Denzel Washington is one of the finest actors of his generation, and his wonderful depiction of Alonzo Harris in 2001's Training Day won him a Best Actor Oscar. Harris is a cop with a great reputation who is assessing rookie Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke) during a single day in Los Angeles. It doesn't take long to realise how crooked he is, however. He has a laid-back attitude to drug deals and sexual assaults and uses fake search warrants as he and Hoyt patrol the streets. It eventually emerges that Harris owes money to the Russian mafia, and things begin to really spiral out of control. He is a murderous, arrogant, ruthless man who has gained too much power, and in a gripping ending the despicable cop finally earns his comeuppance. It is arguably Washington's greatest role in a superb career spanning 40 years, and a more corrupt member of the law hasn't been seen in a long time on film. It's a great movie, and an even better lead performance.
