Film Analysis & Comparison - 'Clockers' (Directed by Spike Lee)

'Clockers' (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZXeB8-PHu4) is a film with a 2 hour and 9 minute running time, directed by the critically acclaimed director, Spike Lee (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spike_Lee).  The film mainly focuses on the racial stereotypes based around the distribution of drugs and the bonds shared between those who rely on the drug sales so as to maintain their way of life.
Spike lee is well known for his focus in the field of racial injustice, however in this film he introduces a sort of comforting aesthetic to the concept of distributing products such as cocaine or marijuana. The story follows a young black man named 'Strike', played by Mekhi Phifer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mekhi_Phifer), whose life revolves around the selling of drugs and the issues caused by following such a trade. Strike works under a local drug lord known by the name of Rodney Little, played Delroy Lindo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delroy_Lindo), this man serves as a sort of father figure for Strike and in turn introduces a sort of warm humanity into the cold, destructive world of the drug trade. The bond between these characters serves as a sort of medium for us as the viewers, so as to associate ourselves with the characters and in turn, begin to understand how they really feel about the current situation and way of life.
Strike's life however is put into an even deeper state of turmoil however once it is revealed that his brother is the prime suspect for a local murder, (as the film progresses the eye of the law gradually turns to Strike and begins to convey an instability in his character,) as the viewer(s) we have no actual idea or proof of who 'actually' committed the murder however we, much like the figures of the law featured in the film, begin to suspect that the main protagonist we have been following might just be the one who did it. This leaves us as the viewer(s) a little out of place, as though we can no longer anchor ourselves to any one character as we gradually come to learn that there is indeed two sides to every coin.

'Clockers' as a film does share a number of similarities with with one of Spike lee's other classics, 'Do the right thing', one mainly being the close bonds shared between 'brothers' who have to live in segregated, near confining neighbourhoods. At times it would seem that both films share the apparent lack of interest provided by the police, figures of the law who on occasion use their power to hurt or even kill those of colour should the be provided with the chance (legally), however 'Clockers' gradually begins to focus on a (white) homocide detective by the name of Rocco Klein, played by Harvey Kietel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Keitel), who introduces the idea that the injustice between races is a battle with no conceivable end, however the belief that you are fighting for something is still better then nothing (this is conveyed in one of the final scenes of the film, more specifically the final meeting of Rocco and Strike, ultimately showing the differences between their worlds and the struggles found in each).