Review of Do the Right Thing (1997) by Cameron H — 19 Jul 2016

About two weeks ago, I read news about the independent deaths of two black civilians, Philando Castile and Aldon Sterling, under the hands of local police forces. Soon after that, I heard about two separate incidents of lone black civilians shooting and killing multiple officers of their respective police forces. All of these stories reminded me of where I normally believe violent tendencies root from: pressurized frustration. I generally sell myself as a pacifist, and, no matter how large of a protest I may ever take part in, would never want to resort to violence for achieving my means. However, having watched Do the Right Thing in light of what has happened -- mind you, this movie is almost thirty years old -- there is something to be said about the fact that such incidents are what leads the vast majority to talking about these issues otherwise brushed to the side. Spike Lee does not want you to choose a side. He wants you to choose both sides, and, pardon this moment of exploitation, know what is the right thing to do in a given situation. He wants you to understand where everyone comes from, what each individual wants, and why particular incidents are bound to happen. Do the Right Thing is phenomenal. I have not said a word about the movie.

1989!! Brooklyn, on a hot summer day. Oh, but first, Spike Lee takes the time to introduce one of hip-hop's all-time greatest songs, Public Enemy's "Fight the Power," to the world in its full three-verse glory, while female dancers break it down like a revolution were about to burst through their souls. Okay, Spike(R), I am ready. Brooklyn, on a hot summer day. We see a small chunk of a neighbourhood, almost entirely black in its community. Exceptions include a favourite pizzeria named Sal's, owned by, you guessed it, an Italian-American Sal (Danny Aiello), and a grocery store owned by a recently immigrated Korean family. On the morning of this day, tensions between everybody seem normal, in that any anger is primarily released between people of the same race. This provides us with the comedic portion of the script. The relationship between Da Mayor (Ossie Davis), local old drunk, and Mother Sister (Ruby Dee), local old crazy, is very playful in how they express their resentment. The fact that the actors were married in real life might have helped. Main character Mookie (Spike Lee) and his girlfriend Tina (Rosie Perez) quarrel with one another constantly; this may come from Mookie's historically irresponsible attitude about everything -- parenting, working, loving, and, arguably, standing up for himself when appropriate. Throughout the day, we hear the optimism of the local radio host (Samuel Jackson), the stuttered soliciting of Smiley (Roger Smith), and the industrial funk of Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn) and his loop of Public Enemy's "Fight the Power." Mookie works for Sal's pizzeria as a delivery boy, and during his travels around the block, he encounters these localized tropes over and over, not fully aware of the resentment building inside everyone against one another. No one except Buggin Out (Giancarlo Esposito), who has no qualms in confronting Sal about the lack of a single black person on the establishment's wall of fame, has any clue of what such containment can lead one to do.

As the sun goes down and the moon and artificial lights brighten the nightly streets, stakes rise higher and higher. Each race continues to confide in one another for peace, escapism, agreement, strategy. Spike Lee does not blame any particular group for that. He blames everyone, but he also forgives everyone. Biologically, we are inclined to confide in those we trust the most. Those people tend to be those that we grew up with or raised, and from there, we cling to those who look like people we grew up with. It is practically inevitable, when we are not conscious about it. That is what is so illuminating about Do the Right Thing. This is a wake-up call that has been ringing for the entire duration of the movie, but we may not even notice until huge tragedy strikes. And when it does strike, everything I love about this movie hit me at once: the humanity, the political enlightenment, the urgency, the despair, the optimism. A masterpiece of art like this is not easy to find. With all due credit to the craftsmanship of director and screenwriter Spike Lee, this may have more to do with the industry's desire to reject works like this for being too confrontational. Personally, I live for facing confrontation.