There's no way any of those went through that vest. I believe I heard him mention hydrashock. No way a jhp went through that, an fmj is more believable but I doubt it too.
Denzel Washington is magnetic; the way he talks and the way he can switch gears from being menacing and intimidating to charismatic, manipulative, charming and almost like a dad-figure/mentor-type is staggering
Denzel Washington won a well-deserved Best Actor Oscar for this film. Ethan Hawke was nominated for Best Supporting Actor and the more I watch this movie, the more I think he also deserved to win in his category.
I think Ethan Hawke should have gotten a Best Actor Oscar. He was not just supporting, he was the main character. Denzel was great too, though, so not unhappy with his Oscar.
That’s the great thing about Denzel’s performance. He makes the audience understand, forgive, and justify that what he’s doing is for the overall good. But what he’s doing is completely evil and unlawful.
What happened is that Denzel is usually a good guy in his movies so when he did this movie, everyone felt exactly how Sam felt about not wanting to believe that Alonzo could be that bad but he was. Denzel's charm is what worked for him in this movie. The bathtub scene is the most intense scene ever. Ethan Hawk said that he was really scared during that scene. And, Ethan said that working with Denzel changed him just like Jake's Training day changed his character.
Denzel's performance in this film is one for the ages. Also, as someone who grew up in a gang-infested part of L.A., this is the most realistic depiction I've ever seen.
This story hits on a different level if you've ever been in Jake's shoes; a newbie surrounded by people who either toe the line or completely cross the line and try to convince you to do the same. Getting pressured because all the experienced ones say it's no big deal and that it's justified, then realizing later on that it never was ok
A great supporting cast also: Dr Dre, Snoop Dog, Macy Grey. A number of the extras are actual members of the gangs they are cast as. Also love the soundrack. :)
I think you guys hit the nail on the head. The writing in this movie is top notch, but Denzel...Denzel puts on an absolute master class in this film. As you pointed out, you watch him do something terrible, and then he justifies it...and somehow convinces you that it wasn't as bad as you thought, and perhaps even necessary. And then he does it over and over again. Things just get worse and worse, and yet, he still is so charismatic that he convinces you that you didn't really see what you saw. Great reaction!
I think there's something to be said for a well known actor being bold enough to play against their "type", for example Tom Cruise in Collateral and Denzel here. Good enough to win an Oscar for it.
IDK, Denzel is always a bad m-f whether he's the "good" guy or the "bad" guy. Sort of like Eastwood. Now Eastwood singing in Paint Your Wagon, that was different. See Homer Simpson's review of that film.
Both are bad actors.. you see one of their characters they played and you've seen practically all. I don't give a crap about who gets an Oscar... that's politics.
Denzel got a lot of flack from the Black community leaders for playing that role. He usually portrayed our heroes. There are plenty of criminals portrayed. I get it, but he definitely played this role. Ethan Hawk talked about it in an interview.
@@alainvosselman9960 Oscar's might be politics to you, but you couldn't be further from the truth about Denzel roles being the same. Alonzo is nothing like Malcom X, nothing like Hurricane Carter, nothing like Flight, nothing like Roman J. Israel, nothing like Fences, nothing like Glory. Now I won't say there isn't overlap, but you won't find any prolific actor who doesn't have similar roles. I even agree with Cruise that's mostly due to how involved he is in producing everything he's in. With the church and everything he won't allow himself to be seen in a certain way which is way Edge Of Tomorrow stood out as he wasn't basically Ethan Hunt super hero he was a coward who sukked at fighting. I'll even put Will Smith in that category as always playing Will Smith accept for funny enough is Oscar nominated and winning role(s) which were Ali, Pursuit of Happiness and King Richard all real people that he couldn't play as Fresh Prince Will Smith he had to at least TRY to act like those men. Denzel is and has been way more diverse in characters then them. His recent Macbeth was another great performance not like much other he's done I mean it's a Shakespeare work it's inherently different. Don't know if you've seen much of his Theater work either but he's been great there as well.
The most frightening part is that the character is based on an actual dirty cop. Denzel said that while he was filming he would come home and stay in his basement. He didn't want to bring that energy around his family.
What's amazing is how Alonzo fools us, even when you think he's being light and getting along with Hoyt, there isn't a single second of that day when he isn't playing Hoyt. If you listen close to Alonzo on the phone in the car just before Hoyt gets into the car at Scott Glenn's place, you hear him say "Just make sure that bathtubs clean alright?", that whole pep talk in the car was also just bullshit. Incredible performance and deserving of that Oscar.
What makes this movie great is that the audience is right there with Jake. Wanting to like and trust Alonzo and going back and forth in your mind about him and his actions.
@TBR Schmitt the breakdown AFTER is always even better then the reaction this was no different. Samantha seemed to really like this amazing flick which is always fun to see someone else like what you like. Best wishes
The level of game that Alonzo was running on Jake throughout this film was top-notch because he had him believing every word he said up to that very moment when he attempted to have him executed; which explains why even a character like Roger couldn't even detect his bullsh*t and anticipate that Alonzo would ever set him up to rob him, let alone kill him. In another life, I suspect that Alonzo might have been mighty successful in the profession of a pimp because that dudes game and ability to read & manipulate people was off the charts.😳
Training day threw everyone for Loop because Denzel never plays the bad guy he's always a savior and the benevolent character in all his movies. ------ This movie was a complete departure and it sent everybody for a loop including Sam and Danielle. -------- I think the members of The Academy got to see the full range of Denzel Washington as a talent and as such awarded him the Academy Award for Best Actor.
I think what some people miss also is that Alonzo is on his last leg. So yes, he's a corrupt dirty cop, but he's also had his hand forced to the point he has to do everything possible to save his own life. So the extravagant actions he's making through the day isn't mean to imply this is what a detective does to "fight crime" Although for half the movie that is what the script they're feeding you.
Denzel Washington's portrayal of Alonzo Harris is based off of a real dirty cop named Rafael Perez, who was an inspiration for Officer Tenpenny in GTA San Andreas...
