This video delves into an analysis of the film, Do the Right Thing, particularly focusing on the character Mookie and his reaction to Radio Raheem’s death by the hands of the police. 

This ensuing debate revolves around the interpretation of Mookie’s actions during this emotionally taxing moment in the movie. While some argue that Mookie’s intention was to divert the angry crowd’s attention away from Sal and his sons, the video features director Spike Lee’s clarification that Mookie’s primary motivation was to release his grief and anger over witnessing his friend’s murder. This revelation prompts a reevaluation of Mookie’s seemingly passive demeanor throughout the film, suggesting a profound buildup of inner anguish.

The film’s setting during a heatwave is a symbolic representation of simmering racial tensions in the neighborhood. The riot and the subsequent destruction of Sal’s pizzeria are construed as the culmination of this tension, intertwined with the motif of love and hate, as endorsed by Radio Raheem’s iconic speech. This video accentuates the ambiguity in the film’s resolution, drawing attention to quotes from Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X that present contrasting approaches to addressing injustice. The final image of two hands shaking is analyzed, revealing its dual nature: a semblance of reconciliation juxtaposed with a reminder of Radio Raheem’s love and hate story, indicating that despite moments of optimism, the underlying struggle and conflict persist. So, the question still stands—did Mookie do the right thing?