Review of Do the Right Thing (1989) by Bradley W — 27 Jun 2012

Do the Right Thing is Spike Lee's best film and an incredible example of race relations. There was one specific scene that I loved in this film. Its a scene where Spike Lee and john Turturro are talking and Lee is asking him why he hates black people so much.

Turturro claims his favorite basketball player is Magic Johnson and his favorite rock star is Prince, and Turturro doesn't see them as black people and Lee suspects he secretly wishes he was black.

This escalates into an argument and they show different points of view of racism by different men talking into the camera and saying what they say about the opposite races. I really found that to be powerful and an incredible example of racial sterotypes.

Spike Lee has directed, written, and starred in this flawless piece of film making and a great vision of racial tensions, living in a world of prejudice, and how even in a small neighborhood like this, racism still lives.

All these different characters show different personalities and different kinds of colors, and theyt each add different kinds of themes and ideas about racism. The racial tension rises in the film until the climatic ending which ends in violence and tragedy.

Some of the characters feel oppressed by white men, and it leads them to hate the white man in general no matter what. It also shows how serious police brutality is and how it can cause racial tensions even with the authorities.

The performances were incredible, Spike Lee and John Turturro were great, but its Danny Aiello that stands out and shows his truly great acting. His scene where he argues with Radio Raheem and Buggin' Out is one of the most intense scenes I have seen in a film, and Lee directed the speciifc scene perfectly.

This film is called a classic and one of the best films of the 80's, I personally consider it to be one of the most well directed and smartest films I have ever seen.