LogFAQs > #905537676

Double review, let's do this!

Do the Right Thing (1989)
I came into this movie with pretty high expectations, and I was still impressed! Right off the bat, one thing that really surprised me about the movie was its ambiguity in tackling the issue of racism. Besides the cop who killed Radio Raheem at the end, the film doesn't have any clear protagonists or antagonists; all the movie's characters are imperfect people & have their fair share of shady characteristics, and it's unclear which "side" was more in the wrong by the end of the film - this is accentuated by the conflicting quotes placed right before the credits roll.

Do the Right Thing is a rather exhausting movie to watch - as the heat wave gets worse & the citizens of the neighborhood get increasingly agitated, the film keeps its viewers consistently on edge, continually wondering when & how the people of Bed Stuy will inevitably reach their breaking point - and when the film finally reaches its climactic scene, viewers may actually feel a sense of relief, at least finally knowing what was in store.

One thing I can always appreciate in film is a good "slow burn", and Do the Right Thing impressively manages to pull this off despite its energetic & fast-paced cinematography through introducing the various characters of the neighborhood little by little, and chronicling their various daily activities as everything slowly becomes intertwined by the end.

Though Do the Right Thing generally has an "angry" vibe to it, the movie still has its fair share of upbeat moments and warmth; the film is a dramedy, after all. Sal's treatment of Mookie's sister was unexpectedly endearing (which made the film's ending all the more poignant), and Ossie Davis' character of Da Mayor served as a delightful - albeit often mistreated - contrast to the rest of the citizens of Bed Stuy. Also, while not exactly the "warmest" scene from the movie, the racial stereotype rant(s) was comic gold (especially Samuel L. Jackson's words in response).

I feel like I've only scratched the surface of the movie with this review, but that's only because Do the Right Thing is one of the most dynamic, impressive & layered American movies of what I consider to be the "modern era" (1980-present). It succeeds where too many American films (particularly American films about racism) fail in that it's not a black-and-white, overly sentimental, quick-fix approach to racism nor does it inadvertently reinforce racist viewpoints (I'm looking at you, American History X). Probably the best movie about racism I've watched so far. 9/10

(Ran out of characters, will continue in my next post)
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https://imgur.com/1EOFcjn https://imgur.com/epjd8zk