Movies / Do the Right Thing (1989)
Runtime: 120 min
Genres: Drama
Languages: English Italian Korean Spanish
Countries: USA
Director Spike Lee dives head-first into a maelstrom of racial and social ills, using as his springboard the hottest day of the year on one block in Brooklyn, NY. Three businesses dominate the block: a storefront radio station, where a smooth-talkin' deejay (Samuel L. Jackson) spins the platters that matter; a convenience store owned by a Korean couple; and Sal's Famous Pizzeria, the only white-operated business in the neighborhood. Sal (Danny Aiello) serves up slices with his two sons, genial Vito (Richard Edson) and angry, racist Pino (John Turturro). Sal has one black employee, Mookie (Spike Lee), who wants to "get paid" but lacks ambition. His sister Jade (Joie Lee, Spike's sister), who has a greater sense of purpose and a "real" job, wants Mookie to start dealing with his responsibilities, most notably his son with girlfriend Tina (Rosie Perez). Two of Mookie's best friends are Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn), a monolith of a man who rarely speaks, preferring to blast Public Enemy's rap song Fight The Power on his massive boom box; and Buggin' Out (Giancarlo Esposito), nicknamed for his coke-bottle glasses and habit of losing his cool. When Buggin' Out notes that Sal's "Wall of Fame," a photo gallery of famous Italian-Americans, includes no people of color, he eventually demands a neighborhood boycott, on a day when tensions are already running high, that incurs tragic consequences. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
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Directors (1) | Credit |
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Spike Lee | ... |
Writers (1) | Credit |
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Spike Lee | written by |
Composers (1) | Credit |
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Bill Lee | ... |
Editors (1) | Credit |
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Barry Alexander Brown | ... |
Cinematographers (1) | Credit |
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Ernest R. Dickerson | (as Ernest Dickerson) |
Actors (46) | Credit |
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Ángel Ramírez | Stevie's Friends |
Bill Nunn | Radio Raheem |
Chris Delaney | Stevie's Friends |
Christa Rivers | Ella |
Danny Aiello | Salvatore 'Sal' Fragione |
David E. Weinberg | Plainclothes Detective |
Diva Osorio | Carmen |
Erik Dellums | Customer in Pizzeria (uncredited) |
Frankie Faison | Coconut Sid |
Frank Vincent | Charlie |
Garry Pastore | P.O. Bonamo (uncredited) |
Giancarlo Esposito | Buggin Out |
Ginny Yang | Kim |
Gwen McGee | Louise |
Joel Nagle | Sergeant |
John Savage | Clifton |
John Turturro | Pino |
Joie Lee | Jade |
Leland Hardy | Riot Starter (uncredited) |
Leonard L. Thomas | Punchy (as Leonard Thomas) |
Luis Antonio Ramos | Stevie (as Luis Ramos) |
Martin Lawrence | Cee |
Mecca Brunson | Double Dutch Girl |
Miguel Sandoval | Officer Ponte |
Nelson Vasquez | Stevie's Friends |
Nicholas Turturro | Extra (uncredited) |
Ossie Davis | Da Mayor |
Paul Benjamin | ML |
Richard Edson | Vito |
Richard Habersham | Eddie |
Rick Aiello | Officer Long |
Robin Harris | Sweet Dick Willie |
Roger Guenveur Smith | Smiley |
Rosie Perez | Tina |
Ruby Dee | Mother Sister |
Samuel L. Jackson | Mister Señor Love Daddy (as Sam Jackson) |
Shawn Elliott | Puerto Rican Icee Man |
Shawn Stainback | Double Dutch Girl |
Sherwin Park | Korean Child |
Sixto Ramos | Stevie's Friends |
Soquana Wallace | Double Dutch Girl |
Spike Lee | Mookie |
Steve Park | Sonny |
Steve White | Ahmad |
Travell Lee Toulson | Hector |
Yattee Brown | Double Dutch Girl |