Do the Right Thing

Set in the Bed-Stuy neighborhood of Brooklyn on the hottest day of the year, the film follows the daily interactions of a diverse community. The story centers on Mookie, a young Black man working as a delivery driver for Sal's Famous Pizzeria, a local institution owned by an Italian-American family. As the temperature rises, so do the tensions between the Black residents and the white business owners, particularly over the lack of Black representation on the pizzeria's "Wall of Fame."

The narrative weaves together various subplots involving colorful neighborhood characters, including the stuttering Smiley, the boombox-carrying Radio Raheem, and the neighborhood elder Da Mayor. Minor conflicts escalate into a confrontation at the pizzeria, which draws in the police and leads to a devastating act of brutality. The film ends with a chaotic riot that destroys the pizzeria, leaving the characters to reckon with the aftermath in the cooling morning air.

At its heart, the film is a profound examination of racial tension and the systemic devaluation of Black lives in America. Spike Lee challenges the audience to confront the question of what it means to "do the right thing" in a society built on inequality. By juxtaposing the philosophies of Martin Luther King Jr. (non-violence) and Malcolm X (self-defense), the film refuses to offer a simple moral resolution, instead presenting violence as both a destructive force and a desperate expression of unheard grief.

The most debated action is Mookie throwing the trash can.
1. The 'Safety Valve' Theory: Some interpret Mookie's action as a calculated move to save Sal and his sons. By directing the mob's anger toward the property (the window), he diverted them from attacking the people (Sal, Pino, Vito), potentially saving their lives.
2. The Act of Radicalization: Others see it as Mookie finally abandoning his neutral stance and joining his community in a rightful expression of rage against the system that killed Raheem.
3. The Malcolm X vs. King Dialectic: The film ends with quotes from both leaders. The ending suggests that while violence is not 'good' (King), it may be 'intelligent' in self-defense (Malcolm X), leaving the viewer to wrestle with the contradiction.

Do the Right Thing is considered a landmark of American cinema. Released in 1989, it brought the realities of racial tension and police brutality to the mainstream screen with a visceral urgency that had rarely been seen. The film was controversial upon release; many white critics feared it would spark race riots, a reaction Spike Lee called racist. It was snubbed for Best Picture and Best Director at the Oscars (losing to Driving Miss Daisy), a decision widely criticized in hindsight. In 2011, Roger Ebert wrote that he had only seen a few movies that "penetrate your soul," and this was one of them. It was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in its first year of eligibility.

The film received universal acclaim from critics for its direction, acting, and vibrant cinematography, though it polarized audiences along racial and political lines initially. Praised: The raw honesty, the 'heat' palpable on screen, the complex characters, and the refusal to provide a happy ending. Criticized: Early detractors (mostly white media) called it an incitement to violence. Verdict: It is now regarded as a masterpiece and one of the most important films about race relations ever made.