Movie Review: Do the Right Thing (1989)

I think August may be the perfect time to review a movie like Do the Right Thing. It's a hot movie, literally. Besides that fact, it is and may still be one of the best Spike Lee films to date. What is it that makes this flick so good? To start, Do the Right Thing revolves around a neighborhood in the middle of a heat wave. The main character, Mookie (played by Spike Lee) is the main character, but I think you could take any character in this film and make them the main character. Each role has his/her own story. The movie really has one theme and one overtone, race. The movie is about the building racial tensions over the few days of this heat wave. When I say heat wave, I mean this movie does that in an excellent style. You can literally see sweat on the character's faces when the shots are up close. That's something that most movies forget to do. Spike Lee in this movie demonstrates so strongly that pictures and visuals.....AKA actually seeing something is more powerful than hearing several different performers talk about how hot it is. Yes, the characters do complain about these heat days, but it's done in such a way that it doesn't make the viewer feel less for that character. One other thing that this movie excels at, is the fact that the movie starts building tension from the first minute, till the last minute. That's something that most movies cannot do successfully. There's a moment in this movie where tension gets so built up, that it's not comfortable to watch any farther. Overall, Do the Right Thing is a great movie that doesn't deserve to be spoiled because it's such a masterpiece. Making it one of the finest movies I've had the enjoyment of laying my eyes on. Three stars.