This is a great role for Denzel, winning an Oscar, but sadly, he ripped off his portrayal from the main character of "Menace to Society," who did an even better portrayal of a corrupt person, but who, based on Hollywood standards, would never get an Oscar for such a gangster role. QED,
@@danilopompey754 The Rafael Perez story is covered in the documentary Biggie and Tupac. The Califaces TH-cam channel has a video about him, too. I hope this helps for starters.
It's so intense to watch Sam and Daniel believe in the nobility of Lonzo. ------- Only to discover he's not skating the line as a gray cop, that had to be a wolf to catch a wolf. ------ He's truly manipulative, demented, and evil in his intentions he was playing Jake the entire day. great reaction as usual.
note that the closing news report is a callback to alonzo's threat to jake. also too, fun fact: the diner where jake meets alonzo is the same diner that detective somerset meets tracy mills in "se7en".
Antoine Fuqua has been a force out of the gate. Training Day is his first time working with Denzel, and they are now deep in the Equalizer series together so clearly they enjoy collaborating. They work with Ethan again on the Magnificent 7 remake, which is ok 😅 Don't skip on Fuqua's first film, The Replacement Killers, with Chow Yun-Fat and Mira Sorvino. It's a love letter to John Woo
Fun Facts: On a interview the director said that about 70 percent of the movie was improvised, including Denzel's legendary line "King Kong ain't got shit on me!" Denzel best actor Oscar win was well deserved!
23:10 - you hear Alonzo say on the phone "just make sure that tub is clean" so the following conversation with Jake was completely false and manipulative! Alonzo had already decided Jake was a liability at that point so he had to go! So even though the conversation in the car half seems meaningful it really isn't! Alonzo is being COMPLETELY FALSE!
23:51 - COMPLETE BULLSHIT! At this point Alonzo had put a hit on Jake at this point! We think the regular gangbangers are bad but those Mexicans are TERRIFYING...
If you listen real close when Denzel is on the phone after they kill Roger, you can hear him say something to the effect of "just make sure that tubs clean". Loved the peanut butter story. And the radio report at the end, describing Alonzo's death, is the same way he described it when he was threatening Jake.
The best way to watch the movie is to stop watching after Alonso takes care of Hoyt on the balcony. I might even make a special edit, removing the last few minutes of the film.
The difference between Cliff Curtis here as a drug dealer, and his part in Live Free or Die Hard, as an FBI agent, are incredible. Props to his acting chops.
I just googled Cliff Curtis when they mentioned him and said 'oh that guy, he was in this movie??'. Took me until I read this to figure out who he played.
Denzel Washington's Oscar winning performance. I wish he got an Oscar for Malcolm X cause he was amazing in that as well. Also, Fallen is another cool Denzel Washington film I recommend as well.
I watched Fallen again recently, and I think it feels a bit dated now. However, I remember watching it in theatres, and my jaw hit the floor (if you know, you know). Even if it is a bit dated now, I still very much enjoy that movie, and think it is an excellent suggestion for a first watch.
really appreciate that you guys pay great attention to the plot points in your reactions. there's other channels that will literally just talk over important moments, droning on about ' I love the cinematography' and the angle and its just like we get it dude you took a film class in college you're basically Spielberg bro
Y'all gotta check out "End of Watch" it was written and directed by David Ayer same guy that wrote this film. Also a cop drama starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena.
The way Alonzo gaslights both Jake and the audience into thinking he’s not that bad of a guy until near the end of the film despite doing increasingly horrible things from the very first scene is incredible. One of the scariest and best movie villains of all time. Great writing and fantastic performance.
This movie just floored me. I already liked Denzel as an actor, but almost felt like he was just playing the affable and likeable guy I imagined him to be IRL. This movie made me appreciate him even more as an actor. Crazy range!
The original ending had the wise men waiting at Jake's house, telling him that Alonzo didn't make it to his payment drop off and they were demanding to know where the money was. Jake tells them it's in the evidence room downtown and they each had a look of "Oh shit..." I like the theatrical ending, but the original ending would have had an even bigger payoff to show he's bringing down as many crooked people as he could.
I thought the original, had Alonzo escaping on a plane. Denzel, being disgusted with Alonzo, refused that ending. Saying that Alonzo, needed to pay for his crimes.
I love Training Day. And I highly recommend American Gangster as your next Denzel movie. He plays a legendary role but I don’t wanna give too much away at once. And yeah End Of Watch is brilliant! So I highly suggest those two. ❤🎉
This is probably my most re-watched movie ever lol. Its just so well made. Always loved that scene where Alonzo slides under his bed and grabs the shotgun. I thought it was the most badass thing ever when I first watched lol.
My favorite Denzel movie. When I first moved to LA, I lived 4 blocks away from the neighborhood the baby momma lives. Used to drive by there every day. 😳
First conversation with Roger gives you a huge hint. Roger says You were just like him, trying to save the world. Alonzo replies, that's some smiles and cries, that ish lasted about a week. Great reaction. Denzel is just mesmerizing, so cool, but so intimidating. How would you not just follow his direction. Thanks guys.
I still remember watching this when it came out, he convinced me until he shot Roger. I mean I'm sure they were likely "friends" of convenience on both sides. After that I was done with him, although I was still surprised he set him up with the Mexicans and then that Jake got out of that.
Before this movie Denzel had always played good guys so at the time this was released audiences were completely shocked that he was actually the villain in this, not only that, he played that character so well it earned him an Oscar, one of Denzel’s finest performances (of which he had many) of his career!
I’m not sure Denzel has anymore straight up Villian roles, but there are 2 movies where he plays complicated men who couldn’t be called entirely likable, I really really really hope you watch on the channel-He Got Game (a very underrated Spike Lee film and IMO one Denzel’s absolute best performances) and Flight. He is AMAZING in Flight and John Goodman has a great supporting role in that one too.
