Review of Do the Right Thing (1989) by Adrian B — 20 Aug 2011

Mookie (Spike Lee) works in an Italian run pizza place in Brooklyn. The restaurant is run by a father (Danny Aeilo) and his two sons. The neighbourhood, located in Brooklyn, is immensed in a heatwave and the residents are compiled of Italians, Koreans, Latin Americans, and most populated with African Americans. Mookie has a girlfriend (Rosie Davis), to whom he has son with, and does not spend enough time with either of them. Mean time, the town drunk called Da Mayor (Ossie Davis), a senior, tries to woo an older lady (Ruby Dee) and Buggin' Out (Giancarlo Esposito), a friend of Mookie's, wants to famous black people on the wall of the Italian pizza place (on the wall, it features Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli, Al Pacino, Robert de Niro, who was to play as the pizza owner but declined for the film, Sophia Loren, and John Travolta...anyone see a similarity among these stars).

The film does not really offer much on plot, but this is such a miniscule issue. What we have here is a rich character study and examination of those who live in this small part of Brooklyn, obviously full of racial tensions. One of the many greatnesses of this film is made on a small budget (6.5 million), with a screenplay by Spike Lee done in two weeks. The script is full of fascinating and inventive dialogue that is spoken so naturally that the film almost looks like a documentary on life. The film could be called a time capsule of the very late 1980's or reflection of times above. It should be considered both! The film sparks much discussion, just by the way it is presented and how the whole situation. The film only looks at 24 hours of day and yet the viewer is felt satisfied just by the brief slice of life. It feels so relevant to me just by the way my neighbours' sons behave and dress. What a spectacular film!