Do the Right Thing (1989)

My Review

“Do the Right Thing” is a story centering on tense race relations in a Brooklyn neighborhood between the African-American residents and the Italian-American owners of a local pizzeria, resulting in a riot. Producer-director-screenwriter Spike Lee put together an unbiased look at race relations in a major American city, with good acting performances.

Spike Lee heads the cast in his own film, as the neighborhood character named Mookie. He does more than his share of talking in this picture. Danny Aiello is at the top of the supporting cast as the restaurant owner. Aiello was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, with Lee nominated for Best Original Screenplay. Other cast includes Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Richard Edson, Giancarlo Esposito, John Turturro, Bill Nunn, Samuel L. Jackson, John Savage, and Martin Lawrence and Rosie Perez in their movie debuts.

The watchable “Do the Right Thing” was a success at the box office for producer Spike Lee, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, and Universal Pictures. It was filmed entirely on location in Brooklyn, New York.