A Soldier's Story (1984), Devil in a Blue Dress (1995), and The Hurricane (1999) feature some of Denzel's best performances, and you'd be doing yourself a favor watching those ❤
Out of the 3 you mentioned A soldier’s story is the only one I’ve seen. I agree though. A soldier’s story was the first Denzel movie I ever saw but it was YEARS after becoming a fan before I realized he was in it.
Soldiers story was a very good movie and Denzel Washington was very good in it but the star of that movie was Aldoph Ceasar as Sgt. Vernon Walters for which he was nominated for an Acadmey Award for. Other good Denzel movies that does not get a lot of play is Deju Vu and Fallen
brilliantly concocted scene. Fist time I saw it, I wasn't seeing any way out of that tub in one piece, and was terrified every elongated second fully expecting for him to be done for right then and there
I like to think that while making this movie Scott Glenn was like "Hey Denzel you should remake my old movie Man On Fire with Tony Scott I'd like to watch it" LOL
I figured out that Alonzo was a corrupt cop right off the bat lol just his demeanor when they were having breakfast 😅 Another interesting Denzel movie would be Fallen.
Everyone talks about Denzel Washington in this movie but I'm always captivated by Ethan Hawkes performance. He conveys everything with his eyes and face and I just feel it.
Denzel plays the audience like a fiddle the entire movie. You want to believe there's more to him but there really isn't. I love this reaction because it mirrors my own when I first saw this movie. You're trying to give him the benefit of the doubt and he's so conniving and so d@mn good at manipulating Jake.
You almost can't go wrong with a Denzel movie. Two that I think are massively underrated and get almost no love from the reaction community are Deja Vu and Out Of Time. I think you'll love them both.
I used to live in South LA. A lot of these places are still around. The intersection where Snoop is sitting is just south of MLK on Crenshaw, outside the wig shop. I used to get Chinese food at the place on the corner all the time. “The Jungle,” one way in one way out, is the neighborhood about a half mile west of there on the south side of MLK.
@@BDogg2023 I live in Cornwall uk so zero gangs guns or areas like this Although some parts of uk are slightly more dangerous nothing is like that over there
@@-M0LE I lived in LA for 25 years, worked in Hollywood for 15, and know both like the back of my hand. I can pretty much tell you where every single scene in this movie (and many others) was shot, and have also been there at some point in my life. Now I live 1,000 miles away, in the middle of a forest, and it’s weird watching movies set in the city sometimes. What’s also weird is the amount of drugs, guns, and crime that exist in the rural area to which I moved. There are A LOT of similarities between poor, urban, mostly African-American South Central LA and poor, rural, mostly white Oregon.
I saw this movie on the first viewing on the first day of the movie's release in my neighborhood. .The audience in the theater was stunned when Denzel died. They sat in their seats speechless. . The house was packed. People didn't speak until they were out of the theater. It was such a good movie. The plot was so sick. Denzel was a bad guy, but for him to die? That was tough!
Denzel won a best actor Oscar for Training Day and Ethan Hawke was nominated for best supporting actor. There are not too many films with Denzel as a bad guy. I enjoyed him in Safe House he is also a bad guy in American Gangster.
This is one of the best cop movies ever…and Denzel is phenomenal here. Reminds me of Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men …where he almost convinces you with his rants and charisma that he’s on the right side of things. Only someone of their acting power can pull that off. Love it
Just a random point of connection..In the very first scene of the movie, Alonzo is on the phone and asks Jake if he has a backup gun he can bring. Jake responds no, he only has the one department issue, and Alonzo says “Good.” Now anyone who’s sharp would notice right away that’s strange, because for a badass cop like Alonzo, especially one who wields dual .45’s you’d think your partner having a spare gun would be good. Obviously Alonzo is a bad cop and it is good for him that Jake only has one gun. The last point of connection that ties into the point is that one of the gangsters asks “do you have a .380 or something?” In a very forced and awkward manner. These guys know guns, and would assume that know no city cop would be carrying a .380 on duty...except as a backup gun. So they made sure to double down on the point before making their move.
As I recall there is an alternate/extended ending to this, where one or two of the “big shots” they met in the restaurant show up at Jake’s house to ask what he intends to do (i.e. with the money, with the story, with his knowledge of all the corruption). I forget how it resolves, but if Jake’s steadfastly by-the-book those guys will want him dead in a hurry, and if he indicates that he’ll only pin it on Alonzo (or keep the money and say nothing either way) he’s compromising on his ideals. Whatever the case, the extended ending undercuts the neat resolution and closure we see in the final cut, which I kinda like. It’s not like Jake can just come home and call it a day after all this; it doesn’t end with just Alonzo dying.
Other films directed by Antoine Fuqua include Tears of the Sun, Shooter, The Magnificent Seven remake and the Equalizer trilogy. Denzel gives an equally stellar performance in American Gangster. Other films similar to this I recommend watching are We Own the Night, Street Kings and End of Watch
Denzel is truly incredible. other recommendations for films where he is not a good guy: Flight (2012) Fences (2016) Incredible actor- it's HARD seeing him be anything less than a shining perfect protagonist in the films, but that's how believable and charismatic he is!
I don't see him as a bad guy in Flight. He has his problems in that film which, being realistic although he mostly seems to be in control of his problem are going to leak out into negative personality traits. To me the best situation would have been to pull his license because even though he pulled a maneuver no one else could there's no telling when his brain would start to detiorate or reaction time just get a bit off.
The only thing I didn't like is the huge coincidence of Ethan's character having saved the Mexican gangster's niece. There's a screenwriting rule that coincidences should be either A) to complicate things for the characters (Casablanca) or B) used for humor (Forrest Gump). If it resolves conflict, then you rob the character from the opportunity to resolve it. Zootopia had a very similar moment which is the one moment I don't like
@@Madbandit77 Look, it's a very good movie. I just feel that this is the one blemish it has. Never leave to chance as the reason why a main character survives. Allow him/her to think his way through it. Huge coincidences should be reserved for complicating things or for humor. Don't rob your characters from the opportunity to be dynamic.
