Do the Right Thing

Streaming: Prime Video/Showtime
Warnings:
Explicit Language
Violence
Racism
Sex
Nudity
Rating: R

Do the Right Thing is a comedy-drama set in 1989, that explores Brooklyn’s neighborhoods while highlighting racial tension which escalates in tragedy and violence. Do the Right Thing was produced, written and directed by Spike Lee. It stars Lee, Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Richard Edson, Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn, John Turturro, Rosie Perez, Martin Lawrence and Samuel L. Jackson. This is the feature film debut of Martin Lawrence and Rosie Perez. Do the Right Thing was a success critically and commercially and received numerous accolades. This film is often listed as one of the greatest films of all time. In 1999 the Library of Congress deemed Do the Right Thing as, “culturally, historically and aesthetically significant,” when it was eligible, it was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. Do the Right Thing was nominated for the Academy Awards, Best Supporting Actor for Danny Aiello, and Best Original Screenplay for Spike Lee. The film won Best Director, Best Film and Best Music from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. It also won Best Cinematography from the New York Film Critics Circle. Do the Right Thing was nominated and won numerous other words, there are too many to name. Film critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert ranked the film the best of 1989 and later ranked it as one of the top 10 films of the decade. Siskel stated the film is like a, “Spiritual documentary that shows racial joy, hatred and confusion at every turn.” Ebert praised the film for “coming close to reflecting the current state of race relations in America than any other movie of our time.” Do the Right Thing uses innovative camerawork, iconic acting, and genuine dialogue to portray different cultures of this Brooklyn neighborhood. This film is as relevant as it has ever been and certainly exposes how much the negligence from the police force, as well as racism hasn’t changed.

            The script is filled with casual dialogue and uses different perspectives from the neighborhood to tell the story. Spike Lee wrote the screenplay in two weeks. Parts of the conversations between characters were improvised, specifically the scenes of the “corner men”. He was inspired for the film after watching Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode, “Shopping for Death,” in which the main characters debate a theory that hot weather increases violent proclivities. He was also inspired by the shooting of Eleanor Bumpurs who is an elderly, disabled African American woman who was shot by the New York Police after they broke into her house and struggled to subdue her. An officer fatally shot her with a 12-guage shotgun. There was another incident that inspired the storyline, there were young Black youth who were chased out of a pizzeria by some white youth in Howard Beach, New York City. All of these inspirations allowed Spike Lee to create a film that is not only truthful, but also a genuine image of what America is actually like.

            The acting in the film is beyond phenomenal, many of the roles were played by young actors who are now known as “the greats”. Four of the cast members were stand-up comedians which added to the comedic charm throughout the film, they are Martin Lawrence, Steve Park, Steve White and Robin Harris. Rosie Perez was cast as the main character Mookie’s (played by Spike Lee) love interest after he saw her dancing at a Los Angeles dance club. This was the feature film debut for Rosie Perez. Danny Aiello won Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Sal from the Belgian Syndicate of Cinema Critics, the Chicago Film Critics Association, and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. One person to note specifically in this film is Giancarlo Esposito who played Buggin’ Out, his character is prevalent throughout the film and he is part of the reason the story escalated the way it did. His character is relatable, comedic and complex. Spike Lee did a wonderful job creating these characters because they are so relative to actual people, and they are all complex in their own way. The actors truly brought these characters to life in way that is unexpected and sincere.

            The cinematography is one of the most interesting elements of the film. Ernest Dickerson known for The Wire, The Walking Dead, Jungle Fever, Mo’ Better Blues, and Malcolm X (1992), uses the camera to act like a fly on the wall throughout the neighborhood. The camera follows characters as they interreact and portrays certain characters as powerful in the moment and other characters as small. For example, there is one scene where two characters are arguing and one character who is clearly in the wrong is filmed from above, the character who is being wronged is filmed from below, this creates a dynamic of power and a lack of power. In addition to the carefully chosen camera angles, Lee and Dickerson used the camera to break the third wall, the characters talk directly to the camera and even yell at the camera at times, this makes the audience feel as if they are included in the film. This is an iconic artistic choice that has been referenced in many films since this film. Lastly, there is a shot in the film where the camera is following Mookie (Spike Lee) as he walks through the neighborhood, the camera carefully showcases the neighborhood as well as the different characters in it, this is an interesting choice that allows the audience to understand the dynamic of the community. Do the Right Thing is beautifully shot and created a new approach of filming characters in an honest way.

