Training Day, starring Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke, exposes the dark side of the Los Angelos police force. The audience follows a rookie cop on his first day as a narcotics officer with an experienced but dirty officer, Alonzo. In the span of one day, the two experience the highs and lows of manipulating the law for Alonzo's benefit, only to reap the consequences in the end.
Despite being a fictional piece, Training Day offers some insightful dialogue and quotes, making it a timeless piece.
10 Alonzo: "To Protect The Sheep You Gotta Catch The Wolf, And It Takes A Wolf To Catch A Wolf."
Alonzo is both a hero and a villain but has lost his sense of right and wrong after years on the police force. Jake Hoyt learned by the book, Alonzo learned by the street and did anything to survive. Years of doing so blurred the line between cop and criminal.
Despite his wrongdoings, Alonzo throws Jake a valuable piece of advice when it comes to his job as a narcotics officer. If you want to keep the streets clean, you need to get your hands dirty.
9 Alonzo: "You're In The Office, Baby."
One of the most iconic scenes from Training Day is in the beginning. When the duo step into Alonzo's car (not from the LAPD motor lot), Jake is entering a world unknown to him.
The car, Alonzo's office, is essentially the all-seeing eye whose presence demands fear and respect from the people of LA. Alonzo's "office" is riddled with crime as he hides behind the badge, making him invincible (for the time being).
8 Alonzo: "What A Day."
One of the most interesting facts about Training Day is that the whole movie takes place in one day. There's no flashbacks, prelude, or extended ending, Training Day is a rollercoaster from start to finish with little to no breaks in between scenes.
Not only is this clever, but it masterfully shows how much can go wrong for someone like Alonzo. On the surface, he's a narcotics officer, but riding along for a day shows the dark and dirty underbelly of how things really get done.
7 Alonzo: "Nobody Told You To Smoke That Thing. You Made The Decision. Live With Your Decision. Ain't Like I Put A Gun To Your Head."
Jake is often forced to make tough decisions in Training Day as he goes back forth deciding to act on his police academy training (which would get him killed) and acting on what Alonzo taught him. What's ironic, however, is Alonzo's assurance that he isn't putting a gun to his head.
In reality, Alonzo bringing Jake along for all of this is putting a target and gun on his head. Henceforth, every decision Jake makes is dictated by Alonzo's rhetoric and he has to live with it.
6 Jake: "It's No Fun When The Rabbit Has The Gun, Is It?"
Jake rarely overpowers Alonzo, but when he does, it's worthy of a second glance. Jake is the rabbit in the world of wolves and his training will determine whether he's ready to enter a world of violence rather than protection.
Alonzo admires the good in Jake because he was just like him, only to turn once he realized what the real world is like. But once he's temporarily removed from his throne, Alonzo realizes how the badge can get in the way. Jake is both a threat and an asset, someone Alonzo can use and train. But Jake doesn't fall for it, and he makes his point known.
5 Jake: "You Don't Deserve This."
In the span of one day, Jake realizes Alonzo isn't worthy of a police badge and does more harm than good to the people of L.A. Instead of preserving life, he takes it; instead of being a narcotics officer, he's a drug dealer.
Alonzo manipulates things for his benefit, while Jake looks to keep criminals off the street. In the span of a day, Jake realizes the real criminal is right next to him.
4 Alonzo: "Nothing's Free In This World, Jake. Not Even Arrest Warrants."
Alonzo is a bit of an opportunist, exposing and using people while hiding his badge. His knowledge of the streets gives him an edge, but he still needs to abide by the law.
Instead, Alonzo makes his own rules, skipping arrest warrants and the "going by the book" mentality. In his world, Alonzo takes for himself despite the selfless nature and position of his job.
3 Alonzo: "They Build Jails 'Cause Of Me."
Alonzo may be a cop, imprisoning criminals and cleaning up the streets, but he doesn't inspire hope. Jails are full because of him, but some of those arrests and incarcerations aren't justified.
After the instance with Roger, the audience realizes how the narcotics department really operates on a daily basis, and how they're awarded medals.
2 Alonzo: "It's Not What You Know, It's What You Can Prove."
It's not about what you know, it's about who you know. Alonzo knows how the system works and understands it's all about what you can prove, not what you saw, said, or believe.
However, even the evidence is likely to be tampered with, as seen with Roger's death. Jake quickly learns no matter how just he is, no good will come of working alongside Alonzo.
1 Alonzo: "You Wanna Go To Jail Or You Wanna Go Home?"
One of the most iconic quotes from Training Day, Alonzo's philosophy is deceptive. While trying to help the people of L.A., he's really using the crime to his advantage.
By going home, Alonzo has won the respect and fear of people, while putting in them jail earns him the same from the police department. It's a double-edged sword with both outcomes harming the people of the city.
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