@@leebrandt8597 Okay. Let's say Jake, Ethan's character, is killed. Who's the hero by the third act? Smiley's cousin's wallet is Chekhov's Gun, an item that's introduced in Act One must be relevant by Act Two or by Act Three. This keeps someone to root for in the film. I've written some unproduced screenplays.
@@Madbandit77 Jake shouldn't die, he should survive, and not by a coincidence. There are other ways to make this work. Perhaps that scene earlier shouldn't have happened at all. Or it's used in a different way. Bottom line, allow your characters to be dynamic and not survive because of coincidence.
@@leebrandt8597 Yeah,Jake could escape, they could mess up and he gets the drop on them, they could double cross Alonzo. The wallet is kinda lazy writing. It’s made worse by them searching him before killing him, which is pretty odd.
Loved it! This is definitely one of the best starring Denzel. Another incredible ride is "Out of Time (2003)" starring him and Eva Mendez together again, if you're interested.
Denzel Washington said he emulated the style of Rafael Pérez to give authenticity to his portrayal of corrupt LAPD cop Alonzo Harris. The character's vehicle has the license plate ORP 967, which is said to stand for Officer Rafael Pérez, born in 1967
Always fun to watch how slowly it dawns on first-timers that normally heroic Denzel is playing a complete psychopath rather than Cop Yoda.
it's why he won the oscar man
"Do or Do Not, there is no Warrant" Cop Yoda
There's no way any of those went through that vest. I believe I heard him mention hydrashock. No way a jhp went through that, an fmj is more believable but I doubt it too.
I have noticed that a few times, not so much here, they seemed pretty aware something was off from the beginning
My Dad had the same, confused reaction: "But....I thought he was the good guy!"
When Alonzo is on on the phone after he kills Roger, he is talking to the Mexicans about setting up Jake. Great film.
And he got the idea to call them, from the girl Hoyt saved saying that her cousins were from Tre Hill
Make sure that tubs clean. You can hear him
@@tonyhancock5467 I didn’t know that!!!! awesome.
I've just rewatched it and I notice and the end as well
Facts.
Alonzo: "Tell me a story!" Jake : "I don't think I know any stories." - 24 hours later Jake has the best story ever
Bro!
Yup.
Never caught that!
Good one.
Love it.
Denzel Washington is magnetic; the way he talks and the way he can switch gears from being menacing and intimidating to charismatic, manipulative, charming and almost like a dad-figure/mentor-type is staggering
Is this a joke? He is a clown.
SHU PROGRAM N*!!!!!! lmao
Alonzo was a genuine, certifiable sociopath! Great performance by Denzel!
@@azazello1784 = 🤡
Fuck yeah 😎 👌
American Gangster (2007) features Denzel as a villain.
Yup and it is on par or even better than this awesome film.
So true, I forgot that.
"20 percent""When you own something, you can call it what you want."
@@joelwillems4081 oh ok you got the jar??
Is he the villain? The cops are depicted just as bad, Josh Brolins character for example.
Denzel Washington won a well-deserved Best Actor Oscar for this film. Ethan Hawke was nominated for Best Supporting Actor and the more I watch this movie, the more I think he also deserved to win in his category.
Hoyt, and Ethan's performance of him, in this film is one of the best examples of what they call Character Foil
I think Ethan Hawke should have gotten a Best Actor Oscar. He was not just supporting, he was the main character. Denzel was great too, though, so not unhappy with his Oscar.
@@Niinsa62man shut up he's nowhere near Denzel acting abilities
@@Niinsa62 The runner-up to Denzel that year was most likely Russell Crowe.
That’s the great thing about Denzel’s performance. He makes the audience understand, forgive, and justify that what he’s doing is for the overall good. But what he’s doing is completely evil and unlawful.
Only people who are criminal. Criminals make excuses for breaking laws, and those excuses always coincide with personal conveniences.
@@unclebounce1495 He's talking about the first half.
Trump sycophants haven't figured it out yet. The world's not in a good place. Resting on its laurels.
@@rohe4077Dude, stop these anti-Trump comments. It's getting annoying.
@@jesseowenvillamor6348In my experience people who are like "anti-politician" are the biggest politicians of all...
What happened is that Denzel is usually a good guy in his movies so when he did this movie, everyone felt exactly how Sam felt about not wanting to believe that Alonzo could be that bad but he was. Denzel's charm is what worked for him in this movie. The bathtub scene is the most intense scene ever. Ethan Hawk said that he was really scared during that scene. And, Ethan said that working with Denzel changed him just like Jake's Training day changed his character.
The only other movie scene that is as intense is another bathroom scene from "Scarface" with the chainsaw.
Denzel's performance in this film is one for the ages. Also, as someone who grew up in a gang-infested part of L.A., this is the most realistic depiction I've ever seen.
Everybody talks about Denzel, Ethan Hawke is so underrated in this. He is every bit his equal
This story hits on a different level if you've ever been in Jake's shoes; a newbie surrounded by people who either toe the line or completely cross the line and try to convince you to do the same. Getting pressured because all the experienced ones say it's no big deal and that it's justified, then realizing later on that it never was ok
This is one of those rare films that sticks with you for a little while after viewing. Great actors. Great acting. Great story.
A great supporting cast also: Dr Dre, Snoop Dog, Macy Grey. A number of the extras are actual members of the gangs they are cast as.
Also love the soundrack. :)
The woman with the long nails that Denzel steals the money from is R&B singer Macy Gray.
Damn, homie!
First Snoop then Macy, another serious cameo
Yup.
The black guy in the wheelchair is billy eilish, she blacked up for the role
and shes disgusting
I think you guys hit the nail on the head. The writing in this movie is top notch, but Denzel...Denzel puts on an absolute master class in this film. As you pointed out, you watch him do something terrible, and then he justifies it...and somehow convinces you that it wasn't as bad as you thought, and perhaps even necessary. And then he does it over and over again. Things just get worse and worse, and yet, he still is so charismatic that he convinces you that you didn't really see what you saw.
