title= CinemaScore |work= cinemascore.com |access-date= |archive-date=December 20, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |url-status= live }}

Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert said: "Washington seems to enjoy a performance that's over the top and down the other side".{{cite news |title=Training Day |first=Roger |last=Ebert |author-link=Roger Ebert |date=2001-10-05 |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20011005/REVIEWS/110050305/1023 |access-date=2012-04-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305142530/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20011005%2FREVIEWS%2F110050305%2F1023 |archive-date=2012-03-05}} Ebert gave the film three out of four stars, praising both the lead and supporting actors and the film's gritty, kinetic energy. He criticized the plot's implausibility, but praised its execution, stating: "Ayer's screenplay is ingenious in the way it plants clues and pays them off in unexpected ways, so that Training Day makes as much sense as movies like this usually can."

Writing in The Hollywood Reporter, Michael Rechtshaffen gave the film a positive review, stating: "Denzel Washington ventures into the dark side as a seriously corrupt narcotics cop... and the results are electrifying. So is the picture, thanks to taut, sinewy direction by Antoine Fuqua and a compelling script by David Ayer."{{cite magazine |title='Training Day': THR's 2001 Review |first=Michael |last=Rechtshaffen |date=2016-09-12 |orig-date=2001-09-04 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/training-day-2001-movie-review-926939/ |access-date=2023-08-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020134534/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/training-day-2001-movie-review-926939/ |archive-date=2021-10-20 |url-status=live}}

Denzel Washington's performance as Detective Alonzo Harris was highly praised by critics. In The Village Voice, Amy Taubin wrote that his "old-fashioned combination of decency and sexiness suggests the African American counterpart to Gregory Peck (in his To Kill a Mockingbird period), as an LAPD cop so evil he makes Harvey Keitel's Bad Lieutenant look like even smaller potatoes than he was meant to be".{{cite news |title=Temples of the Familiar |first=Amy |last=Taubin |author-link=Amy Taubin |newspaper=The Village Voice |date=2001-10-02 |url=http://www.villagevoice.com/2001-10-02/film/temples-of-the-familiar/ |access-date=August 10, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 23, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223120636/http://www.villagevoice.com/2001-10-02/film/temples-of-the-familiar/}}

In June 2003, the American Film Institute named Alonzo Harris the 50th greatest screen villain of all time in its list AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains.{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/100years/handv.aspx|title=AFI's 100 GREATEST HEROES & VILLAINS|work=American Film Institute|access-date=September 2, 2015|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304082823/http://www.afi.com/100Years/handv.aspx|url-status=live}}

{{main|Training Day (TV series)}}

On August 7, 2015, it was announced that Antoine Fuqua had decided to develop a television series based on the movie, and had teamed with Jerry Bruckheimer to develop the concept. Warner Bros. Television was shopping the show to the American broadcast networks. Will Beall would write the series, while Fuqua would serve as executive producer, and would direct the potential pilot.{{cite news|last1=Andreeva|first1=Nellie|title='Training Day' TV Series From Antoine Fuqua & Jerry Bruckheimer Eyed By Nets|url=https://deadline.com/2015/08/training-day-tv-series-antoine-fuqua-jerry-bruckheimer-1201494056/|access-date=August 8, 2015|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=August 7, 2015|archive-date=August 8, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150808001619/http://deadline.com/2015/08/training-day-tv-series-antoine-fuqua-jerry-bruckheimer-1201494056/|url-status=live}} CBS ordered a pilot on August 14, 2015. In addition to Fuqua, Bruckheimer, Beall, and Jonathan Littman will serve as executive producers for the series, which is set 15 years after the original film.{{cite news|last1=Melrose|first1=Kevin|title='Training Day' TV Series Finds a Home at CBS|url=https://www.cbr.com/training-day-tv-series-finds-a-home-at-cbs/|access-date=June 10, 2020|work=CBR|date=August 14, 2015|archive-date=June 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610183348/https://www.cbr.com/training-day-tv-series-finds-a-home-at-cbs/|url-status=live}} In May 2016, CBS picked up the series.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2016/05/training-day-bull-macgyver-the-great-indoors-matt-leblanc-jason-katims-cbs-series-1201755376/|title='Training Day', 'Bull', 'MacGyver', 'The Great Indoors', Matt LeBlanc Comedy & Jason Katims Drama Picked Up By CBS|website=Deadline Hollywood|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|date=May 13, 2016|access-date=May 13, 2016|archive-date=March 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327123108/https://deadline.com/2016/05/training-day-bull-macgyver-the-great-indoors-matt-leblanc-jason-katims-cbs-series-1201755376/|url-status=live}}

In the CBS television series Alonzo is mentioned by Deputy Chief Joy Lockhart when briefing Officer Kyle Craig on sending him undercover at LAPD's Special Investigation Section to investigate Detective Frank Roarke. Frank briefly mentions Alonzo at the end of the first season. The series, starring Bill Paxton and Justin Cornwell, premiered on February 2, 2017, with a 13-episode run as a mid-season replacement.

Filming for the first season had been completed in December 2016, so the run was not affected by Paxton's death on February 25, 2017, two days after the fourth episode aired.{{cite web |title=Bill Paxton Had Completed Order For CBS' 'Training Day' Before His Death |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=2017-02-26 |url=https://deadline.com/2017/02/bill-paxton-death-training-day-cbs-season-1-renewal-1202000300/ |access-date=2023-08-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626214653/https://deadline.com/2017/02/bill-paxton-death-training-day-cbs-season-1-renewal-1202000300/ |archive-date=2023-06-26 |url-status=live}} The lowest rated drama series on CBS that season, it was canceled on May 17, 2017, the same week the season finale aired.{{cite web |title=Training Day, Ransom Cancelled at CBS |first=Matt Webb |last=Mitovich |website=TVLine |date=2017-05-17 |url=http://tvline.com/2017/05/17/training-day-cancelled-cbs/ |access-date=2023-08-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527005519/http://tvline.com/2017/05/17/training-day-cancelled-cbs/ |archive-date=2022-05-27 |url-status=live}}

In October 2019, it was reported that Warner Bros. was developing a prequel to Training Day. The prequel follows a young Alonzo Harris in late April 1992, two days before the verdict of the Rodney King trial and the associated L.A. riots.{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/training-day-prequel-warner-bros/|title=Exclusive: 'Training Day' Prequel in the Works at Warner Bros.|author=Jeff Snider|date=October 10, 2019|work=Collider|access-date=October 11, 2019|archive-date=October 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012024621/https://collider.com/training-day-prequel-warner-bros/|url-status=live}} The prequel, named Training Day: Day of the Riot, was set to start production in California in February 2022, but as of November 2024, the film appears to be still in development.{{Cite web |last=N'Duka |first=Amanda |date=2019-10-10 |title='Training Day' Prequel In Development At Warner Bros. |url=https://deadline.com/2019/10/warner-bros-training-day-prequel-1202757314/ |access-date=2020-10-08 |website=Deadline Hollywood |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191225063533/https://deadline.com/2019/10/warner-bros-training-day-prequel-1202757314/ |archive-date=December 25, 2019 |url-status=live}}

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