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Training Day

Training Day

The only thing more dangerous than the line being crossed, is the cop who will cross it.

2001122 minRMidcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Director
Antoine Fuqua
Starring
Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, Scott Glenn, Tom Berenger

On his first day on the job as a narcotics officer, a rookie cop works with a rogue detective who isn't what he appears.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Training Day?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Training Day streaming on MGM+ via Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Training Day?

Training Day earns 12 badges, led by Stood the test of time and Oscar Winner.

Show 4 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content
  • Cast

Reception

Is Training Day worth watching?

Training Day's Midcredits score is the 97th percentile of all films, from 1.2M ratings across 6 sources. 89% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

97th percentile

Better received than 97% of films

98th percentile among Crime97th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)95th
Approval (how many liked it)97th

78 /100

95th percentile of all films

97th percentile among Crime96th percentile among 2000s

Critics 71 · Audience 79

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

89% liked it

97th percentile of all films

97th percentile among Crime98th percentile among 2000s
89% rated it 7–1011% rated it 1–6

Critics 74% · Audience 89%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

1 Oscars won · 1 Oscar noms · 17 wins / 23 noms overall

  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Actor in a Leading Role
  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Actor in a Supporting Role

99th percentile

1.2M ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Crime99th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 147% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$45M
Opening weekend$23M
Domestic gross$77M
Worldwide gross$105M

Returned 2.3× its budget — 96th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both fans and detractors agree that Denzel Washington delivers a commanding, memorable performance as the corrupt cop Alonzo Harris.

Fans praised

  • Denzel Washington's Oscar-winning performance as Alonzo, both threatening and charming
  • Ethan Hawke's portrayal of the rookie, holding his own alongside Washington
  • Gritty, authentic depiction of Los Angeles streets and police corruption

Detractors panned

  • Implausible plot with too many events crammed into one day
  • Over-the-top, cartoonish villainy from Alonzo that strains credibility
  • Plot holes and logic gaps that undermine the story

What stands out

Acting95

Denzel Washington's magnetic, Oscar-winning performance; Ethan Hawke holds his own

TensionDivisive80

Prolonged, suffocating suspense with unpredictable turns

AtmosphereDivisive80

Raw, tense depiction of LA's underbelly, with thick menace

Dialogue75

Sharp, quotable lines that enhance Alonzo's charisma

CharactersDivisive70

Alonzo's charismatic menace; Jake's moral arc, though some find Alonzo cartoonishly over-the-top

PacingDivisive60

Relentless single-day momentum, though some feel it rushes and overpacks

Originality60

Gritty street-level take on the corrupt-cop trope, but formulaic to some

Plot and story50

Episodic and twisty but often deemed implausible, with too many events in one day

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 18 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 1 point apart
  • Critics vs users 3 points apart
  • US vs non-US even

Watch experience

What is Training Day like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you unsettled. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention and room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDreadThrilling
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Brutal · 7% of filmsBrooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneTraining Day presents its corrupt LAPD world with documentary-like grit and moral seriousness, never winking at the audience.
The rideThe film maintains a near-constant tension from the first ride-along, with dread building as Alonzo's corruption is revealed; the emotional peak comes during the middle act's confrontations and the execution scene.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically over 24 hours, following a classic three-act arc from Jake's hopeful arrival through escalating moral crises to the final confrontation.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Unsettled.

The answer rests on this: UnsettlingThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's portrayal of systemic corruption and moral compromise lingers, provoking unease and reflection on the nature of police power.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeJake Hoyt's one-day evaluation by corrupt narcotics detective Alonzo Harris forces him to navigate a gauntlet of moral compromises and violence, culminating in a battle for survival against the tyrant who holds power over him.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfCorruption
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 2% (this title) · Corruption 3% (this title) · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Power

Corruption · 3% of filmsJustice · 13% of filmsPower · 2% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how power and institutional corruption erode principle, forcing the protagonist to choose between integrity and survival.
StanceThe film warns against the corrosive power of institutional corruption, centering on the moral contest between two police officers whose choices affect the community around them.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanRealistic
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · hybrid · Mark Mancina
SettingSouth Central Los Angeles, 2001, following an LAPD narcotics officer through gang territory and corrupt police networks.
MusicMancina's score blends urban tension with orchestral menace, punctuated by a hip-hop soundtrack featuring Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.

Content guide

Is Training Day okay for kids?

R

Training Day is rated R: “Rated R for strong brutal violence, pervasive language, drug content and brief nudity” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (86/100), sexual content at intense (65/100), language at severe (96/100), drug and alcohol content at severe (91/100) and frightening material at severe (86/100). Overall it is heavier than 98% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 23 other countries
  • UK18
  • Canada18A
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Ireland18
  • JapanR18+
  • South Korea18
  • Brazil18
  • Czechia12+
  • FinlandK-18
  • Greece16
  • Hungary18
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoC
  • Netherlands12
  • Poland18
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO18
  • Spain18
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland16
  • Taiwan輔導級
Overall
Severe · all five categories
Heavier than 99% of all filmsHeavier than 98% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 77%
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 81%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 98%
Alcohol & Drugs
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 98%
Frightening / Intense
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 89%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Heavy almost across the board: language, drug and alcohol content, violence, frightening material, and sexual content.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Training Day have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Training Day?

Cast

3 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor; Denzel Washington won the Oscar for this film.

Denzel Washington
as Alonzo
Oscar win: Academy Award — Best Actor in a Leading RoleTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ethan Hawke
as Jake
Oscar nominee: Academy Award nomination — Best Actor in a Supporting RoleTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Scott Glenn
as Roger
Tom Berenger
as Stan Gursky
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Harris Yulin
as Doug Rosselli
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Raymond J. Barry
as Lou Jacobs
Cliff Curtis
as Smiley
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Dr. Dre
as Paul
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Snoop Dogg
as Blue
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Macy Gray
as Sandman's Wife
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Training Day?

Movies like Training Day include Dark Blue (2002), Internal Affairs (1990) and End of Watch (2012). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by Antoine Fuqua, and most are films about corruption.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

David Ayer wrote 4 of these 12. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Training Day?

2.8K other films share the rarest tag below, up against: corrupt official. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.