--- title: "Do the Right Thing: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/do-the-right-thing/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/do-the-right-thing" critics_score: 91 critics_reviews: 10 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Do the Right Thing (1989): what the critics said Critics' score 91 from 10 reviews: 10 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews are strongly positive, with praise clustering around Spike Lee’s direction, the ensemble and the vivid sense of life on a Brooklyn block. Critics repeatedly single out the saturated colour, Ernest Dickerson’s cinematography and the hip-hop and jazz soundtrack, finding that the film’s style gives its racial tensions force without sacrificing humour or individual character. Across both contemporary reviews and later reassessments, its attention to racism, representation and neighbourhood life is seen as pointed and lasting. The differences concern Lee’s treatment of violence rather than his filmmaking skill, and the broadly favourable consensus allows for some disagreement. Vulture admires the film’s humanity and detail but finds its messages about violence confused and its desire to satisfy everyone a weakness. The Hollywood Reporter anticipates accusations that the film advocates violence, while praising Lee’s courage; other reviews value the unresolved moral questions and the way sympathies pull in several directions. ## Little White Lies — Kambole Campbell Rating 5/5/5. 30 July 2019. The critic calls it Spike Lee’s magnum opus and praises its enduring relevance to issues like gentrification, police brutality and representation. They highlight the vibrant, alive neighborhood collage created by the scattershot storytelling and strong craft elements including camerawork and score. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/do-the-right-thing-1989) ## Radio Times — John Ferguson Rating 5/5. This is described as Spike Lee’s most assured film, a fierce racial drama whose power has not diminished. The critic praises the exemplary ensemble cast, Ernest Dickerson’s bright vibrant cinematography, the superb hip-hop and jazz soundtrack, and the result as an exhilarating, passionate modern-day classic. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-drqmby/do-the-right-thing/) ## Time Out — Helen O’Hara Rating 5/5. 30 July 2019. The review hails the film as an uncompromising classic that remains timely in its portrayal of racial tension and injustice. It singles out the director’s keen eye for place, character and style, along with the indelible super-saturated colors and oddball ensemble in the Brooklyn neighborhood. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/do-the-right-thing-30th-anniversary) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 2 August 2019. The critic hails the film as a timeless masterwork whose depiction of racial tensions on a sweltering Brooklyn day remains powerfully relevant. They single out the central argument over representation on Sal’s pizzeria wall as Lee’s masterstroke and a prescient culture-war moment. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/aug/02/do-the-right-thing-review-spike-lee) ## The New York Times — Vincent Canby Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 30 June 1989. Vincent Canby lauds the film as a terrific movie showcasing Spike Lee's abundant talent, noting its buoyant, fresh, and moving cinematic wizardry despite the shattering ending. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1989/06/30/movies/review-film-spike-lee-tackles-racism-in-do-the-right-thing.html) ## Empire — Lloyd Bradley Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The critic praises Spike Lee's growth as a filmmaker in subtly building tension and pulling sympathies in multiple directions toward an honest conclusion about racism. They single out the film's acute observation that distils humour from accuracy rather than caricature. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/right-thing-review/) ## Los Angeles Times — Sheila Benson Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 30 June 1989. Sheila Benson highlights Spike Lee's phenomenal leap as a filmmaker, commending the film's humorous yet cathartic exploration of racism and its complex human characters. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-06-30-ca-2945-story.html) ## Variety — Variety Staff Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 22 May 1989. The critic praises Spike Lee's combination of a forceful statement on race relations with solid entertainment values, highlighting the ensemble cast and the insightful handling of the violent climax. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1989/film/reviews/do-the-right-thing-review-1200428009/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Robert Osborne 23 May 1989. Festival review. The review notes that the film will spark both positive reactions for its entertainment and spirited filmmaking and slams over whether it advocates violence. It praises Lee's audacity, courage, ideas, and strong ensemble cast while predicting strong business in big cities. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/do-right-thing-review-movie-1989-1220930/) ## Vulture 26 June 1989. The review calls the film immensely skillful, humane, and richly detailed but criticizes it for trying to satisfy everyone and for confusing, mixed messages about violence that could create an uproar. It highlights the explosion at the end as divisive and notes the film's genial yet tense build-up on a single Brooklyn block. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/movie-review-spike-lee-do-the-right-thing.html) ## Deadline — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 23 June 2020. The critic finds Spike Lee's 1989 film as urgent and relevant today as ever, with its portrayal of racial tensions and neighborhood life feeling timeless and organic. He singles out its direct confrontation of society's unfinished business and vibrant characters for praise while contrasting it favorably with more recent works. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2020/06/do-the-right-thing-holds-up-spike-lee-peter-sellers-mr-topaze-1202967321/) ## Paste — Jeffrey Bloomer Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 1 July 2009. The critic describes Spike Lee's film as a searing masterpiece that confronts racial tensions in a Brooklyn neighborhood on a hot summer day through a loose, playful narrative that builds to explosive violence. They single out the film's violent climax as one of the great finales in modern film for its indelible power, unresolved moral questions, and brilliant cinematography. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/spike-lee/do-the-right-thing-20th-anniversary-edition) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/do-the-right-thing.md