Do The Right Thing - Movie Review Example

23 February, How are different races/ethnicities constructed in the film? What cues/signals does Lee use to construct them? The film Do the Right Thing directed, authored and performed by Spike Lee is fundamentally about racism and issues of ethnicity. The film is based on a hot day in Brooklyn, an area in which the neighborhood is populated with African Americans. The film fundamentally revolves around Sal’s Famous Pizzeria that is owned by white people. It is worth noting here that (Lee) has presented white people, Sal along with his two sons in the form of owners.

Lee could have named the owners without having mentioned their race as white, but the sole purpose behind doing so was to build the audience’s understanding of the plot as racism oriented. Where Sal and his sons have been presented as owners because they are white, Mookie has been presented as the delivery boy, fundamentally for the reason that he is an African American. This tells that this film particularly differentiates between people and decides their status on the basis of their race.

White owners and black delivery boy are the signals that have been used by Lee to construct the racist mood. In the beginning, the movie maintains a low profile with light entertainment and jolly mood. Characters in the start are quite amusing. But as some time passes, the film suddenly gains an upsurge until the tension between individual characters reaches its apogee. The conflict between races and ethnic identities overtly shows up in the form of hatred among characters belonging to different races.

The tension in the film’s climax is unbearable. A deep analysis of the film suggests that Lee has, for the most part of the movie, not discussed characters, as much has he done the relationships between them and their interpersonal conflicts. The film’s frame in terms of place and duration is too narrow, though in such a narrow frame, Lee has successfully conveyed a robust message about ethnicity and racism. The narrow framed film is crowded with characters. Lee’s introduction of so many characters in the film is another signal that defines the plot as racism oriented.

It can be so said because each of the character in the film represents a particular belief and mindset. The individual characters in the film present a complete set of behavioral traits that are typically consistent with the stereotypical images of the racists. The opposing characters speak in favor of conflicting opinions that shows their defensive stance on social beliefs on either side of the issue. For example, the film presents Radio Raheem and Buggin Out opposite Pino. Some characters like Da Mayor and Smiley are shown completely isolated and immune towards social issues.

They typically represent characters in the society who are obsessed with racism to such an extent that they tend to remain in social exclusion either willingly or are somehow put into it against their will. All of these factors and signs jointly show how race/ethnicities have been constructed in the film and why it should be considered as racism oriented. Works cited: Lee, Spike, dir. Do The Right Thing. 1989. Film.