"It's a free country isn't it?""I should knock you out for saying that dumb shit alone!"
Directed by Spike Lee
Do the Right Thing
An acclaimed, rewatchable drama.
4.4(547k)via LetterboxdDanny Aiello + 4 more
Sal 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. Buggin' Out believes a pizzeria in a black neighborhood should showcase black actors, but Sal disagrees. The wall becomes a symbol of racism and hate to Buggin' Out and to other people in the neighborhood, and tensions rise.
Where to watch
2Do the Right Thing is showing in 2 cinemas in Los Angeles — next screening Friday 7 August at 19:30 at Aero Theatre.
Friday, 7 August
Wednesday, 12 August
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Cast & crew
6What people say
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.
kendall jenner and her cans of pepsi..........where were they
Common questions
What is Do the Right Thing about?+
On the hottest day of the summer in a Brooklyn neighborhood, escalating racial tensions between the local residents and the Italian American owners of a pizzeria lead to a tragic confrontation; find showtimes on Mood.
Who directed Do the Right Thing?+
Spike Lee directed the 1989 film, an American director known for his impactful explorations of urban life and race relations.
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