Sing Sing

Caught this film last night at a blind preview at our local theater complex. Probably wouldn't have opted to see it if I'd have known what it was but I'm grateful I did. Moving, honest portrayals by some of the participants in the program it depicts (particularly Clarence Maclin and Sean Johnson) and the work of Colman Domingo are it's strengths. The cinematography and direction add to the sincerity of the performances by not overwhelming them and taking an approach that feels like the viewer is witnessing the conversations and events instead of consuming them. Thought provoking. Understated. Sincere. Not flawless but really well done.

Today's movie was "Sing Sing" (2024), a prison-rehabilitation drama co-written and directed by Greg Kwedar, and based on a 2005 "Esquire" article, "The Sing Sing Follies," by John H. Richardson. It's showing in theaters.

My 7 of 10 review is at:

It's a prison-rehabilitation drama set in the 2010s in the Sing Sing Correctional Facility north of New York City. It builds a story on the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program that engages prisoners in a drama program in which they put on two plays per year. John Divine G Whitfield (Colman Domingo), one of the program's founders, has been in prison for about 15 years for a murder he denies committing while he was a drug dealer. The director of the Sing Sing program is Brent Buell (Paul Raci). We meet a variety of prisoners, especially Clarence Divine Eye Maclin (Himself), who is very hard-edged at the movie's beginning.

"Sing Sing" follows the development of the first comedy produced by the Sing Sing program, which involves time travel. We see conflicts, tragedy, and disappointments when hearings don't go as planned or an inmate dies suddenly.

The movie's "hook" is that most of the actors, former inmates engaged in the RTA program, play earlier versions of themselves in the film. This particularly includes Divine Eye Maclin. The real Divine G Whitfield, as does the real Brent Buell, has a small role.

"Sing Sing" is heartwarming and demonstrates that people can change. However, it also drags at times and has limited action. Clarence Maclin is amazing, and Colman Domingo does a fine job. Of the prisoners, I especially liked Sean Dino Johnson. Some obvious questions are not addressed, like how women show up in the final productions when none rehearse or are characters in the film.

7 of 10.

Rating: 8.7 Overall, a powerful movie that shows how inmates are still humans despite their mistakes as the movie uses alumni from Sing Sing's RTA program to deliver this strong message on redemption, all lead by a great performance from Colman Domingo.

Very Good Direction (The direction on a macroscale is very good as they really set the scene and the weight the setting has on the characters, especially how they are secluded from the free world; the direction on a microscale is great as you see all the performances elevated in the interpersonal scenes since this is where you see the trauma these characters are facing as they fight for their humanity; the storytelling is good as he lets the actors play and be storytellers (using their personal experiences to shape their characters); he builds tension very well as the whole movie is about building an emotional connection with these characters, and you are invested in what happens with their fight for their freedom), Very Good Acting (Great from Colman Domingo (A real commanding performance as he is the leader of the cast and brings out the best in everyone, showing a wide range of emotions to show how the characters are still human beings despite their mistakes), Good from the rest of the cast (The entire cast gives very grounded, multidimensional performances as they use their personal experiences in Sing Sing and RTA to create their characters and convey their messages/struggles)), Very Good Story (The concept is very unique as it is a semi-autobiographical take on finding a safe place in a traumatic environment, and the movie shows how the characters continue to fight for their freedom and humanity; the plot structure is laid out very well; flow between sequences is good; character writing is great as you care for these characters and their struggle, and by the end, you root for them to grow and earn their freedom), Very Good Screenplay (The dialogue is good for the most part (even though it is a bit overt at times) and emulates how people in a maximum security penitentiary would talk, and the dialogue is filled with a lot of emotion at times that invokes feelings out of the audience; the humor is used well to help lighten the mood and show multiple dimensions of the characters; the symbolism is heavily prevalent as the movie is a huge metaphor about finding humanity in a place that tries to take it from you, and it deals a lot with how humans may be flawed people, but there is still good in those who try to redeem themselves for the better; the foreshadowing is decently prevalent), Good Score (Helps with establishing the mood), Good to Very Good Cinematography (Filled with a lot of beautiful shots and shows the large distance between the penitentiary and the free world), Good Editing (Used well in the context of the movie), , , Very Good Production Design (They send a strong message by filming the movie at Sing Sing (and this most likely helps the cast as they convey the trauma they felt from being there)), Pacing is the right pace, Climax is very emotional as it is a key point in many of the characters' lives as they fight for their freedom as well as their peace, Tone is very emotional as the semi-biographical feel paints this drama as very grounded (but still has other flavors to holistically portray the characters), It is very powerful that they had the cast filled with alumni from the program as it made the performances feel very realistic; saw the US premiere at SXSW.

Best movie I have seen in some time. Cast was extraordinary. Colman Domingo is incredible. The filmography is very unique and really sets the tone. The plot was well crafted and paced. I was very moved by this movie. Definitely worth watching on the big screen. Movie is based on a true story about the theater program Reformed Through Art at Sing Sing. Many characters are played by former members of the program. The emotional range of the characters in this movie is extremely compelling. I was moved to tears several times throughout this movie. This movie is touching and heartwarming-it explores hope and grief and redemption. Just profoundly lovely.

This movie had me crying, smiling, laughing, and feeling really good. I feel like this is a film for humanity. People are just people at the end of the day. I love the hope that this movie had me feeling. I'm not sure that I'd have picked this one to see in theaters, but was just aghast at how beautiful the film is. I know nothing of awards and when those decisions are made. I'd be absolutely shocked if this film does not the board. The characters come off as genuine and are utterly love able. I was very surprised to learn more about the cast at the end of the film and it had me crying all the more. Happy tears. I enjoyed that the characters were raw in their performances and I just cannot say it enough. This movie is big and feels so important. Hope feels nice.