To most office workers training day is usually something like a crash course in Microsoft Outlook.

But hardened drugs cop Alonzo Harris (Denzel Washington) doesn't have an office. He doesn't even have a uniform - but he does have a dodgy grasp of ethis.

His training day takes the form of teaching young rookie Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke) all the tricks of the trade...legal or otherwise.

It's an eventful day. First the mismatched pair bust some yuppie dopeheads - an operation undermined somewhat when Alonzo forces Jake to toke on a dope pipe at gunpoint.

Next up a couple of would-be rapists get a good kicking...but Alonzo insists they aren't brought in as that's the job of the "black and whites".

A brief stop sees Los Angeles' finest swigging bourbon before Alonzo heads off to the ghetto for a bit of R&R with his wife (while Jake watches TV).

It's not the sort of thing they teach at Hendon police training college...but then Hendon isn't downtown LaLa land.

Jake's education continues with Alonzo helping himself to a bundle of cash during a police raid and then they meet up with the LAPD's "three wise men".

It's becoming clear that Alonzo is heading for a showdown after things went wrong for him during a spat in Las Vegas...but why's his life on the line?

Washington swaps his nice guy image effectively for the corrupt cop, although the relentless LA patois grates after a while.

Hawke is suitably gauche as the new kid - even if the transition from innocent to veteran in the space of 24 hours takes a bit of believing.

And if you think the portrayal is a bit harsh on the LAPD check this:

Out of LA's 51 urban police departments, 10 officers from any one unit can be expected to be charged with abusing police authority. Nice to know if you live in LA.

Tim Evans