“Are we gonna live together, together are we gonna live?”

No film is more explosive, more provocative, or more engaging than Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing. Made in 1989, Do the Right Thing explores race relations up close and up front. It refuses to allow the easy answers, offering controversial views that are meant to open a discussion, not force the actions of the characters as morally justified. The film’s filmmaking is full of contrasts: bright and dark colors, loud and quiet sounds, close ups with wide angles. This is a strong statement against the current race relations in America, and its absolutely a must watch film for anyone in our country. In his essay, Roger Ebert declared, “Most movies remain up there on the screen. Only a few penetrate your soul.”

The film explores race relations through a microcosm. The entire film takes place in a Bed-Stuy street in Brooklyn, New York, on the hottest day of the year. The block is predominately African American, but a few Whites, Koreans, and Puerto Ricans also own the block. It is made up of apartments and housing, with two stores at the corner. One is a grocery store owned by two Koreans. The other is Sal’s Famous Pizzeria. Sal, played by Danny Aiello (who garnered an Oscar nomination for the roll), is an white Italian who enjoys working in the neighborhood, even if his sons Pino and Vino fight all the time. But our main protagonist is Mookie, played by Lee. Mookie’s goal life is to get paid, but ironically has never worked an honest day in his life. He works for Sal’s as a delivery boy but shows up late and takes hour-long breaks. There are plenty of other major characters who all feel representative of different types of people in America including Radio Raheem, Buggin’ Out, Jade, Smiley, Da Mayor, Mother Sister and many others.

During the day, small stories start to heighten with the heat. Two African Americans spray a white man’s car with water. A white man runs over an African American’s new shoes with his bike. People constantly bicker racial slurs at each oter. But even with all the hate, nothing can prepare the audience for the end: a race riot. After a fight breaks out at Sal’s, a major African American character is killed and the block wants vengeance on Sal, who is partially responsible. But then Mookie decides to take a trashcan, throw it into Sal’s window, causing a chain reaction of the entire building to be burnt to the ground. This remains one of the most controversial choices in film. Is Mookie justified? Is racial violence ever justified? I have my own interpretation on why Mookie threw it. Mookie did what needed to be done to stop the possible harm that could come to Sal. In truth, he did the right thing.

But this is not the only brilliant part of the film. Do the Right Thing features no characters that are left unjustified or justified. There are no heroes and no villains. There are simply characters that make decisions that can be seen as right or wrong. There are characters that are both sympathetic and unsympathetic. We can love Sal for his moment with Pino how he explains how proud he is that he has helped raised the neighborhood with his food. But then we can hate him for his unsympathetic view of some characters. It’s a tough thing that Lee does, but it truly works in the film to open a discussion.

But the main discussion that this film asks is the justification of violence. This film has possibly the greatest ending to a film ever. Two quotes from Martin Luther King and Malcolm X appear, either advocating or condemning violence in order to get racial equality. The film’s characters also seem to follow this message of how to respond to racial violence. Although the characters eventually take the violent side near the end, this isn’t meant to condone violence. In a world where other films (including that year’s Oscar winner Diving Miss Daisy) taught racial tolerance, Spike Lee had to have his characters take the other stance in order to create a message, and ultimately, a discussion.

One thing I have not even mentioned is Spike Lee’s visual style. This film is loud in visuals, performances, and of course music and sound. The film is full contrast, to fit the contrasting ideologies of the film. Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power” blasts out of Radio Raheem’s radio to counter with Spike’s father Bill Lee’s jazz score. Bright reds contrast with dark blacks. Graffiti mentioning racial injustices over the last year are all over (Look for “Tawana told the truth,” referring to an incident where an African American woman was raped, behind Jade and Mookie outside Sal’s). The heat comes sizzling off the screen. The performances for the most part are over the top, and fittingly for the heat and anger throughout this neighborhood. It’s a strong and bold style that has an unconventional style that forces a discomfort throughout the audience, just as the story does.

    Do the Right Thing divided audiences when released in the summer of ‘89. Many believed that African Americans would riot following its release. Not a single punch was thrown. People responded to it correctly, understanding Spike’s question. But unfortunately, Spike’s message did not translate into reality. Racial injustice still remains. So the question is still asked: Is racial violence justified at any point? When I watched this film in a multicultural class, the classmates were divided on the merit of the film, fearful of what happened. But it was agreed that it a strong and provocative film. Do the Right Thing is Spike Lee’s opus magnum, a film that elevates past a movie, and into discussion. Do we take arms or fight passively? Do we listen to Martin or Malcolm? How do we combat racial injustice? Lee doesn’t know the answer, but he has asked the question that must be asked.