Do the Right Thing (1989)

Director: Spike Lee

Stars: Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee
Runtime: 120 minutes

Synopsis: On the hottest day of the year on a street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, everyone's hate and bigotry smolders and builds until it explodes into violence.

Performances: 8/10
Screenplay: 8/10
Editing: 8/10
Cinematography: 8/10
Score/Soundtrack: 8/10

Verdict: Love him or hate him, there is no denial that Spike Lee's contribution to Black Cinema is an inspiration to many. It's when dealing with topics of racial injustices that he shines most because it's clearly a subject he's passionate about. "Do the Right Thing" was met with criticism when it came out a mere 31 years ago, with some critics going as far as calling it irresponsible. And while I can understand why this word was employed, I wouldn't personally use it myself, and would even go as far as to say that in today's tense climate, it may be one of the most relevant films to watch.

The movie takes place entirely in a neighborhood in Brooklyn, on the hottest day of the year. Through Sal's Pizzaria, we get to meet a variety of characters, each more vibrant than the other. And it's that sense of community that paved the way to the film's style and themes to work as effectively as they did. The tension, friendships, and even romances between the neighborhood's residents were palpable, making the world one that very was accessible to the audience. "Do the Right Thing" has a very unique atmosphere that can go from 0 to 100 in a matter of seconds, setting the mood that fluctuated between comedy and anxiety-inducing moments. But what I enjoyed most about the film is the way Lee managed to present two opposing ideologies fighting against the same cause in a climax that left me contemplating for a while after the movie ended. Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. are mentioned much more than once during the film's runtime and while they share many things in common, they weren't exactly on the same page when the topic of violence was brought up.

So did Mookie do the right thing in the movie's closing minutes? It's really up to the viewer to decide, which is why I understand why some people went on to call the whole film irresponsible. But to me, it superbly managed to not only highlight problems of racism still present in many communities to this day but also ask a moral question that even two of the greatest figures in the fight against racism couldn't agree on. 

FINAL GRADE: 8/10