Do the Right Thing (1989) Review
Spike Lee’s Masterpiece Still Packs a Punch
Premise - “Salvatore "Sal" Fragione is the Italian owner of a pizzeria in Brooklyn. A neighborhood local, Buggin' Out, becomes upset when he sees that the pizzeria's Wall of Fame exhibits only Italian actors.”
Director - Spike Lee
Writer - Spike Lee
Noteworthy cast - Spike Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, Giancarlo Esposito, Rosie Perez, John Turturro, and Danny Aiello
My thoughts - Most movies are easily forgotten. Every once in a while though you watch something like “Do The Right Thing” & it sears into your memory. It reminds you why you love the medium so much. It becomes a part of who you are. It helps you interrogate how you see the world. It makes you feel all the things. It makes you ask more questions than it could possibly answer.
Some of the most vibrant & memorable characters I’ve ever seen in a film. They all have attributes that make them likable (well most of them do) yet they also have real flaws that make them human. This push and pull, set to the backdrop of a sweltering Brooklyn, not only brings the whole thing to life, but makes it all explode off the screen.
Everything about it is a masterpiece. It is somehow remarkably nuanced, yet not subtle at all. A throwback to a different era, yet still painfully relevant.
Rating - 5/5
How did it do at the box office? - Grossed $37.2 million ($27.5 million domestic) on an estimated $6.5 million budget
Did it win any Oscars? - It was nominated for Best Original Screenplay & Danny Aiello was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Neither won.
Where to watch - Currently streaming on MGM+