Rating of
3.5/4
Fight The Power!
Matthew Brady - wrote on 06/03/20
Wake up! Wake up! Up you wake!"
I had this on my watch-list for quite a while now since I joined this site, because when it comes to movies labelled as classic are often the hardest for me to truly tackle, but with everything that's been going on recently, I thought the time is right to watch Spike Lee's masterpiece. I know logging this in isn't anything new with everyone else doing the same, but you also have to keep in mind the reasons why a movie that explores the struggles of American racism, police brutality, and racial stereotyping still hits close to our lives, especially 30 years after its release.
The hottest day of the year in the neighborhood of Brooklyn - where heat, frustration, and tension quickly rises up to the surface in extreme temperatures, where the intensity is felt. A clash of cultures with African American, Latino, East Asian and Italian American that drives the story forward.
I am honestly blown away by this movie.
What I loved about 'Do the Right Thing' is how all the characters in the movie are not the most moral people and would commit questionable acts, which have sparked debates from audiences over the years. However, it is less about understanding them or finding redeemable qualities, but more to do with recognising their anger. The movie does not ask you to pick a side, but just to observer how both sides can be wrong sometimes. We are shown how everyone is talking negatively about the other race, so you should not always take it too seriously, and that you’re not always the victim. The only voice of reason in the whole movie is the character Da Mayor, played beautifully by the late Ossie Davis. He does what the title of the movie is saying, and yet no one takes any notices of him. The movie displays different viewpoints from variety of voices.
There’s a great scene where one person of each race group talks shit about the other race in a racist statement. Spike Lee intentional filmed the scene to identify how racism in different forms of colour are all equal. Lee shot every racial statement in the scene identical from the other ones. The message becomes loud and clear, which is that if you’re a racist, you’re a racist, no matter what colour skin you are.
Still, racial themes aside, there is still some humorous scenes that made me chuckle. The conversations between characters were both funny and yet intriguing to listen, which was apparently improvised by some of the actors. I said this once and I will say it again, I like it when the director lets actors work freely on set.
The performances from everyone were all excellent and all the characters are defined through the actor’s portrayal, which makes every single one of them memorable.
Danny Aiello is brilliant as the sweaty and tough Sal, who works hard at his business at the Pizzeria. Sal is respectful to everyone if you do not push his buttons. Even Spike Lee who is not only the director, writer, and producer of the movie, but also stars in the movie as well. Lee is a solid actor and adds a lot of depth to his character through his performance. His character Mookie is a young and tired looking delivery man who works for Sal’s pizzeria.
The character Radio Raheem played by Bill Nunn is the most interesting character in the movie. His character gives the audience a clear perspective of his frustration for us to identify. This is best examined when he shows Mookie (Spike Lee) his new rings and tells him the story of "Love and Hate", because we as people are constantly battling both negative and positive sides of ourselves.
Giancarlo Esposito who plays Buggin Out, a lively character who causes the most trouble in the movie, and attempts to start a boycott on Sal’s pizza parlor after realising there’s no African-Americans on Sal wall of frame, despite coming in three times a day until he finally notices. I love the satire of an African-American walking into an Italian pizza place asking why there's no Malcolm X pictures. I also didn’t recognise Esposito at first, because I couldn’t believe this is the same man who played the sinister villain in Breaking Bad. Terrific actor.
The cinematography features a lot of bizarre perspectives and camera angles, which are used to great effect and shows us the characters point of view of the world. The colour palette of the movie is fantastic and gives the urban streets a vibrant feel. The opening credits is one of the best I've seen in a while and the best definition of attitude.
I can see why people have labelled this as Spike Lee’s best work, and it deserves that title.
Overall rating: The current situation of police brutality globally, not just in the US, still cries out for justice and change in the corrupt system. In 2020, you would think that things have changed for the better, but it seems that we still have a long way to go. The movie was not just a head of its time, but present of its time, and how it is still present with us today.
