Do The Right Thing

Spike Lee’s, Do The Right Thing, premiered in 1989 and since then has been one of a kind in its portrayal of culturally relevant issues. This movie follows a hot summer day in the life of a street in which businesses, workers, customers, friends, family, and neighbors interact. The main business, Sal's Pizzeria, is owned by Sal, but his two sons, Pino and Vito, and Mookie assist him. Mookie is the delivery man and much of the movie follows his interactions on his ‘routes’ and his relations with his neighbors. The plot is focused around a situation in which Buggin’ Out claims that Sal’s pizza shop, although located on a ‘black neighborhood,’ should have black celebrities. Throughout the rest of the time, Buggin’ Out tries to start a boycott against Sal’s, yet nobody seems to join him except Radio Raheem. As the rest of the quirky characters, like Da Mayor, Mother Sister, Mister Senior Love Daddy, Jade, and the local gang, go about their day, there is a constant oppressive feeling from the heat and culture stigmas/rules. The day is full of examples in which culture is such an issue. Stigmas and assumptions are made, but it is barely held off by respect. A sense of hostility always seems to be very present, even though they do not physically display violent actions. Eventually, Buggin’ Out and Radio are so fired up they are faced against Sal and his sons. Mookie and the rest of the street are attempting to figure out what the “Right” thing to do is. Hate and love (passion) are both present, but which is the right one?

This movie is definitely loaded with heavy situations and does not seem to avoid much. The characters banter to each other about daily life routines but it carries a larger sense of how the ‘system’ functions. As they attempt to survive the heat, they also try to survive living close to other people that have very different opinions, practices, beliefs, ancestry, upbringings, and culture. The clashes from these different lifestyles cannot always be muffled, but they cannot always be expressed. What is the right balance between them? What is the right thing to do?