Great reaction!
"When you lay down with dogs you get up with fleas." The more I watch this incredible film the more I see a modern Shakespearean vibe to it.
Yup.
I think there's something to be said for a well known actor being bold enough to play against their "type", for example Tom Cruise in Collateral and Denzel here. Good enough to win an Oscar for it.
IDK, Denzel is always a bad m-f whether he's the "good" guy or the "bad" guy. Sort of like Eastwood. Now Eastwood singing in Paint Your Wagon, that was different. See Homer Simpson's review of that film.
Both are bad actors.. you see one of their characters they played and you've seen practically all. I don't give a crap about who gets an Oscar... that's politics.
Denzel got a lot of flack from the Black community leaders for playing that role. He usually portrayed our heroes. There are plenty of criminals portrayed. I get it, but he definitely played this role. Ethan Hawk talked about it in an interview.
@@alainvosselman9960Shut up. You're not an actor.
@@alainvosselman9960
Oscar's might be politics to you, but you couldn't be further from the truth about Denzel roles being the same. Alonzo is nothing like Malcom X, nothing like Hurricane Carter, nothing like Flight, nothing like Roman J. Israel, nothing like Fences, nothing like Glory. Now I won't say there isn't overlap, but you won't find any prolific actor who doesn't have similar roles. I even agree with Cruise that's mostly due to how involved he is in producing everything he's in. With the church and everything he won't allow himself to be seen in a certain way which is way Edge Of Tomorrow stood out as he wasn't basically Ethan Hunt super hero he was a coward who sukked at fighting. I'll even put Will Smith in that category as always playing Will Smith accept for funny enough is Oscar nominated and winning role(s) which were Ali, Pursuit of Happiness and King Richard all real people that he couldn't play as Fresh Prince Will Smith he had to at least TRY to act like those men.
Denzel is and has been way more diverse in characters then them. His recent Macbeth was another great performance not like much other he's done I mean it's a Shakespeare work it's inherently different. Don't know if you've seen much of his Theater work either but he's been great there as well.
Alonzo was a certified, card-carrying member of the Dark Triad. Machiavellian, Narcissistic, and psychopathic all rolled into one.
The most frightening part is that the character is based on an actual dirty cop. Denzel said that while he was filming he would come home and stay in his basement. He didn't want to bring that energy around his family.
It was weed laced with PCP. Everything else he said was another name for PCP (Angel dust, etc.)
What's amazing is how Alonzo fools us, even when you think he's being light and getting along with Hoyt, there isn't a single second of that day when he isn't playing Hoyt.
If you listen close to Alonzo on the phone in the car just before Hoyt gets into the car at Scott Glenn's place, you hear him say "Just make sure that bathtubs clean alright?", that whole pep talk in the car was also just bullshit.
Incredible performance and deserving of that Oscar.
Scott Glenn costarred with him in Courage Under Fire and is a real-life marine
The woman they gave the phony warrant to was singer Macy Gray, who won a Grammy for her song I Try.
Let's fucking goooo. This is legit my favorite Denzel movie. Such a great actor...so glad y'all liked it. Awesome reaction y'all.
I would say it's his best performance, character study. He did such a good job, and he ALWAYS does a good job but this one hits different
@@AnonymousSaiyanMalcolm X was his best work.. easily!
He's so believably evil in this movie.
What makes this movie great is that the audience is right there with Jake. Wanting to like and trust Alonzo and going back and forth in your mind about him and his actions.
@TBR Schmitt the breakdown AFTER is always even better then the reaction this was no different. Samantha seemed to really like this amazing flick which is always fun to see someone else like what you like. Best wishes
The level of game that Alonzo was running on Jake throughout this film was top-notch because he had him believing every word he said up to that very moment when he attempted to have him executed; which explains why even a character like Roger couldn't even detect his bullsh*t and anticipate that Alonzo would ever set him up to rob him, let alone kill him. In another life, I suspect that Alonzo might have been mighty successful in the profession of a pimp because that dudes game and ability to read & manipulate people was off the charts.😳
Training day threw everyone for Loop because Denzel never plays the bad guy he's always a savior and the benevolent character in all his movies. ------ This movie was a complete departure and it sent everybody for a loop including Sam and Danielle. -------- I think the members of The Academy got to see the full range of Denzel Washington as a talent and as such awarded him the Academy Award for Best Actor.
I think what some people miss also is that Alonzo is on his last leg. So yes, he's a corrupt dirty cop, but he's also had his hand forced to the point he has to do everything possible to save his own life. So the extravagant actions he's making through the day isn't mean to imply this is what a detective does to "fight crime" Although for half the movie that is what the script they're feeding you.
A very underrated film Denzel directed and acted in is "Antwoine Fischer".
Denzel Washington's portrayal of Alonzo Harris is based off of a real dirty cop named Rafael Perez, who was an inspiration for Officer Tenpenny in GTA San Andreas...
Yup he was part of crash unit dated the homeboys girls when they were busted planted evidence he was a POS
This is a great role for Denzel, winning an Oscar, but sadly, he ripped off his portrayal from the main character of "Menace to Society," who did an even better portrayal of a corrupt person, but who, based on Hollywood standards, would never get an Oscar for such a gangster role. QED,
Yup.
@@reneedennis2011, really, where can I find the Rafael Perez story? Just curious. QED
@@danilopompey754 The Rafael Perez story is covered in the documentary Biggie and Tupac. The Califaces TH-cam channel has a video about him, too. I hope this helps for starters.
It's so intense to watch Sam and Daniel believe in the nobility of Lonzo. ------- Only to discover he's not skating the line as a gray cop, that had to be a wolf to catch a wolf. ------ He's truly manipulative, demented, and evil in his intentions he was playing Jake the entire day. great reaction as usual.
