MovieChat Forums > Do the Right Thing (1989) Discussion > Did he do 'the right thing'? What do you...

Did he do 'the right thing'? What do you think?

posted 10 years ago by lars_fv
3 replies | jump to latest

Let me start by saying that I watched this movie yesterday, the first Spike Lee's flick in my movie-watcher CV, and it came to me as a amazing experience. It entertained me, moved me and gave me many things to think about. I couldn't possibly ask for more as far as cinematic experiences go.

One of the most trandescental qualities of movies (good movies) is their ability to shout right to our thoughts. "Do The Right Thing" is the kind of film that creates debate and division because it talks about delicate subjects that can gather as many interpretations as the number of viewers it has. I'm not here to state my opinions but rather to ask for yours.

Let's start with the obvious: Did Mookie do the right thing?

Was he intentionally diverting violence towards the business when he threw that trash can? According to Spike Lee, he wasn't trying to help Sal, the pizza owner. He was just angry at the death of his friend (http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2014/06/spike-lee-do-the-right-thing-anniversary). Now this could mean that, ironically, he did the right thing and saved some lifes even though it wasn't his intention. A lot of characters and events in this movie are defined by their contradictions, which in my opinion also play a very big role in all our lifes, as much as one often fails to realize about it. But what is your personal take on this?

2) Is there any character at all who does the right thing? Again, contradictions arouse. Some characters may be more or less likable to you, but I don't think there are heroes nor villains in this movie. Everyone makes mistakes and everyone has flaws. Mookie may lack ambition, fool around in his job and cheat his girlfriend, but I can also spot some tenderness in him, in the way he wakes up his sister, the way he respects the disabled picture-selling man. It makes it all much more beliavable and realistic to me. My favorite character is Da Mayor but even he has some flaws. Who's your most/least liked character?

3) Do you think the movie speaks so strongly to us as it did 25 years ago? Has America changed a lot in the quarter of a century? I'm not American so here I need you guys to basically answer this one for me. :P

And 4) What do the final messages by MLK and MX speak to you? I think they go hand to hand with the big contradictions in the story, one message neglecting violence and other defending the right to use violence as a self-defense method. Lee is not talking about questions with easy answers and, instead of lecturing us, he just reflects the complexity of it all. But those are just my thoughts. Which are yours?

I could pose tons of more questions but I don't wanna make this thread endless. I will enormoulsy appreciate all your comments since I haven't met yet a single person in my country who has seen this picture, which doesn't give me a lot of opportunities for debating. Have a nice day y'all.

[–] AndrewGS 10 years ago

1. It's hard to understand why Mookie did what he did; in the moment it seems pretty deliberate but reluctant but the next morning he had no remorse. It also felt unjust for Mookie to suggest Sal was as responsible for the police killing Radio as he was for throwing the can. I think he didn't do the right thing although he thought he did and it was less wrong than actually attacking the people.

2. "Da Mayor" and Vito were, despite some flaws, pretty reasonable and likable; Dino and then Buggin are the worst, least just characters and Sal pretty much the most interesting, most obviously for having raised such different sons.

3. I can only try to answer this because I was only born when the film came out and first saw it in 2010. But I think a lot of the overall social attitudes have mellowed only slightly.

4. I think King's message is stronger and more persuasive; both King and X use emotional and moral language but King also and convincingly speaks about practicality (X thought he was practical but the quote seems only emotional). The film seems to suggest that violence was wrong (especially as attacking Sal's wasn't even actually self-defense) but to emphasize that it can feel right or less wrong and that there's blame to go around including to society at large.
Maybe the right thing is to, as the DJ urged, register and vote.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] ilike_panama 9 years ago

The only explanation I can think of for Mookie´s actions is that he knew that, after all, his boss Sal could receive insurance money if his business was destroyed. That's why he did not show up remorse for destroying the pizza place.

erika from panama