Do the Right Thing
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Movie Reviews of Do the Right Thing
Movie Review: A Classic
Summary: 5 Stars
Forget the recently made film Crash which far from being a critical analysis of race and class in society this film, made over a decade before is the one you want to see.
Set in a predominantly black neighbourhood the story revolves around one main street on a hot summer where tempers reach disastrous conclusions. The film examines race and our own views on race from all perspectives, while Crash was condescending nonsense which did nothing but help the liberal left to sleep well at night knowing that amongst the working class (in the films case the Hispanic joiner, maid and police officer) There are still a large number prepared to tolerate what abuse we choose to heap upon them with a smile and a "Yes boss." Who don't feel anger as any other human does but rather accepts a role as the happy victim.
Spike Lee tears all that up and gives us a clear indication of the tensions that exist amongst working class people thrown together and competing for the same small space that they all live in. This film could have been set in London or Paris (Indeed the French film "La Haine" came out not long after) In the film we have the Italian Pizza restaurant, a restaurant that had been there for years when the area was predominantly Italian, where most Italians had moved out Sal had chosen to stay, accepting that things change and choosing to get on with his new neighbours and customers. While Sal chooses this role his 2 sons are somewhat different. One, a lad who has grown up amongst blacks and seeing no reason to accept the prejudice that his brother (a lad whose racism seems to be more a result of prejudice he suffers at the hands of his 'friends' for working in a shop in a black area).
Spike Lee is a young lad drifting along in life working in the Pizza shop while his sister, far more ambitious sees life as far more than the confines of her local neighbourhood. Other characters could be found in almost every working class neighbourhood in the world. The loudmouth bums who just choose to walk the streets, the drunk who bothers nobody but has his own story to tell, the old men sitting off with a few beers who think they are the owners of the community, the minority shop keeper whose lack of English sets him apart from the community he works in, the police who work the area whose prejudice is again based on class, of an area they see as 'gone to waste' through crime and poverty.
The film examines all angles, from the Korean shop-keeper to the white lad who has just moved into the neighbourhood. This is not a film where you will see one victim and one bully but rather a film where you will see working class people as they are. I recall reading once that the difference between working class and middle class people was that the working class if they have a prejudice will openly express it while the middle class will hide it behind polite snobbery.
Some will look at this film looking for a side to take (If you are white the Italians or black the black community) But I would argue rather look at this film for what it is. A insight to a working class community. Its also interesting to note that working class communities (in the UK at least) are considered the most multi racial of all communities. One only has to look at this film (black, white, Hispanic, Asian) To see that is clearly the same case in America. It rightly exposes that working class people will not sit back and be victims but will fight back sometimes with disastrous conclusions.
I cant recommend this film enough. Maybe after it we will all examine our own prejudices before its too late.
Movie Review: Thats the double-truth Ruth
Summary: 5 Stars
In all likelihood Spike Lee's most important achievement - as director, writer and actor (though to my taste Mo' Better Blues is just as good a picture) and one of the strongest films you'll see about race relations, `Do The Right Thing' looks dated at times, but it lost none of its impact and relevance. The movie takes place in a particularly hot day in a primarily African-American neighborhood in Brooklyn, and follows the various personalities who live there throughout the day; the center of the story is Sal's Famous Pizzeria - its owners, some of the few white people living in the neighborhood: Sal (Oscar nominated performance for Danny Aiello) and his two sons (John Torturro and Richard Edson), and Mookie (Spike Lee himself), the black delivery boy. What starts out as a light, entertaining movie with some amusing characters and light humor, gradually builds up tension to the point of being unbearable, up to the dramatic and tragic climax. Spike doesn't put as much emphasis on the characters themselves as he does on the relationships and the tension between them; and in this image of a very specific and small frame in time and place, makes a strong and important message about racism and race relations in general.The film is populated with many different characters, all of them very memorable and each one a representative of a certain belief, mode of behavior or state of mind - on both sides of the conflict. From the uninhibited anger of Buggin Out (Giancarlo Esposito) and Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn) on one side and Pino (John Torturro) on the other side, to Jade (Joie Lee, Spike's sister in the film and in real life) and Vito (Richard Edson), who are trying to connect and live at peace with the other side, to Da Mayor (Ossie Davis), in his isolated but peaceful state of mind, living in complete peace with the world around him, and Smiley (Roger Smith), living in his own isolated existence. Then there's Mookie, who is stuck in the middle, torn between his commitment and responsibilities to both sides. Finally we have Mister Senor Love Daddy - played gorgeously by the one and only Samuel L. Jackson, in one of his finest performances - half active character and half all-knowing narrator - who represents the voice of reason in the conflict, the reason which is bound, ultimately, to collapse. Each and every character plays an important part in the climatic and dramatic conflict to which the movie builds up, and though it's the radical ones - Buggin Out and Radio Raheem - who trigger the events that cause the tragedy, they are not necessarily the ones who finish it. It is Mookie and Sal, in fact, who ultimately play the main part.
Do The Right Thing is not an easy watch; it's a mesmerizing, tense, difficult film that breaks many taboos and slaughters many holy cows. But in the end of it - hopefully - you'll be wiser than you were in the beginning, and that's what Lee have always tried to achieve in all his films. Watch it to get a real view on racism that doesn't duck the difficult issues and isn't afraid to tackle the real problem, and to see a master director at work. It's one of the best films of its time.
Movie Review: A must see.
