Sing Sing Movie Review (2023)
An emotionally evocative film about a wrongfully convicted man who is part of a theatre troupe in prison, Sing Sing will blow you away with its heart and humanity.
Two of my very favorite films take place in a prison – The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. Two very different movies whose stories both happen to be written by Stephen King, they share a somberness as well as a deep-rooted tenderness. To me, they are each stunning – and I didn’t expect to add another film involving prison to my personal “best of” list, but it has definitely just happened.
Sing Sing is about Divine G, a man incarcerated at Sing Sing prison for a crime he did not commit. Heavily involved in a theatre group there, the men have just finished one production and are about to begin working on another. As one of the leaders of the group, Divine G is open to recruiting for the play, and suggests fellow inmate Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin, who others are concerned about. The guarded Divine Eye joins, and the men go on to auditions and then rehearsals.
This is an incredibly beautiful movie. It had me right from the beginning, with the incredible score and the incomparable performance by Colman Domingo. I’m not even sure why I was as immediately engaged as I was, but it was an emotional connection, not a logical one.
There is a Shakespearean essence to this story, as well as palpable feelings of foreboding and potential. It is in the cracks, in the pauses, in the facial features of the actors, and particularly in Mr. Domingo and Divine Eye actor Clarence Maclin (yes, that is the same name as the character).
It struck me that people in prison cannot let their guards down, and you have a very similar experience here. I had a constant simmering of emotion, but felt I had to fiercely protect the vulnerability welling up inside me. I had a sense of impending doom, and I was sure that if I had let go, I would have been emotionally crushed, which is a huge hat’s off to the film.
While Sing Sing is a gorgeous film to watch, it is the depth of its characters, the performances, and the realization that it is a mix of fiction and reality that bring it home for you. The vast majority of the primary actors in this film were incarcerated and actually participated in the Rehabilitation Through The Arts program at Sing Sing. The character of Divine Eye is loosely based on the real Clarence Maclin, and, along with three or four men who were not previously incarcerated (including Mr. Domingo), you have a stunning cast that blurs the lines beautifully.
When you watch Sing Sing, make sure to stay for the credits. Home-movie footage from previous productions and cast introductions highlight just how special this film is. And if you couldn’t fully appreciate it before that, you will in those moments.
Runtime: 106 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: R
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes, absolutely
Did I Cry? No, but I was heavily emotional the entire time
My Rating: 5/5 Stars
Available: Free on Max and Hulu, to rent on Prime Video, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
