Review of Do the Right Thing (1997) by Jonathan S — 28 Sep 2012
A provocative examination of the day in the life of a Brooklyn neighborhood that ends in an all-too-familiar tragedy: the death of a black man at the hands of the police and the subsequent trashing of a neighborhood business.
Spike Lee structures the story with two opposing quotes from Martin Luther King Jr. about the futility of violence and another from Malcolm X about the constructive purposes of violence. Framed by this binary opposition, the climactic neighborhood riot refuses to allow viewers easily to take sides (although my film students often try to anyway!).
The sweltering summer heat throws off the neighborhood's delicate balance between love and hate. Worth viewing for its exploration of racism.
This review of Do the Right Thing (1997) was written by Jonathan S on 28 Sep 2012.
Do the Right Thing has generally received very positive reviews.
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