Denzel movie no one reacts to that I think is great and underrated. The bone collector. Angelina jolie also stars.
note that the closing news report is a callback to alonzo's threat to jake.
also too, fun fact: the diner where jake meets alonzo is the same diner that detective somerset meets tracy mills in "se7en".
it was a real diner too but it's closed now
Montys pool hall next door was cowboy shit back in the day ❄
Antoine Fuqua has been a force out of the gate. Training Day is his first time working with Denzel, and they are now deep in the Equalizer series together so clearly they enjoy collaborating. They work with Ethan again on the Magnificent 7 remake, which is ok 😅
Don't skip on Fuqua's first film, The Replacement Killers, with Chow Yun-Fat and Mira Sorvino. It's a love letter to John Woo
The scene where Jake is walking up the stairs looking at the esses while Cypress Hill is playing is a badass scene.
It's like another level of danger on the horizon... felt real too😎
Everything is a badass scene with a Cypress Hill "Superstar" track playing :)
Fun Facts: On a interview the director said that about 70 percent of the movie was improvised, including Denzel's legendary line "King Kong ain't got shit on me!" Denzel best actor Oscar win was well deserved!
23:10 - you hear Alonzo say on the phone "just make sure that tub is clean" so the following conversation with Jake was completely false and manipulative! Alonzo had already decided Jake was a liability at that point so he had to go! So even though the conversation in the car half seems meaningful it really isn't! Alonzo is being COMPLETELY FALSE!
23:51 - COMPLETE BULLSHIT! At this point Alonzo had put a hit on Jake at this point! We think the regular gangbangers are bad but those Mexicans are TERRIFYING...
If you listen real close when Denzel is on the phone after they kill Roger, you can hear him say something to the effect of "just make sure that tubs clean".
Loved the peanut butter story.
And the radio report at the end, describing Alonzo's death, is the same way he described it when he was threatening Jake.
The best way to watch the movie is to stop watching after Alonso takes care of Hoyt on the balcony. I might even make a special edit, removing the last few minutes of the film.
@@artstation707 I prefer having the good guy win.
@@infiad1275 It's a Hollywood movie.
@@artstation707Shut up
7:20 "When do they do cop things?". What a line guys lol
The difference between Cliff Curtis here as a drug dealer, and his part in Live Free or Die Hard, as an FBI agent, are incredible. Props to his acting chops.
@uhs2r in the immortal words of George Costanza... "Is not a lie if you believe it."
@@jonpevehouse, He can portray any number of ethnicities without any issue, whatever.
I just googled Cliff Curtis when they mentioned him and said 'oh that guy, he was in this movie??'. Took me until I read this to figure out who he played.
@@uhs2rDon't comment if you're ignorant.
Underrated actor.
American Gangster with dezel and russel crowe is a another great movie where Denzel plays a not so nice guy. It's based a real gangster.
Yup.
Denzel Washington's Oscar winning performance. I wish he got an Oscar for Malcolm X cause he was amazing in that as well. Also, Fallen is another cool Denzel Washington film I recommend as well.
Malcom X was bad.
@@TahiriVeila13ABYthat's your opinion, I enjoyed Malcolm X
Fallen was great & different type of movie for him
@yepimheretoo2270 yeah, it sure was.
I watched Fallen again recently, and I think it feels a bit dated now. However, I remember watching it in theatres, and my jaw hit the floor (if you know, you know). Even if it is a bit dated now, I still very much enjoy that movie, and think it is an excellent suggestion for a first watch.
really appreciate that you guys pay great attention to the plot points in your reactions. there's other channels that will literally just talk over important moments, droning on about ' I love the cinematography' and the angle and its just like we get it dude you took a film class in college you're basically Spielberg bro
The difference between Alonzo and Jake is the difference between using fear and respect in motivating those beneath you.
One of the best movies ever made, imo. 5/5 from start to finish and Denzel deserved every ounce of the Oscar he won for this.
This was SOOO fun to watch you guys slowly realize who Denzel's character was. Sam's face....hahaha. Next up... MALCOLM X, FLIGHT, AMERICAN GANGSTER.
I think Fallen is another underrated Denzel movie. James Gandolfini and John a Goodman are in it, too.
Y'all gotta check out "End of Watch" it was written and directed by David Ayer same guy that wrote this film. Also a cop drama starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena.
Fallen is a great underrated Denzel movie!!
The way Alonzo gaslights both Jake and the audience into thinking he’s not that bad of a guy until near the end of the film despite doing increasingly horrible things from the very first scene is incredible. One of the scariest and best movie villains of all time. Great writing and fantastic performance.
This movie just floored me. I already liked Denzel as an actor, but almost felt like he was just playing the affable and likeable guy I imagined him to be IRL. This movie made me appreciate him even more as an actor. Crazy range!
The original ending had the wise men waiting at Jake's house, telling him that Alonzo didn't make it to his payment drop off and they were demanding to know where the money was. Jake tells them it's in the evidence room downtown and they each had a look of "Oh shit..."
I like the theatrical ending, but the original ending would have had an even bigger payoff to show he's bringing down as many crooked people as he could.
I thought the original, had Alonzo escaping on a plane. Denzel, being disgusted with Alonzo, refused that ending. Saying that Alonzo, needed to pay for his crimes.
Original ending was Alonzo always dying but just one shot. Denzel demanded he get embarrassed when he got killed
To this day I still believe the car scene after Alonzo justifies killing Roger to Jake earned Denzel his Oscar.
I love Training Day. And I highly recommend American Gangster as your next Denzel movie. He plays a legendary role but I don’t wanna give too much away at once. And yeah End Of Watch is brilliant! So I highly suggest those two. ❤🎉
During the poker scene, if you listen really closely, you can hear Alonzo revving up his car engine and driving away.
This is probably my most re-watched movie ever lol. Its just so well made. Always loved that scene where Alonzo slides under his bed and grabs the shotgun. I thought it was the most badass thing ever when I first watched lol.
My favorite Denzel movie.
