A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: Training Day

Date of theatrical release: 2001

Details:

Denzel Washington (Detective Alonzo Harris)

Ethan Hawke (Officer Jake Hoyt)

Scott Glenn (Roger)

Tom Berenger

Snoop Dogg

Director: Antoine Fuqua

Score: +

The Review: This is not Denzel Washington's best performance, nor is it (in 2002's competitive context) an Oscar-deserving performance, but it is a riveting performance drawn from far on the dark side. Washington plays an undercover detective who is showing a rookie partner (Hawke) the ropes. All the action takes place in one long, eventful and exhausting day.

Washington's Alonzo is a slimy, lying, philandering, treacherous, crooked son of a bitch with a mean temper and a dingy past. Why Hawke's character got teamed up with him in the first place, and why it would be considered such a privilege to have Washington as a senior partner, is beyond me. But the performance is seamless and compelling, if psychologically stressful. It is not a film you fall asleep during, but I doubt it is a film you will enjoy watching twice.

Good support from Scott Glen as bad guy Roger, but a bad guy that you'd like to hang with for awhile -- much more appealing than Washington's Alonzo.

13-Jan-03

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