Do the Right Thing is a 1989 American comedy-drama film produced, written, and directed by Spike Lee. The film is set in a primarily African-American neighborhood in Brooklyn on a particularly hot day and follows the various personalities who live there throughout the day. The film stars Spike Lee, Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Richard Edson, Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn, John Turturro, and Samuel L. Jackson, and is the feature film debut of Martin Lawrence and Rosie Perez.
The film explores themes of racial tension, police brutality, and the complexities of urban life. It has been praised for its artful, humorous, gritty, and powerful execution, and is considered one of Spike Lee's most fully realized efforts. The film has also been the subject of controversy, with some reviewers protesting its content and suggesting that it could incite Black audiences to riot.
Do the Right Thing has received critical acclaim and is considered one of the most important films of the 1980s. It has won numerous awards and nominations, including two Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Danny Aiello. The film has been restored and re-released in recent years and is available to watch on various streaming platforms.
Plot
The film follows the lives of various personalities who live there throughout the day. The plot explores themes of racial tension, police brutality, and the complexities of urban life. The film ends with two quotations that demonstrate the dichotomy of the film's theme: The first, is from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who argues that violence is never justified under any circumstances. The second, from Malcolm X, argues that violence is not violence, but "intelligence" when it is used in self-defense.
The film's protagonist is Mookie, a 25-year-old delivery man living in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. Mookie works for Sal's Pizzeria, a local business owned by an Italian-American named Sal. Tensions rise throughout the day as the heat intensifies and various characters interact with each other. The climax of the film occurs when a white police officer kills a young black man named radio Raheem, leading to a riot that destroys Sal's Pizzeria.
Trailer
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Cast
- Spike Lee as Mookie
- Danny Aiello as Sal
- Ossie Davis as Da Mayor
- Ruby Dee as Mother Sister
- Richard Edson as Vito
- Giancarlo Esposito as Buggin Out
- Bill Nunn as Radio Raheem
- John Turturro as Pino
- Samuel L. Jackson as Mister Señor Love Daddy
- Martin Lawrence as Cee
- Rosie Perez as Tina
Director, producer, and writer Spike Lee also appears in the film as the main character, Mookie. Other notable crew members include co-producer Monty Ross, composer Bill Lee, cinematographer Ernest Dickerson, and producer Jon Kilik.
Director: Spike Lee
Writer: Spike Lee
Box Office (Gross USA): $37,295,445
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Genre: Drama
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 30, 1989
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Jun 28, 2019
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 30, 2015