When I first moved to LA, I lived 4 blocks away from the neighborhood the baby momma lives. Used to drive by there every day. 😳
11:51 - "Can I have one crack please" 😂😂😂
First conversation with Roger gives you a huge hint. Roger says You were just like him, trying to save the world. Alonzo replies, that's some smiles and cries, that ish lasted about a week. Great reaction. Denzel is just mesmerizing, so cool, but so intimidating. How would you not just follow his direction. Thanks guys.
I still remember watching this when it came out, he convinced me until he shot Roger. I mean I'm sure they were likely "friends" of convenience on both sides. After that I was done with him, although I was still surprised he set him up with the Mexicans and then that Jake got out of that.
Good times, I vote Fallen for the next Denzel flick
Before this movie Denzel had always played good guys so at the time this was released audiences were completely shocked that he was actually the villain in this, not only that, he played that character so well it earned him an Oscar, one of Denzel’s finest performances (of which he had many) of his career!
I’m not sure Denzel has anymore straight up Villian roles, but there are 2 movies where he plays complicated men who couldn’t be called entirely likable, I really really really hope you watch on the channel-He Got Game (a very underrated Spike Lee film and IMO one Denzel’s absolute best performances) and Flight. He is AMAZING in Flight and John Goodman has a great supporting role in that one too.
Ray Allen was good as an amateur actor in He got game.
Those two you films you mentioned are excellent. Denzel always elevates the movies he’s in with his performances.
He's in the new gladiator movie where I think he's playing the villain
A Soldier's Story (1984), Devil in a Blue Dress (1995), and The Hurricane (1999) feature some of Denzel's best performances, and you'd be doing yourself a favor watching those ❤
Devil in a Blue Dress, Yes!
We keep telling them.
Also John Q. Malcom X, Fences, and no one ever does Safe House.. I could go on Denzel has a catalog
Out of the 3 you mentioned A soldier’s story is the only one I’ve seen. I agree though.
A soldier’s story was the first Denzel movie I ever saw but it was YEARS after becoming a fan before I realized he was in it.
Soldiers story was a very good movie and Denzel Washington was very good in it but the star of that movie was Aldoph Ceasar as Sgt. Vernon Walters for which he was nominated for an Acadmey Award for.
Other good Denzel movies that does not get a lot of play is Deju Vu and Fallen
Cry Freedom is criminally underapprciated. Great film and he's brilliant.
I saw this in theaters when it came out. I remember sweating bullets for the whole scene where they had Hoyt in the bathtub. Incredible movie!
brilliantly concocted scene. Fist time I saw it, I wasn't seeing any way out of that tub in one piece, and was terrified every elongated second fully expecting for him to be done for right then and there
@@andrwarrior You rarely see such a well-executed depiction of Karma in action. Set-up and payoff FTW
One should always use a pillow, not just a shower curtain.
I like to think that while making this movie Scott Glenn was like "Hey Denzel you should remake my old movie Man On Fire with Tony Scott I'd like to watch it" LOL
I figured out that Alonzo was a corrupt cop right off the bat lol just his demeanor when they were having breakfast 😅 Another interesting Denzel movie would be Fallen.
Everyone talks about Denzel Washington in this movie but I'm always captivated by Ethan Hawkes performance. He conveys everything with his eyes and face and I just feel it.
A welcome surprise on this boring Saturday evening, thank you !!! One of my favorite movies
A surprise to be sure but a welcome one. ( palpatine star wars )
Boring? Kendrick dropped to murders in one day
Denzel plays the audience like a fiddle the entire movie. You want to believe there's more to him but there really isn't. I love this reaction because it mirrors my own when I first saw this movie. You're trying to give him the benefit of the doubt and he's so conniving and so d@mn good at manipulating Jake.
26:22 "oh shit! please let there be a connection." -Daniel 😇
Malcolm X is Denzel's best performance
You almost can't go wrong with a Denzel movie. Two that I think are massively underrated and get almost no love from the reaction community are Deja Vu and Out Of Time. I think you'll love them both.
I used to live in South LA. A lot of these places are still around. The intersection where Snoop is sitting is just south of MLK on Crenshaw, outside the wig shop. I used to get Chinese food at the place on the corner all the time. “The Jungle,” one way in one way out, is the neighborhood about a half mile west of there on the south side of MLK.
Is it actually that bad
@@-M0LE Not anymore, but I wouldn’t go there after dark on a Friday or Saturday night if you’re not from there.
@@BDogg2023 I live in Cornwall uk so zero gangs guns or areas like this
Although some parts of uk are slightly more dangerous nothing is like that over there
@@-M0LE I lived in LA for 25 years, worked in Hollywood for 15, and know both like the back of my hand. I can pretty much tell you where every single scene in this movie (and many others) was shot, and have also been there at some point in my life. Now I live 1,000 miles away, in the middle of a forest, and it’s weird watching movies set in the city sometimes. What’s also weird is the amount of drugs, guns, and crime that exist in the rural area to which I moved. There are A LOT of similarities between poor, urban, mostly African-American South Central LA and poor, rural, mostly white Oregon.
7:18 "when do they do cop things?" -Daniel 😆
LOL! Maybe he meant tv cop things?
14:27 😮🫢
i absolutely love how Sam gets scared for a split second, then mad for a split second. 👻😡
Always fun to see how long reactors give Denzel the benefit of the doubt.
I saw this movie on the first viewing on the first day of the movie's release in my neighborhood. .The audience in the theater was stunned when Denzel died. They sat in their seats speechless. . The house was packed. People didn't speak until they were out of the theater. It was such a good movie. The plot was so sick. Denzel was a bad guy, but for him to die? That was tough!
27:50 "...but you still, like, want to believe." -Sam
the belief in Alonzo has vanished. 😔
Sam is one best female reactor to movies...she does such great job i really like watching you guys
Jen Murray is amazing too
Denzel won a best actor Oscar for Training Day and Ethan Hawke was nominated for best supporting actor. There are not too many films with Denzel as a bad guy. I enjoyed him in Safe House he is also a bad guy in American Gangster.
