Do the Right Thing - Jen

I think that Spike Lee's character, Mookie, was the most interesting. He was sort of a mystery, because all throughout the film he's basically portrayed as a nice, regular guy. He has some prejudices, clearly, but he wasn't wholly judgmental of people from a different race: for instance, he got along fine with Pino's brother, Vito, and even seemed to rub along carefully with Sal. And while his distaste for Pino is beyond clear, it seems to stem more from how Pino treat those around him (even his own brother) than from a racial problem. This isn't to say that Mookie had no racial prejudices, as the scene where he and a variety of other characters spew racial insults demonstrate that he was somewhat racist, but overall Mookie did a good job of playing an "everyman" character.

So what blew me away was the end. As soon as he grabbed that trashcan, I knew trouble was coming, but it was still a shock when he instigated that riot. Of course he was frustrated, but rationally speaking, it wasn't Sal's fault that his friend got killed. I guess when you're feeling that trapped, you don't really consider your options.

But the next morning, he and Sal kind of work things out. It was sort of sweet. I mean, if I was Sal, no way would I have paid Mookie. But he did...he even gave him some extra money, money that Mookie tried to refuse. It was an odd way to end the film, but very thought-provoking as well. Did the riot lead to a better understanding between the men? Or just a sort of resignation?

Overall, the film passes judgment on all of the characters...but the film also promotes understanding of them. Mookie is no exception. I feel that Mookie was meant to be a generally likable character, but by no means a perfect one.