Do the Right Thing

Play trailer

Do the Right Thing

R

1989

2h 0m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

150 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Salvatore "Sal" Fragione (Danny Aiello) is the Italian owner of a pizzeria in Brooklyn. A neighborhood local, Buggin' Out (Giancarlo Esposito), becomes upset when he sees that the pizzeria's Wall of Fame exhibits only Italian actors. Buggin' Out believes a pizzeria in a black neighborhood should showcase black actors, but Sal disagrees. The wall becomes a symbol of racism and hate to Buggin' Out and to other people in the neighborhood, and tensions rise.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Smart, vibrant, and urgent without being didactic, Do the Right Thing is one of Spike Lee's most fully realized efforts -- and one of the most important films of the 1980s.

Read Critics Reviews

Eleanor Ringel Cater

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

03/21/2025

Spike, baby, you're beautiful when you're angry.

Go to Full Review

Alexander Walker

London Evening Standard

03/21/2025

[Do the Right Thing] uses its abundant energy simply to knock down bridges that have been built and raise the wall of the ghetto mentality a row or two higher.

Go to Full Review

Derek Malcolm

Guardian

03/21/2025

...Do the Right Thing is a welcome return to Spike Lee's best form after the disappointment of School Daze...

Go to Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Feb 22

4/4

An out-and-out masterpiece, Spike Lee's best movie also remains the most penetrating film ever made about race relations in these United States.

Go to Full Review

Peter Keough

Boston Phoenix

04/01/2025

In Do the Right Thing Lee has progressed beyond tour de force and experiment; he’s succeeded in wedding subject and form in an aesthetic whole.

Go to Full Review

Stephen Hunter

Baltimore Sun

03/21/2025

3.5/4

..."Do the Right Thing" is like a prism: You beam your own hot glare of racial animosity onto it, and it refracts it into a rainbow spray of understanding. It tells you why you hate, which may be the way to stop hating.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

anthony j

Feb 27

so good. still relevant as ever.

See more

Ketemama B.

@Ketemama Jun 12

Brilliant, a true slice of life in Brooklyn NY.

See more

Christopher M

@RT27122576 Jun 7

I really enjoyed this movie. The complex characters, a message that's still relevant today, great cinematography, and the way the message so perfectly conveyed in the end; all make for an amazing experience.

See more

Blake- N

@PBSAniDom Apr 25

Do the Right Thing stands as one of the defining films of the 1980s and a true classic in American cinema. Spike Lee delivers an outstanding vision both behind and in front of the camera, capturing the energy, tension, and complexity of a single Brooklyn neighborhood on a scorching summer day. The film’s strength lies in its rich ensemble cast, vibrant style, and the way it explores community dynamics with honesty and intensity. Every character feels real, and every interaction adds weight to the larger picture being painted. It’s bold, stylish, and unforgettable, with a direction that keeps you fully engaged from start to finish. Even decades later, it remains powerful, relevant, and widely discussed for good reason. A landmark achievement in filmmaking and storytelling. An absolute 10/10 classic.

See more

rex W

@RT11010153 Mar 21

This didn't do it for me then or now. The negative stereotypes are alarming. No one in the entire community seemed to work except Spike Lee's character, who was always late. I think this film gets more praise than it deserves because, surprisingly, it shows great sympathy for the white characters' points of view.

See more

Jack F

@MovieFan111 Jan 27

I'm not a Spike Lee fan, and I haven't seen many of his movies, but I think this is a really good one by him. It's really vibrant and unique style wise.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Spike Lee

Director

Danny Aiello

Sal

Ossie Davis

Da Mayor

Ruby Dee

Mother Sister

Richard Edson

Vito

Giancarlo Esposito

Buggin Out

Do the Right Thing: Official Clip - Da Mayor & Mother Sister

1:38

Do the Right Thing: Official Clip - Fight the Power

3:00

Do the Right Thing: Official Clip - Your Jordans Are F***ed Up!

2:23

Do the Right Thing: Official Clip - No Nasty

3:17

Do the Right Thing: Official Clip - Destroying Sal's

2:59

Do the Right Thing: Official Clip - 20 "D" Batteries

1:15

Do the Right Thing: Official Clip - LOVE and HATE

1:51

Do the Right Thing: Official Clip - Racist Stereotypes

3:04

Do the Right Thing: Official Clip - Boycott Sal's!

3:00

Do the Right Thing: Official Clip - Today's Forecast

1:24

View more videos

Jungle Fever

81%

67%

Jungle Fever

Watchlist

Mo' Better Blues

71%

75%

Mo' Better Blues

Watchlist

Summer of Sam

50%

60%

Summer of Sam

Watchlist

Girl 6

39%

36%

Girl 6

Watchlist

Drop Squad

17%

44%

Drop Squad

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Do the Right Thing: Do The Right Thing's Best Scenes

8:44

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Salvatore "Sal" Fragione (Danny Aiello) is the Italian owner of a pizzeria in Brooklyn. A neighborhood local, Buggin' Out (Giancarlo Esposito), becomes upset when he sees that the pizzeria's Wall of Fame exhibits only Italian actors. Buggin' Out believes a pizzeria in a black neighborhood should showcase black actors, but Sal disagrees. The wall becomes a symbol of racism and hate to Buggin' Out and to other people in the neighborhood, and tensions rise.

Director: Spike Lee
Producer: Spike Lee
Screenwriter: Spike Lee
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 30, 1989, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Jun 28, 2019
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 30, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $26.0M
Runtime: 2h 0m
Sound Mix: Surround
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)