Summary: 5 Stars
This is Spike's third film and everything I had to say for his second film, "School Daze" (see my review) most certainly cannot be said for this one. In this movie, Spike matures. In "Do the Right Thing", Spike tackles the wider world with an extremely perceptive and compassionate eye. Rarely do I see a film which shows the many sides of a person then this film and its characters. Follow the owner of Sal's Pizza (played brilliantly by Danny Aiello) and watch the complexity of feelings he has towards his clientele (African-Americans living on the same block as Sal's store in Brooklyn). We see that he is totally and utterly compassionate as he eases his own sons' racist remarks about the customers. We watch as is culturally-inherited racism creeps up in moment of passion (when Radio Raheem refuses to shut down his boom box). In the same sense, towards the beginning of the movie we watch as a man complains to the police that two men aimed a fire hydrant at him and his car. The police casually brush it off in a manner that they are almost on the side of the two men, basically saying, "It is what it is". Towards the end of the movie, we watch the hidden rage within the police men
Social, political, cultural and psychological commentaries are abundant in this movie. I am certain that most of you out there (no matter your background) will enjoy this movie for this reason alone. But for cinematography buffs you will have a field day. Taking place during the course of one day, what just so happens to be the hottest day of the year, the choice of colors are as sizzling as the sun with vibrant reds and oranges. The angles of the shots are also something to mention.
Lastly, I have never seen a Spike Lee joint, until a few days ago when I started with his first film. Now after watching his third film I am beginning to see some similarities which may or may not be his unique style. Something which I just love and was prominent in this film was his sense of humor. I, so far, love Lee's sense of humor. Actually he does not get a rise out of me, that is I have never laughed out loud, however he does something better. With his ironic humor he makes me smile a smile of joy. The perfect example of this is when Spike Lee's character and his sister's (in real life and in the movie) character are standing on the side of Sal's building and get into a fight. As they yell and bicker, they both see a humor in this yelling and bickering and chuckle. The fighting continues but they both wear smiles.
One regret about this film, I wish I saw it in its Criterion format.
On his third film now, I am just itching to see what's next. Next review Mo' Better Blues.
Movie Review: The "Crash" before the Oscar-winning 2005 version
Summary: 5 Stars
This is seriously one of my all-time favorite movies.
It's set in late-1980s Bedford Stuyvesant, NY, and while the plot revolves around issues of Black and White racial tensions, it really has a more universal commentary -- not unlike the more rounded spectrum of 2005's "Crash."
You take a country like the United States with it's modern day de facto segregation, combine that with a pop culture that does just as much to confuse and misinform the masses about "the others NOT from their neighborhoods" and finally add all that to any hot, tense situation and what you get is this movie.
"Do The Right Thing" tells the story of one long, hot day in a predominantly Black neighborhood where underlying and neglected racial tensions with whites and Asians surfaces in much the same manner 2005's "Crash" brilliantly tried to portray.
Just because whites, blacks, hispanics, latinos, asians, persians, puerto ricans all co-exist and live together in the U.S. doesn't necessarily equate to equal opportunity, understanding and tolerance.
Bubbling beneath the surface, as this movie attempts to make a point of, is misunderstanding, miscommunication, resentment and for some even hate.
What happens when these kinds of emotions go unacknowledged and are suppressed rather than dealt with?
If you've seen "Crash," you've already got the answer.
Particularly given what was to come in real life in the U.S. in the following years after "Do the Right Thing" 's 1989 release -- namely the racially-charged 1991-92 Rodney King beating and trial verdict, the 1994-95 OJ Simpson trial saga ... and to a lesser extent, polarizing criminal trials with Michael Jackson and Kobe Bryant, this movie bravely speaks on that undercurrent of intolerance that continues to exist b/c in our politically correct world, society would rather pretend issues of race are no longer problematic.
This isn't your typical Hollywood-happy ending kind of movie.
Not recommended viewing for viewers who want to laugh and have a good time.
If you know Spike Lee's work, you know he makes movies with purpose and his own personal social commentary.
Expect "Do The Right Thing" to challenge individual perspectives on race relations and where this country is headed.
Excellent movie for debates, sociological analysis and appreciation of great dramatic acting.
Movie Review: The movie that put Spike on the map, and deservedly so.
Summary: 5 Stars
The first time I've seen Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing" was at the theater and the movie refused to leave my mind for about several weeks. It just kept replaying itself constantly in my mind of the events and the turn a bouts of the story. The writing is so sharp and the movie is hilarious as well as the only movie to make Roger Ebert cry.
Deceptively open and simple in its presentation, this is one of the most complex and layered movies about human relationships that I have ever seen during that time. This movie is every bit as compound as its subject matter. I disagree with those who characterize the film as "preachy." Quite to the contrary, I think the genius of the film is precisely in the fact that Spike does not tell the viewer what to think - he just compels you to think.
Spike spends most of the movie setting up his characters and their situations, some are comedic, some are dramatic, and some are both. The acting is naturally great, with John Turturro, Danny Aiello, and Spike himself standing out as the best played and most interesting characters. The movie looks very much "of the 80's" as far as fashion and things like that go but that doesn't take any power away from the movie. But the biggest question people seem to have after they have watched this movie is about doing the right thing and whether or not Mookie did it. Spike always only says that he's never been asked that question by a person of color. However my feeling on the matter is this: Did Mookie do the right thing? No. Did Sal do the right thing? No. From the time that Radio Raheem comes into Sal's at the end, not one person does the right thing. Not Mookie, Sal, Radio, Buggin Out, the cops, or whoever. Everything horrible that happens could have been avoided if one person had done the right thing, and yet nobody does.
I think that's why the movie stuck with me. Most movies would show everyone (or just the "hero") doing the right thing and everything turning out happily, but that's not what usually happens in reality. Too often people give in to their worst instincts. In here we have New York explodes over a seemingly little incident because racial tensions are always just below the surface. This film is truly a work of art and out all Of the Spike Lee movies I've seen this is one of his finest. "Do the Right Thing" is one of the signatures of an American classic.