Scarlet Masque Theatre Journal New Beginnings and Fond Farewells Vol. 1 | Page 84

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insightful deliberation we may not wrap our heads around everything Lee says and wants us to
take away from watching it. This essay touches on few points; there is so much more to
consider.
When too much attention is given to reviews like those of Corliss, Klein, and Kunen,
however—when it remains the standard to accept your gut-reactions as the final word
regarding every controversial film that is made—that is where the situation becomes
problematic. It is where Spike Lee runs into trouble in his public life, where he must constantly
reexamine his interpretations of scenes and the things people say. And it is certainly where we
can find trouble if we fail to examine our own behaviors in response to a film like ​ Do the Right
Thing ​ . Ebert in his critique calls for empathy for “both sides.” This essay sought to do the same.
Not to demonize film critics, but to encourage them to think more ​ critically ​ about the films they
review. Treating films, situations, and people with more thoughtfulness and empathy—that
seems to be the best option when figuring out what might be the right thing.