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evilbjork5.0

"It's a free country isn't it?""I should knock you out for saying that dumb shit alone!"

Wesley Stenzel5.0

If you don’t think Sal is a racist, you should probably rewatch this movie. His climactic use of racial slurs can’t be chalked up to a lapse of judgement. He repeatedly clarifies that he only tolerates black people because they haven’t done anything bad to him, and because they provide his livelihood. His respect for the black community is entirely conditional and transaction-based — as soon as his “terms” of respect (essentially not having any major negative encounters with any black people) are violated, he becomes a full-fledged enemy. To focus the conversation about Do the Right Thing on Sal, though, is to embody the racism that it tries to uncover. I watched this movie twice in classes at a predominantly-white college, and I can confirm that white viewers, no matter their intentions, obsess over Sal, the only major white character in a movie bursting with lively, distinct black characters. Yes, he’s effectively the antagonist, but there’s so much else to evaluate in this movie, and so many people to love. Mookie, Da Mayor, Radio Raheem, Mother Sister, Buggin Out, Tina, ML, Sweet Dick Willie, Mister Señor Love Daddy — this is one of the greatest casts of characters ever assembled. I want to read and write essays about every character.I’ll start with the latter, Samuel L. Jackson’s Love Daddy. He’s not only the host of the neighborhood’s radio show, but also of the movie itself. He sees and knows all, as he acknowledges events and conversations that he couldn’t possibly have witnessed from his booth. He’s Do the Right Thing’s god, narrator, and community unifier, as he provides a steady through-line that reflects the neighborhood’s collective emotion while still radiating a calming presence amidst the bubbling tension.Everyone should watch this movie, perhaps more than once. White viewers — critically evaluate Sal’s words and actions, but don’t let him be the sole focus of your reaction.

Penny5.0

Spoilers ahead.“Always do the right thing.” “That’s it?”“That’s it.”On the commentary track found on the Criterion release for this movie (which is great by the way, shit looks crispy), Spike Lee says that the title “Do The Right Thing” was never supposed to refer to Mookie throwing the trash can through the window. Of course, that doesn’t stop people from asking Spike whether he thinks Mookie did the right thing. Spike also says that only white people have asked him that question; never a black person. He says that people who ask the question are more concerned with the destruction of property than a black man’s life.I for one, have to agree with him. Once you see the Nikes dangling, the body dropping, and the unblinking corpse being kicked as the word “LOVE” in capital letters is brandished onscreen, the question does seem to miss the point. I’ve never been concerned with whether Mookie did the right thing. Honestly, I’ve never been concerned with Mookie or his story arc in general.I personally find Buggin Out to be the more interesting character with the most interesting arc. His story begins with him wanting some black people on Sal’s Wall of Fame. He’s just a struggling black man tryna keep his dick hard in a cruel and harsh world. A righteous brother. His story ends with him handcuffed, in the back of a police car, and being hit with a billy club after watching his friend be murdered. The thing that plagues my mind is thinking about Buggin Out’s mental state knowing that he set in motion the events that led to his friend’s death. Knowing that he recruited Raheem for the final confrontation with Sal. Knowing that he was just trying to do the right thing.“Always do the right thing.” “That’s it?”“That’s it.”But should you? Is there a line you shouldn’t cross when it comes to fighting for what’s right? I remember when my mom told me to always follow a police officer’s orders. It doesn’t matter if I didn’t do anything wrong or if they are violating my rights. It doesn’t matter if they disrespect me. She told me to obey because the only priority was getting out with my life. I couldn’t have been older than 11 or 12. I learned you can’t always do the right thing. People always ask if Mookie did the right thing but I pose the question: did Buggin Out do the right thing? Is there no wrong way to fight against oppression? Is winning the battle always worth the casualties? Should you always do the right thing? The film doesn’t provide the answers and I can’t either. Maybe the purpose of the film is just to make us think about these things and to bring these issues to light. That would certainly lend significance to the opening dialogue of the film, spoken by DJ Senor Love Daddy: "Wake up. Wake up, wake up, wake up."