Training Day

I don’t think that Training Day can really be referred to as a buddy cop film, at least not in terms of King’s Heroes in Hard Times. While the film mainly focuses on race I think that this is an important aspect to look at as well. It turns our class’ and the world’s preconceived notion of what the buddy cop film genre is on its head.

First of all, unlike most buddy cop films there is no moment of bonding in this film. Each moment that could be considered a moment of bonding turns out to be yet another opportunity for Alonzo to try and trick and coerce Jake. The tension between the two new partners is never resolved in this film, which is drastically different from the rest of the films we have seen.

Additionally, the enemy in this film is one of the “buddy” cops. This is probably the reason that the two cops never come to an understanding or appreciation of one another. Normally the truce and then friendship results in having to bond together to catch the bad guy. But what happens when the person you’re working with turns out to be the enemy? That’s what the audience is faced with in Training Day.

Also, the families in this film are depicted as figures that could be used by ransom if they fall into the wrong people’s hands. However, the actual employment of this buddy cop technique never comes to fruition. While Alonzo’s wife and child are in the apartment when Jack comes to avenge himself against Alonzo, Jack never uses them as a tool to work against Alonzo.
While there are great action, chase and fight sequences in this film I have to say that it’s hard for me to categorize it as a buddy cop film because the two cops never become buddies. I don’t think that you can classify it in this genre when some of the main elements of this style are missing.