Training Day (2001) 8/10

Starring : Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, Scott Glenn, Cliff Curtis
Director : Antoine Fuqua
Running Time : 123 mins

Jake Hoyt (Hawke), wanting to join up with an elite narcotics squad, finds himself teamed up for 24 hours with commander Alonzo Harris (Washington) in order to prove how worthy he is of the job. As the day progresses, Hoyt starts to realise that Harris tends to operate outside of the law with his own brand of vigilante justice that could just lose Hoyt his job.

This is a very clever thriller that paints Washington as the villain - a role he is brilliant at playing – with expert ease. From the get go he tries to mess up Hawke’s life by getting him to take drugs under the pretence that it’s all part of working in narcotics, but it’s when Washington turns completely on Hawke that things get really good.

You’ll like this if you liked : The Departed