Streaming: Prime Video/Showtime
Warnings:
Explicit Language
Violence
Racism
Sex
Nudity
Rating: R
Do the Right Thing is a comedy-drama set in 1989, that explores Brooklyn’s neighborhoods while highlighting racial tension which escalates in tragedy and violence. Do the Right Thing was produced, written and directed by Spike Lee. It stars Lee, Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Richard Edson, Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn, John Turturro, Rosie Perez, Martin Lawrence and Samuel L. Jackson. This is the feature film debut of Martin Lawrence and Rosie Perez. Do the Right Thing was a success critically and commercially and received numerous accolades. This film is often listed as one of the greatest films of all time. In 1999 the Library of Congress deemed Do the Right Thing as, “culturally, historically and aesthetically significant,” when it was eligible, it was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. Do the Right Thing was nominated for the Academy Awards, Best Supporting Actor for Danny Aiello, and Best Original Screenplay for Spike Lee. The film won Best Director, Best Film and Best Music from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. It also won Best Cinematography from the New York Film Critics Circle. Do the Right Thing was nominated and won numerous other words, there are too many to name. Film critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert ranked the film the best of 1989 and later ranked it as one of the top 10 films of the decade. Siskel stated the film is like a, “Spiritual documentary that shows racial joy, hatred and confusion at every turn.” Ebert praised the film for “coming close to reflecting the current state of race relations in America than any other movie of our time.” Do the Right Thing uses innovative camerawork, iconic acting, and genuine dialogue to portray different cultures of this Brooklyn neighborhood. This film is as relevant as it has ever been and certainly exposes how much the negligence from the police force, as well as racism hasn’t changed.
The script is filled with casual dialogue and uses different perspectives from the neighborhood to tell the story. Spike Lee wrote the screenplay in two weeks. Parts of the conversations between characters were improvised, specifically the scenes of the “corner men”. He was inspired for the film after watching Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode, “Shopping for Death,” in which the main characters debate a theory that hot weather increases violent proclivities. He was also inspired by the shooting of Eleanor Bumpurs who is an elderly, disabled African American woman who was shot by the New York Police after they broke into her house and struggled to subdue her. An officer fatally shot her with a 12-guage shotgun. There was another incident that inspired the storyline, there were young Black youth who were chased out of a pizzeria by some white youth in Howard Beach, New York City. All of these inspirations allowed Spike Lee to create a film that is not only truthful, but also a genuine image of what America is actually like.
The acting in the film is beyond phenomenal, many of the roles were played by young actors who are now known as “the greats”. Four of the cast members were stand-up comedians which added to the comedic charm throughout the film, they are Martin Lawrence, Steve Park, Steve White and Robin Harris. Rosie Perez was cast as the main character Mookie’s (played by Spike Lee) love interest after he saw her dancing at a Los Angeles dance club. This was the feature film debut for Rosie Perez. Danny Aiello won Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Sal from the Belgian Syndicate of Cinema Critics, the Chicago Film Critics Association, and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. One person to note specifically in this film is Giancarlo Esposito who played Buggin’ Out, his character is prevalent throughout the film and he is part of the reason the story escalated the way it did. His character is relatable, comedic and complex. Spike Lee did a wonderful job creating these characters because they are so relative to actual people, and they are all complex in their own way. The actors truly brought these characters to life in way that is unexpected and sincere.
The cinematography is one of the most interesting elements of the film. Ernest Dickerson known for The Wire, The Walking Dead, Jungle Fever, Mo’ Better Blues, and Malcolm X (1992), uses the camera to act like a fly on the wall throughout the neighborhood. The camera follows characters as they interreact and portrays certain characters as powerful in the moment and other characters as small. For example, there is one scene where two characters are arguing and one character who is clearly in the wrong is filmed from above, the character who is being wronged is filmed from below, this creates a dynamic of power and a lack of power. In addition to the carefully chosen camera angles, Lee and Dickerson used the camera to break the third wall, the characters talk directly to the camera and even yell at the camera at times, this makes the audience feel as if they are included in the film. This is an iconic artistic choice that has been referenced in many films since this film. Lastly, there is a shot in the film where the camera is following Mookie (Spike Lee) as he walks through the neighborhood, the camera carefully showcases the neighborhood as well as the different characters in it, this is an interesting choice that allows the audience to understand the dynamic of the community. Do the Right Thing is beautifully shot and created a new approach of filming characters in an honest way.
Do the Right Thing is probably one of the best films you will ever see, personally I believe it is Spike Lee’s greatest film. Do the Right Thing is still relevant today, especially when considering the political climate joined with police brutality in the United States. This film comments on the issues that affect different cultures in this specific neighborhood however, it is relative to the United States as a whole. If you wish to enjoy a dramatic comedy that is truthful, and also uses the F-word approximately 240 times, Do the Right Thing is the film for you.