Review of Do the Right Thing (1997) by Harry W — 22 Jun 2013

I have some pretty mixed feelings on this one, and I'm sort of forced to rate it on two separate aspects: the film itself and the films themes. Just as a movie, it's pretty flawless. It's setting is simple, but extremely vibrant with a ton of personality in both its structures and its characters. The whole world is bright, colorful, and loud, capturing a distinct personality to the street the characters dwell on. The characters are plentiful, but they are distinct, and mostly memorable. The writing feels realistic with enough themes and wit to keep it going. As a presentation of this world, it's pretty much perfect.

In its themes however, things get a little more complicated. Spike Lee is very clearly trying to make a statement on race relations, but not as effectively as he maybe could have. For example, in a key moment of the film one of the characters is killed in an act of police brutality, but I didn't really care. Not because the character was black, but because the character was an asshole. It's debatable whether anyone in this movie ever actually does the right thing. It shows the violence and angst that can rise in race relations, but offers so very little hope on the matter.

I don't know, I'm really mixed on this. Should I praise it for providing a real and grim look at these themes? Or slam it for providing no clear solutions, sympathy, or hope for the problems it presents? I bounced around a lot with the star rating here, more than ever before. In the end, I must give it praise for its merits as a film, and for its potential in providing discussion. But it should be discussed, because while the film on its own provides a great jumping off point for debate and discussion, it doesn't give any of the answers on its own. That's not necessarily a bad thing though, even if it is a little frustrating.