Interesting tidbit... this is the first movie from the 1980's that I've watched on the list so far. There are others on the list, but it's the first one I've watched so far.
I actually really liked this movie. It takes place during one ubber-hot-summer day in Brooklyn. And it follows Mookie, a pizza delivery guy and all the characters along the street and those at Sal's pizza place. One of the best things about this was all the character names: Da Mayor, Mother Sister, Buggin Out, Mookie, Radio Raheem, Pino, Coconut Sid, Sweet Dick Willie, Smiley, Mister Senor Love Daddy.
And the other notable thing about it, is it has a ton of black actors in it (and a couple noteworthy non-black actors): Martin Lawrence, Samuel L. Jackson, Spike Lee, Bill Nunn (the cop in "Sister Act"), John Turturro (the Sector 7 Special Agent in "Transformers" and a bunch of Adam Sandler movies, like "Mr. Deeds"). It just seemed like every new character that was introduced was an actor I recognized.
Anyways, the movie has a ton of swearing, specifically using the f-word about once every two minutes. And it's about racism and violence, specifically one big violent mob at the movie's climax.
But, I like that the movie showcased one day of this neighborhood. And it really showed how violence was not a way to fight racism. So, I did like it, and I would recommend it in certain contexts. But it's not exactly a family- or kid-friendly movie.
At the very end of the movie, two great quotes, one from Martin Luther King, Jr., and one from Malcom X that finish out the film. They are:
"Violence as a way of achieving racial justice is both impractical and immoral. It is impractical because it is a descending spiral ending in destruction for all. The old law of an eye for an eye leaves everybody blind. It is immoral brecause it seeks to humiliate the opponent rather than win his understanding; it seeks to annihilate rather than to convert. Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than love. It destroys communinities and makes brotherhood impossible. It leaves society in monologue rather than dialogue. Violence ends by defeating itself. It creates bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyers." -Martin Luther King, Jr.
I think there are plenty of good people in America, but there are also plenty of bad people in America and the bad ones are the ones who seem to have all the power and be in these positions to block things that you and I need. Because this is the situation, you and I have to preserve the right to do what is necessary to bring an end to that situation, and it doesn't mean that I advocate violoence, but at the same time I am not against using violence in self-defense. I don't even call it violence when it's self defense, I call it intelligence." - Malcom X
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