            Do the Right Thing is probably one of the best films you will ever see, personally I believe it is Spike Lee’s greatest film. Do the Right Thing is still relevant today, especially when considering the political climate joined with police brutality in the United States. This film comments on the issues that affect different cultures in this specific neighborhood however, it is relative to the United States as a whole. If you wish to enjoy a dramatic comedy that is truthful, and also uses the F-word approximately 240 times, Do the Right Thing is the film for you.

The Photograph

Streaming: HBO
Warnings:
Sex
Strong Language
Rating: PG-13

  The Photograph is a dramatic romance that follows an estranged daughter of a famous photographer who falls in love with a journalist who is researching her mother’s life for a story. This film is a love story for the ages, it intertwines the past and present to show two different romances. Written and directed by Stella Meghie, the film takes the audience on a beautiful journey that is playful and passionate. Meghie is known for her direction of television series including Grown-ish, Insecure and First Wives Club. She is currently set to direct the Whitney Houston biopic called, I Wanna Dance With Somebody, which is set to be released in 2022. The film stars Issa Rae, LaKeith Stanfield, Y’lan Noel, Chanté Adams, Lil Rel Howrey, and Marsha Stephanie Blake. The Photograph is a film that is not necessarily comparable to other romantic films. The film has a more modern approach and its distinctive because of the writing, acting and the music. The Photograph is a more in-depth type of romantic film that most audiences are not used to and that is what makes the storyline convincing and appealing.

The writing is well done and allows the audience to understand the characters as they are. The characters are complex, and specifically the women are portrayed in a positive light without the male gaze tarnishing their personality traits. This is important to mention because in many romantic films, the woman’s only goal is to find a male counterpart however in this film, Issa Rae’s character Mae Morton doesn’t revolve her life around the pursuit of a man. In addition to that, Mae’s character doesn’t have to “fix” LaKeith Stanfield’s character Michael Block in any way. Both Mae and Michael are successful and well-adjusted throughout the film which is something that is unique to a romantic drama. In addition to that, both characters are not willing to compromise their own career goals for each other, many romantic dramas involve someone giving up on a goal for their significant other which isn’t practical to real life concerns. The Photograph portrays romance in a more authentic manner which is what makes the film engaging to watch.

The acting from Issa Rae and LaKeith Stanfield is something to praise, they both portray the characters authentically and they each have clear goals for themselves. On Rotten Tomatoes the critics consensus states, “Gorgeous visuals, an affecting love story, and simmering chemistry between Issa Rae and LeKeith Stanfield keep The Photograph solidly in focus.” It is also important to note the roles of Ylan Noel who plays Young Isaac Jefferson, and Chanté Adams who plays Young Christine Eames, both do a wonderful job showing how their characters are struggling and connecting them to their older selves. In general, the film takes the audience on a heartfelt journey that is unexpected and sincere.

Since The Photograph is partially based in New Orleans and partially based in New York, it is important to comment on the musical score. The film changes from different types of jazz from scene to scene, each type highlighting the location and the emotion of the moment perfectly. Robert Andre Glasper who is an American jazz pianist, record producer, songwriter and musical arranger created the musical soundtrack for the film. Glasper is an award-winning musician and it certainly shows consistently in the film. Glasper claims that the music of Miles Davis has had a significant influence of his style as a musician. He states, “I’m obviously influenced by Miles Davis – even just the psyche of how he thinks about music… how he moves through and always wanted to reflect the times he’s in. That’s what I’m doing now. He opened that door.” This interest shows through the music chosen for the film as well as how the jazz changes from New York to New Orleans. The music is a really strong part of the film and it certainly adds to the success.

Most romantic dramas fall flat because of their lack of complex characters, their inattention to musical detail and their absence of complex writing however, The Photograph has all three of these elements. It creates two storylines that allow multiple characters to show their own truth while showcasing that romance doesn’t have to completely blow up a person’s life. This film is a practical romance that considers both the male character and the female character’s wants and needs rather than the usual “damsel in distress” approach. This approach is what made the film interesting and effective. I highly recommend this film if you are interested in watching a romantic drama with a feminist lens.