Did Mookie Do the Right Thing? Part 2 *SPOILER ALERT*

There is controversial subject matter in Do the Right Thing and this is where the spoiler alert goes into effect. I usually don't mention things which spoil the plot of a film, but in this case it's done in the name of science. Well, maybe realistically philosophy, sociology and film studies, but here it goes...

The event which I am referring to is the infamous garbage can scene in which Mookie, played by Spike Lee, takes a garbage can and throws it into the window of a pizzeria. Added note, Mookie works for the pizzeria and spends the entire movie looking forward to receiving his pay as the pizza delivery man.

So, to get back to the main question: does Mookie do the right thing?

On one hand, Mookie's display of vandalism is justified due to the treatment of the predominately black and Puerto Rican people living in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, by the owners of the pizzeria. On the other hand, Mookie breaks the law by vandalising private property, which ultimately leads to a riot and this is where I stall on the question.

Spike Lee himself has given us a bit of insight into the meaning of the garbage can incident. He claims that the answer is ambiguous. It was placed in for the audience to simply ask ourselves whether or not Mookie did the right thing and just like in the ending of The Thing, where Child's excuse of where he was is both suspicious and incomplete, this too is added to keep the audience questioning Mookie's motives.

I give Do the Right Thing a 10/10 with honors! A new feature that will be added to films which make my top 5 list of my favorite films of all time.

So again, please watch this movie, it is up on Netflix for streaming.