In honor of Black History Month, I decided to watch my very first Spike Lee film. “Do the Right Thing” was released in the summer of 1989, and has reached high critical acclaim. It lands on most lists of the Greatest Films of all time. Truthfully, I was shocked at how much I enjoyed this picture.
It has a message. And Lee’s own cultural depiction in location and personal experiences, growing up in the Bedford–Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. But it’s also intriguing and fun to watch – a facet often missed by films deemed to be the best.
Local to Brooklyn
Spike Lee himself is synonymous with the term ‘NYC Filmmaker.’ The entire production was shot on Stuyvesant Avenue in the Bedford–Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. One of the streets has since been renamed ‘Do the Right Thing Way’ in honor of the movie. And Lee certainly does his neighborhood justice. Sweeping shots of the historic brownstones and corner bodegas will make the viewer fell like you know the hood and its residents, even if you didn’t grow up there.
It’s a random summer day in Brooklyn – where temperatures are expected to reach an all-time high. Lee shot the film with a sepia drench that makes you actually feel hot and sticky as you watch. The story revolves around an ensemble of characters; residents of the neighborhood that all know each other by name and antics. The bulk depicts seemingly unrelated vignettes, centered in and around Sal’s Pizzeria. The discussions are realistic: money (or lack thereof), politics, the gentrification of the neighborhood. And what begins as any ordinary day becomes explosive as the temperatures continue to rise.
Excellent Cast
The ensemble cast brings the Bedford–Stuyvesant neighborhood to life. Danny Aiello plays Sal, and is the standout performer of the film. Sal is an Italian-American who we can envision growing up with strict immigrant parents. He works hard, continuing to run his business in a neighborhood that has lost all of its Italian population. It would be easy to paint Sal as a simple bigot, but he’s not. He’s a typical small business owner working stiff who wants nothing special out of life other than the integrity of his name and pizza. “I’m gonna kill somebody today.” Sal gripes as he unlocks the parlor door that morning. Aiello was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for the performance.
Sal has three employees; his two sons played by John Turturro and Richard Edson, and local resident Mookie (Spike Lee). These characters have excellent narratives as they interact with the Bedford–Stuyvesant neighborhood each other throughout the movie. Some conversations will make you uncomfortable and that’s the point. They bring about discussions that everyone can relate with in one way or another.
The rest of the neighborhood is comprised of a variety of characters. All deliver humor and drama as the story unfolds. Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn, Roger Guenveur Smith, Rosie Perez, and even Samuel L. Jackson as a local disc jockey. And my boy Frank Vincent makes a pre-Billy Batts cameo.
1989 Straddles Two Great Decades
It’s a period piece, filmed and set in 1989. Nostalgia junkies will love the fashion, cars, and music. There’s literally a boom box battle at one point. And as ‘Public Enemy’ plays throughout the movie, you’ll never forget it’s an East Coast production.
The heavy issues of race, class, police brutality, and gentrification are as relevant today as they were back then. What I loved is that Lee doesn’t marginalize any segment of the story. Not all white people are racists and not all young people are tolerant. Not all old people are conservative and not all immigrants are welcoming. Black, white, Hispanic, Asian – everyone is to blame, and no one is to blame. The film will certainly spark conversation and make you think, long after its finished.
“Do the Right Thing” is an excellent movie. It jumped into my Top 100 after a single viewing, and I will definitely be revisiting it in the future.
“Do the Right Thing” is currently available to stream on Amazon
