Review of Do the Right Thing (1997) by Jacob E — 04 Dec 2010

In a very vague way, this film reminds me of "American Graffiti." Both films are time capsules of there time. But where "American Graffiti" decided to be about the last innocent age of growing up in America, "Do the Right Thing" is a time capsule into an age of racial tension that has yet to leave America.

The story presented here is fictional, even the setting is technically fictional. The setting is on a block in Brooklyn near a black neighborhood, but some people have noted that the streets that this block is positioned on never actually meet at a corner.

This doesn't matter though because the characters have a certain quality to them that make them seem like people you would see everyday. With that said, it also means the acting is very well done, including a nice role from Samuel L.

Jackson as a radio DJ who is something of an unintentional narrator. The cinematography and set design are pitch perfect, making Brooklyn a colorful but dark backdrop. But what makes this film work is the fact that all of these characters are used to each other and the tension has always existed, the only thing that happens to be different is the fact that its the hottest day of summer in Brooklyn.

To be honest, the film isn't very violent, 3/4 of the film is just filled with the day to day (uneasy) relationships the characters have with each other. Its not until the last 1/4 that the tensions explode, the rest is a sort of suspense that immerses you in the final moments of the film.

Some films aren't simply watched, they're experienced. This is one of those films. Highly HIGHLY recommended.