Do the Right Thing

If you want a drama that takes its characters as seriously as its plot, Do the Right Thing is available in the US on YouTube TV and ALLBLK Apple TV channel, and in the UK on MUBI right now. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. 2,013 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Danny Aiello's performance alone is worth the time investment. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on YouTube TV.

There is a reason Do the Right Thing keeps coming up in conversation. The writing in Do the Right Thing treats its characters as people first, plot devices second. Sal is the Italian owner of a pizzeria in Brooklyn. A neighborhood local, Buggin' Out, 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. Danny Aiello and Ossie Davis lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1989. What elevates Do the Right Thing is a refusal to let any character off the hook too easily. The consistency throughout is what elevates it — not every moment is the best, but none of them are a reason to stop watching.

Do the Right Thing is what you recommend to people who say they do not really watch much. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Danny Aiello's work here is the kind that gets referenced in career retrospectives. It makes everything else feel thin by comparison.