I did not like "Do the Right Thing" very much at all. For one thing it's boring, with much of the film's screen time wasted on pointless subplots like Mook's relationship with his girlfriend. But mainly I don't like it because it's clearly a message movie, except it's message is super unclear and confusing. For 90% of the film I thought that Mook was supposed to be the moral hero of the story because he works at the Italian restaurant and empathizes with its owners. But then at the end he causes the destruction of the restaurant, his own place of employment and the livelihood of his supposed friends. A lot of people think he did this to help Sal, but then why would he go back and poor salt in the wound the next morning?
Admittedly I really didn't get it. I thought it was either a movie about a large group of unintelligent, angry inner-city residents, which was meant to show people the error of their ways (a cause that to me seemed like it would be ineffective and rather self-destructive); or I though it could be a championing bravado meant to invigorate African American audiences (a theory supported by the overplayed "fight the power" ). Neither of my theories felt like they could be accurate. I decided I needed to read some analyses of the film to better understand, and from reading them I've learned that.... I still don't get it. Is it supposed to be a little bit of both?
The movie is so contradicting. The only two characters in the film which seemed to represent wisdom and understanding were the mayor and mother-sister. However, the mayor was a drunk who everyone hated and mother-sister was screaming "burn it down" during the riot. Also, I thought that the radio dude was supposed to be a good guy as well because of his little speech about love conquering hate. But then he chokes out Sal near the end. Is this film about hypocrites?
The scene I dislike the most is when the mentally handicapped guy puts the picture on Sal's wall. What is that action supposed to mean exactly..... the retard is a retard? Redundant! Why would any director do that? Sal can do what he pleases with his wall, It's his wall! That's his individual right. The sequence is given heavy emphasis and seems to be stating that the picture belongs there where that handicapped man put it. In my opinion the only logical conclusion one can come to is that the rioters are purposefully portrayed as heroes after all.
Mook obviously did what he thought was the right thing; clearly it wasn't. Most people reason that that's the point, that Mook had a twisted view on things. I disagree, I think Spike Lee was saying that in the end the pizzeria needed to be brought down, and that the crowed did what was righteous and justified. My interpretation of the quotes at the end is that the first quote refers to the barbaric actions of the police, and the second (the quote about self defense) to the demolition of Sal's restaurant. A demolition which in my opinion was completely unwarranted.
Admittedly I really didn't get it. I thought it was either a movie about a large group of unintelligent, angry inner-city residents, which was meant to show people the error of their ways (a cause that to me seemed like it would be ineffective and rather self-destructive); or I though it could be a championing bravado meant to invigorate African American audiences (a theory supported by the overplayed "fight the power" ). Neither of my theories felt like they could be accurate. I decided I needed to read some analyses of the film to better understand, and from reading them I've learned that.... I still don't get it. Is it supposed to be a little bit of both?
The movie is so contradicting. The only two characters in the film which seemed to represent wisdom and understanding were the mayor and mother-sister. However, the mayor was a drunk who everyone hated and mother-sister was screaming "burn it down" during the riot. Also, I thought that the radio dude was supposed to be a good guy as well because of his little speech about love conquering hate. But then he chokes out Sal near the end. Is this film about hypocrites?
The scene I dislike the most is when the mentally handicapped guy puts the picture on Sal's wall. What is that action supposed to mean exactly..... the retard is a retard? Redundant! Why would any director do that? Sal can do what he pleases with his wall, It's his wall! That's his individual right. The sequence is given heavy emphasis and seems to be stating that the picture belongs there where that handicapped man put it. In my opinion the only logical conclusion one can come to is that the rioters are purposefully portrayed as heroes after all.
Mook obviously did what he thought was the right thing; clearly it wasn't. Most people reason that that's the point, that Mook had a twisted view on things. I disagree, I think Spike Lee was saying that in the end the pizzeria needed to be brought down, and that the crowed did what was righteous and justified. My interpretation of the quotes at the end is that the first quote refers to the barbaric actions of the police, and the second (the quote about self defense) to the demolition of Sal's restaurant. A demolition which in my opinion was completely unwarranted.