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Do the Right Thing

  • 1989
  • R
  • 2h
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
126K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,174
133
Spike Lee, Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, John Turturro, Ruby Dee, Giancarlo Esposito, and Bill Nunn in Do the Right Thing (1989)
Official Trailer
Play trailer2:07
11 Videos
99+ Photos
Dark ComedyTragedyComedyDrama

On the hottest day of the year on a street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, everyone's hatred and bigotry smolder and build until violence erupts.On the hottest day of the year on a street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, everyone's hatred and bigotry smolder and build until violence erupts.On the hottest day of the year on a street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, everyone's hatred and bigotry smolder and build until violence erupts.

  • Director
    • Spike Lee
  • Writer
    • Spike Lee
  • Stars
    • Danny Aiello
    • Ossie Davis
    • Ruby Dee
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    7.9/10
    126K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    2,174
    133
    • Director
      • Spike Lee
    • Writer
      • Spike Lee
    • Stars
      • Danny Aiello
      • Ossie Davis
      • Ruby Dee
    • 625User reviews
    • 118Critic reviews
    • 93Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Oscars
      • 21 wins & 19 nominations total

    Videos11

    Do the Right Thing
    Trailer 2:07
    Do the Right Thing
    Do The Right Thing
    Trailer 2:07
    Do The Right Thing
    Do The Right Thing
    Trailer 2:07
    Do The Right Thing
    A Guide to Spike Lee Joints
    Clip 2:03
    A Guide to Spike Lee Joints
    Rosie Perez in Three Roles
    Clip 2:14
    Rosie Perez in Three Roles
    Blaxploitation Movies & Black Power in the 1970s
    Clip 4:51
    Blaxploitation Movies & Black Power in the 1970s
    Spike Lee: Four Decades of 'Wake Up!'
    Clip 3:05
    Spike Lee: Four Decades of 'Wake Up!'

    Photos155

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 148
    View Poster

    Top Cast49

    Danny Aiello
    Danny Aiello
    • Sal
    Ossie Davis
    Ossie Davis
    • Da Mayor
    Ruby Dee
    Ruby Dee
    • Mother Sister
    Richard Edson
    Richard Edson
    • Vito
    Giancarlo Esposito
    Giancarlo Esposito
    • Buggin Out
    Spike Lee
    Spike Lee
    • Mookie
    Bill Nunn
    Bill Nunn
    • Radio Raheem
    John Turturro
    John Turturro
    • Pino
    Paul Benjamin
    Paul Benjamin
    • ML
    Frankie Faison
    Frankie Faison
    • Coconut Sid
    Robin Harris
    Robin Harris
    • Sweet Dick Willie
    Joie Lee
    Joie Lee
    • Jade
    Miguel Sandoval
    Miguel Sandoval
    • Officer Ponte
    Rick Aiello
    Rick Aiello
    • Officer Long
    John Savage
    John Savage
    • Clifton
    Samuel L. Jackson
    Samuel L. Jackson
    • Mister Señor Love Daddy
    • (as Sam Jackson)
    Rosie Perez
    Rosie Perez
    • Tina
    Roger Guenveur Smith
    Roger Guenveur Smith
    • Smiley
    • Director
      • Spike Lee
    • Writer
      • Spike Lee
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews625

    7.9126.1K
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    Summary

    Reviewers say 'Do the Right Thing' Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Curabitur pretium tincidunt lacus.

    Nulla facilisi etiam dignissim diam quis enim lobortis scelerisque
    Lorem ipsum dolorSit amet consecteturAdipiscing elitSed do eiusmodTempor incididuntUt labore et doloreMagna aliquaUt enim ad minimVeniam quisNostrud exercitation
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    Related interests

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    Dark Comedy
    Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams in Manchester by the Sea (2016)
    Tragedy
    Will Ferrell, Angela Grillo, and Lap-Gei Cheung in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
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    Drama

    Storyline

    Did you know

    • Trivia
      During the 1990 Oscars ceremony, while introducing Dead Poets Society as a best picture nominee, Kim Basinger caused some controversy when she ignored her scripted text and said "We've got five great films here, and they're great for one reason because they tell the truth. But there is one film missing from this list that deserves to be on it because, ironically, it might tell the biggest truth of all, and that's Do the Right Thing (1989)." Spike Lee would later thank her for it in a 2019 episode of the podcast "Unspooled".
    • Goofs
      The bicyclist walks past Buggin' Out on his left; but the black mark is on the right side of his shoe.
    • Quotes
      • Radio Raheem: Let me tell you the story of Right Hand, Left Hand. It's a tale of good and evil. Hate: it was with this hand that Cain iced his brother. Love: these five fingers, they go straight to the soul of man. The right hand: the hand of love. The story of life is this: static. One hand is always fighting the other hand, and the left hand is kicking much ass. I mean, it looks like the right hand, Love, is finished. But hold on, stop the presses, the right hand is coming back. Yeah, he got the left hand on the ropes, now, that's right. Ooh, it's a devastating right and Hate is hurt, he's down. Left-Hand Hate KOed by Love.
    • Crazy credits
      Film title logo at the end of closing credits
    • Alternate versions
      the "pan & scan" version broadcast on ITV4 truncates the conversation between Radio Raheem and the Koreans when he visits their store to replace the batteries for his portable radio. The sequence where the husband loses his temper and swears "mother-f&%k you", to which Raheem responds warmly is omitted.
    • Connections
      Edited into Film Title Poem (2016)
    • Soundtracks
      Fight the Power
      Music and Lyrics by Chuck D (as Carlton Ridenhour), Hank Shocklee, Eric Sadler,
      and Keith Shocklee
      Performed by Public Enemy
      Def American Songs, Inc. (BMI)
      Courtesy of DefJam/CBS Records

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    FAQ3

    • Is this movie based on a book?
    • What is the connection between Radio Raheem and Michael Stewart?
    • What is the meaning of the ending in "Do the Right Thing"?

    Details

    • Release date
      • July 21, 1989 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Italian
      • Spanish
      • Korean
    • Also known as
      • Haz lo correcto
    • Filming locations
      • Stuyvesant Street, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA(the block)
    • Production company
      • 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    • Budget
      • $6,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $27,545,445
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $3,563,535
      • Jul 2, 1989
    • Gross worldwide
      • $37,295,445
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    • Runtime
      • 2h(120 min)
    • Color
      • Color

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