Sing Sing is a touching film and an honorable tribute to the RTA and the Sing Sing Correctional Facility. It speaks to the power of art to change people, which our society needs now more than ever. 

Sing Sing is one of the most praised films from the 2023 Toronto Film Festival. It was released originally in July of 2024 and then expanded in August, although it seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. Luckily for all those who missed the release last summer, A24 has re-released the film in 500 theaters (and also in prisons nationwide). After hearing so much buzz about the movie, I can finally join the Sing Sing praise train. It is a lovely picture directed by Greg Kwedar and written by Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Clarence Maclin, and John “Divine G” Whitfield. 

The story follows Divine G (Colman Domingo), an inmate and an active member of Rehabilitation Through the Arts or the RTA program. He was incarcerated for a crime he didn’t commit, so this program is near and dear to his heart. At the beginning of the film Divine G and the rest of the decision-makers of the RTA are looking into accepting new members into their group. One of the members who applied to the group is Divine Eye (Clarence Maclin) who is a bit of a troublemaker in the prison. Despite Divine G being the driving force for Divine Eye to be accepted into the group, they butt heads. The group originally decided to do an original play by Divine G, but Divine Eye pushes back, insisting they perform a comedy instead since their lives are already so tragic. As they are preparing their play, Divine G is also preparing his appeal to hopefully get released on parole. 

Colman Domingo’s brilliant performance is the centerpiece of the film. He is the only professional actor playing a prisoner and all the rest are playing themselves. This works out perfectly because his veteran actor status mirrors his character’s maturity and knowledge base in the film. There’s one scene in particular in front of the appeal board where Domingo’s face drops subtly, in the most heartbreaking way. While he began the film as the rock of the RTA, from this point on he begins to spiral, and it’s tough to watch our strongest character falter in such a way. He was well deserving of the Oscar nomination he received last week. 

Domingo’s constant scene partner was Clarence Maclin as Divine Eye. They have these beautiful and insightful conversations regarding many aspects of prison, such as their perception by others and how prison has affected their psyches. He is Divine G’s foil, constantly bumping heads in and outside the RTA. Their arcs in the film are inversely related. Maclin’s background as an ex-con provides relatability and honesty to his character. Although his gorgeous performance was just shy of a supporting actor nomination, he is a co-writer on the film, so he is still an Oscar nominee, which is exciting! While he was able to bring his real-life experience to this role, I want nothing more for him to play other characters as well and not become pigeonholed into this sort of role. I hope this will be a springboard for a whole career in the industry. 

Although Domingo and Maclin stand out the most considering they are the biggest characters in the film, the supporting cast is fabulous as well, with nearly everyone playing versions of themselves since they went through the RTA program in real life. Sean “Dino” Johnson has one specific scene in the film that struck a chord in my heart. The other actors include David Giraudy, Patrick Griffin, Mosi Eagle, James Williams, Dario Peña, Miguel Valentin, Jon-Adrian Velazquez, Pedro Cotto, Camillo Lovacco, and Cornell Alston. The real Divine G also makes a cameo in the film. Paul Raci portrays Brent Buell, RTA’s leader who visits the prison and directs the plays. Finally, Sean San Jose portrays “Mike Mike,” Divine G’s best friend and cell neighbor who plays a crucial role in his arc in Sing Sing. It was a brilliant decision to have the actors portray themselves. It’s awesome to see these men be able to control their own story, especially since there is a true lack of empathy and false narratives about incarcerated people always circulating. They also give great performances, putting the skills they learned in the RTA program to work. 

One of the best things about the film is the score by Bryce Dessner. So much of the film is a soft, orchestral score. It is unbelievably gorgeous and is in direct opposition to the oppressive blandness of the prison. Kwedar knew exactly when to employ the score and when to let us sit in the powerful silence. These were often the conversations between Domingo and Maclin which allowed the audience to be fully invested in their story. Staying in the realm of music, the end credits song “Like a Bird” by Adrian Quesada and Abraham Alexander is beautiful and raw. The lyrics are so perfectly in line with the themes of the film. Its soulful sound had me leaving the theater on a high.

Kwedar directing a film of this quality in less than a month is an insane task, but he was beyond successful. Sing Sing is a touching film and an honorable tribute to the RTA and the Sing Sing Correctional Facility. It speaks to the power of art to change people, which our society needs now more than ever. Sing Sing received three Oscar nominations this past week for Adapted Screenplay, Lead Actor, and Original Song. They were all highly deserved nominations. In fact, in a just world, it would’ve received a few more including one for Best Picture. Sing Sing will hopefully be able to reach more people in the future through the assistance of award recognition. Most importantly, I hope the movie affects the inmates across the country who watched it, that they see themselves reflected in the characters onscreen and are inspired by the RTA program. 

Grade: A

Oscars Prospects:
Nominated: Best Lead Actor (Colman Domingo), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Song
Should Have Been Considered: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Clarence Maclin)

Where to Watch: In Select Theaters + On Demand