This is one of the best cop movies ever…and Denzel is phenomenal here. Reminds me of Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men …where he almost convinces you with his rants and charisma that he’s on the right side of things. Only someone of their acting power can pull that off. Love it
Hopefully you'll be watching Fallen and Ricochet. Two of my favorite Denzel Movies
This and American Gangster are my favorite films of Denzel's and in both he plays the villain.
Also, if you watch American Gangster, watch Virtuosity because they flip roles where Denzel is the hero and Russell Crowe is the villain.
4:50 "interesting tactics here." -Daniel
the first sign something is up with Alonzo.
"Fences" is another Denzel masterpiece. He should have won the academy award for it. 2016 I believe it was.
11:35 "i mean, i get both sides. just different than what he's used to." -The Schmitts
alonzo's got them back under his spell.
Just a random point of connection..In the very first scene of the movie, Alonzo is on the phone and asks Jake if he has a backup gun he can bring. Jake responds no, he only has the one department issue, and Alonzo says “Good.” Now anyone who’s sharp would notice right away that’s strange, because for a badass cop like Alonzo, especially one who wields dual .45’s you’d think your partner having a spare gun would be good. Obviously Alonzo is a bad cop and it is good for him that Jake only has one gun. The last point of connection that ties into the point is that one of the gangsters asks “do you have a .380 or something?” In a very forced and awkward manner. These guys know guns, and would assume that know no city cop would be carrying a .380 on duty...except as a backup gun. So they made sure to double down on the point before making their move.
As I recall there is an alternate/extended ending to this, where one or two of the “big shots” they met in the restaurant show up at Jake’s house to ask what he intends to do (i.e. with the money, with the story, with his knowledge of all the corruption). I forget how it resolves, but if Jake’s steadfastly by-the-book those guys will want him dead in a hurry, and if he indicates that he’ll only pin it on Alonzo (or keep the money and say nothing either way) he’s compromising on his ideals. Whatever the case, the extended ending undercuts the neat resolution and closure we see in the final cut, which I kinda like. It’s not like Jake can just come home and call it a day after all this; it doesn’t end with just Alonzo dying.
Denzel Washington won the Oscar for this movie 🍿,add MALCOLM X to the watch list his great performance in a movie
Other films directed by Antoine Fuqua include Tears of the Sun, Shooter, The Magnificent Seven remake and the Equalizer trilogy. Denzel gives an equally stellar performance in American Gangster. Other films similar to this I recommend watching are We Own the Night, Street Kings and End of Watch
Denzel is truly incredible. other recommendations for films where he is not a good guy:
Flight (2012)
Fences (2016)
Incredible actor- it's HARD seeing him be anything less than a shining perfect protagonist in the films, but that's how believable and charismatic he is!
I don't see him as a bad guy in Flight. He has his problems in that film which, being realistic although he mostly seems to be in control of his problem are going to leak out into negative personality traits. To me the best situation would have been to pull his license because even though he pulled a maneuver no one else could there's no telling when his brain would start to detiorate or reaction time just get a bit off.
Denzel’s best performance in a career full of incredible performances.
Denzel received an Academy Award for this dramatic performance.
The only thing I didn't like is the huge coincidence of Ethan's character having saved the Mexican gangster's niece. There's a screenwriting rule that coincidences should be either A) to complicate things for the characters (Casablanca) or B) used for humor (Forrest Gump). If it resolves conflict, then you rob the character from the opportunity to resolve it. Zootopia had a very similar moment which is the one moment I don't like
But this coincidence saves Ethan's character's life in the karma sense.
@@Madbandit77 Look, it's a very good movie. I just feel that this is the one blemish it has. Never leave to chance as the reason why a main character survives. Allow him/her to think his way through it. Huge coincidences should be reserved for complicating things or for humor. Don't rob your characters from the opportunity to be dynamic.
@@leebrandt8597 Okay. Let's say Jake, Ethan's character, is killed. Who's the hero by the third act? Smiley's cousin's wallet is Chekhov's Gun, an item that's introduced in Act One must be relevant by Act Two or by Act Three. This keeps someone to root for in the film. I've written some unproduced screenplays.
@@Madbandit77 Jake shouldn't die, he should survive, and not by a coincidence. There are other ways to make this work. Perhaps that scene earlier shouldn't have happened at all. Or it's used in a different way. Bottom line, allow your characters to be dynamic and not survive because of coincidence.
@@leebrandt8597 Yeah,Jake could escape, they could mess up and he gets the drop on them, they could double cross Alonzo. The wallet is kinda lazy writing. It’s made worse by them searching him before killing him, which is pretty odd.
We all love Denzel as the good guy. We never would have thought he'd be great playing a bad guy. And the Oscar goes to....🏆
Denzel was awarded the Academy Award for Best Actor for this movie.
Absolutely disgusting. He didn't deserve it.
Haters gonna hate. Denzel gave a top-tier performance in this role, and the Academy recognized that.
@@azazello1784it was overrated
@@azazello1784 eat your heart out.
@@azazello1784 I disagree, but either way, they owed him one for snubbing his portrayal of Malcom X.
King Kong ain’t got shit on me!
Love that line.
Lol
'Tuco' from Breaking bad playing cards
Loved it! This is definitely one of the best starring Denzel. Another incredible ride is "Out of Time (2003)" starring him and Eva Mendez together again, if you're interested.
32:25 Famous Quote!
33:05 Swiss Cheesed!
26:45 "you f*cking liar." -Daniel, said with a little grin... 😊
Denzel Washington said he emulated the style of Rafael Pérez to give authenticity to his portrayal of corrupt LAPD cop Alonzo Harris. The character's vehicle has the license plate ORP 967, which is said to stand for Officer Rafael Pérez, born in 1967
I honestly think Denzel is my favorite actor, I have seen so many of his films and he can play everything super well.