Training Day (2001)
Kernel Score: 83% · 6,456 ratings · Rated R
Genres: Action, Crime, Drama
Released: 2001-10-05
Runtime: 122 minutes
Is Training Day worth watching?
Must-watch. Denzel Washington plays a charming, frightening narcotics detective and Ethan Hawke is the rookie stuck riding with him. It's a tense, dirty-cop crime story over one long day in Los Angeles, and the two leads carry it.
Watch it if you
- like crime dramas built on two strong actors
- want a tense, morally murky cop story
- enjoy a single-day pressure-cooker setup
Skip it if you
- can't take brutal, profane police violence
- want a hero cop to root for
Best for: Solo night in
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch Training Day
- Stream: Fubo, MGM+, TNT, TBS, tru TV
- Free with ads: The Roku Channel
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-25.
Overview
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.
Training Day parents' guide: ages 15+
Parents need to know that Training Day is an intense R-rated crime drama about police corruption and drug trafficking in Los Angeles.
- Violence & scariness: Strong — Includes police brutality, gang confrontations, shootings, and gritty depictions of drug-world violence.
- Language: Strong — Heavy profanity throughout, consistent with its R rating and gritty street setting.
- Drinking, drugs & smoking: Strong — Central plot involves narcotics, drug dealing, and drug trafficking.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official R rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like Training Day
If you liked Training Day, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- End of Watch (2012) — 83%: Another gritty Los Angeles cop story from the same director
- Heat (1995) — 89%: Cops and criminals in a tense, serious LA crime drama
- Donnie Brasco (1997) — 84%: Undercover work where loyalty and corruption blur
- Infernal Affairs (2002) — 86%: Cop and criminal identities twist into a tense moral trap
- Elite Squad (2007) — 90%: Brutal look at a corrupt police system and the drug war
- American Gangster (2007) — 86%: Crime drama with a charismatic, dangerous Denzel Washington
Director
Cast
- Denzel Washington as Alonzo
- Ethan Hawke as Jake
- Scott Glenn as Roger
- Tom Berenger as Stan Gursky
- Harris Yulin as Doug Rosselli
- Raymond J. Barry as Lou Jacobs
- Cliff Curtis as Smiley
- Dr. Dre as Paul
- Snoop Dogg as Blue
- Macy Gray as Sandman's Wife
Training Day FAQ
Is Training Day worth watching?
Must-watch. Denzel Washington plays a charming, frightening narcotics detective and Ethan Hawke is the rookie stuck riding with him. It's a tense, dirty-cop crime story over one long day in Los Angeles, and the two leads carry it.
Where can I watch Training Day?
In the US you can stream Training Day on Fubo, MGM+, TNT, TBS and tru TV, watch it free with ads on The Roku Channel and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is Training Day OK for kids?
Training Day is rated R. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 15+. Parents need to know that Training Day is an intense R-rated crime drama about police corruption and drug trafficking in Los Angeles.
What movies are like Training Day?
If you liked Training Day, try End of Watch, Heat, Donnie Brasco and Infernal Affairs.