Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsCannes Film FestivalStar WarsAsian Pacific American Heritage MonthSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Do the Right Thing

  • 1989
  • R
  • 2h
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
119K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,329
498
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 hate and bigotry smolders and builds until it explodes into violence.On the hottest day of the year on a street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, everyone's hate and bigotry smolders and builds until it explodes into violence.On the hottest day of the year on a street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, everyone's hate and bigotry smolders and builds until it explodes into violence.

  • Director
    • Spike Lee
  • Writer
    • Spike Lee
  • Stars
    • Danny Aiello
    • Ossie Davis
    • Ruby Dee
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.0/10
    119K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,329
    498
    • Director
      • Spike Lee
    • Writer
      • Spike Lee
    • Stars
      • Danny Aiello
      • Ossie Davis
      • Ruby Dee
    • 604User reviews
    • 113Critic 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!'

    Photos152

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 145
    View Poster

    Top cast49

    Edit
    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

    More like this

    Malcolm X
    7.7
    Malcolm X
    She's Gotta Have It
    6.8
    She's Gotta Have It
    Jungle Fever
    6.6
    Jungle Fever
    Mo' Better Blues
    6.7
    Mo' Better Blues
    Boyz n the Hood
    7.8
    Boyz n the Hood
    BlacKkKlansman
    7.5
    BlacKkKlansman
    Crooklyn
    7.0
    Crooklyn
    Friday
    7.2
    Friday
    Boogie Nights
    7.9
    Boogie Nights
    He Got Game
    6.9
    He Got Game
    Clockers
    6.9
    Clockers
    25th Hour
    7.6
    25th Hour

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      During the 1990 Oscar ceremony, while announcing the Best Picture nominees, 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 him on the 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

    User reviews604

    Featured review
    7/10

    Great film but the message is mixed

    As a non white or non black person my self I view this film from a different perspective as I can't relate to either community. I understand Lee's message and point in the film and even after 30 years after the release, it is more relevant than ever. But for the character of Sal, he is punished for standing his ground. Should he have racially abused black people based on their race, no. But should he have been given the blame for the death of a black man, no. If Raheem killed Sal, which is definitely what he was trying by strangling him, the black community in the film wouldn't have been guilty for his death and say he deserved it. All he did was brake his radio. Sal saying that he only puts Italian American people on his wall is completely justified as he comes from a Italian heritage. If a white man entered the restaurant of a black man and said put up pictures of white men that wouldn't be seen as right. And it applies for both races, just because he is a white man doesn't mean he should be punished. Mookie's decision to boycott the restaurant and allow for the rest to burn down Sal's restaurant has no justification. I didn't understand Lee's point, was he trying to make black people look worse of better? To me it only represented what Americans think of the black community.
    • ahk-37714
    • Apr 1, 2021
    • Permalink

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ22

    • How long is Do the Right Thing?Powered by Alexa
    • 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

    Edit
    • 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

    Edit
    • 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

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours
    • Color
      • Color

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Spike Lee, Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, John Turturro, Ruby Dee, Giancarlo Esposito, and Bill Nunn in Do the Right Thing (1989)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Do the Right Thing (1989) officially released in India in Hindi?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.