Vinny keeps cheating on her, and Dionna is frustrated at the communication barrier that stands between them. The couple tries to pretend that everything is going fine. They go to clubs together, do drugs together and have sex every now and then. But they're only going through the motions - neither of them enjoys a minute of it. People disconnect from each other, they isolate themselves, they become frustrated because of their fear.
Tension grows, people get angry and they let themselves do ugly things.
Almost all of the characters are sad and pathetic on the inside, and we are forced to identify with the sickening fear and anger that is growing inside them. That might be an indication of Spike Lee's talent for writing and directing, but it also gives the movie less value as entertainment. Neither movie is meant to be fun to watch, but both are good at giving the viewer a vivid feel for what it might have been like to be a part of these two miserable times in American history. Most of the film is centered around either Vinny or Dionna, the Italian-American neighborhood, an alternative rocker named Ritchie, or the murderous Berkowitz himself. There are only a few things that take our minds away from the aggravating lives of the film's characters - the Yankees' bid for the world championship and Spike Lee's few cameo appearances as a news reporter.