‘Sing Sing’ Review: Colman Domingo Will Take Your Breath Away in Soul-Searching Prison Drama | SXSW 2024
It’s one thing for the audience to root for the characters to obtain what they want, but it’s another matter entirely when all we want is to make sure the characters are going to be okay. Rarely do we get films that take this much time and empathy with its storytelling, where the goal is less about plot and more about being present with the people, so we get a chance to see them and love them for who they are.
Writer/director Greg Kwedar accomplishes this with Sing Sing, a film that beautifully paints a portrait of hope in the face of great hardships and despair. Inspired by John H. Richardson’s Esquire article “The Sing Sing Follies,” the film opens on Colman Domingo’s Divine G, as he takes command of the stage and effortlessly recites Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” It’s so clear – he’s really good. But soon after he takes his bow, we see him and his fellow performers slowly return to their cells, as we come to learn that these men are all incarcerated at the Sing Sing correctional facility.
Every six months, the RTA Rehabilitation Through the Arts program decides together on their next play. Working with the troupe director Brent (a beautifully sensitive performance by Paul Raci), Divine G dedicates much of his time and effort on writing the play itself, as well as looking for new members to possibly join their cast. But once he recruits Divine Eye (Clarence Maclin), the sturdy refuge he has carefully built for himself begins to quake. For one, Divine Eye is trouble – he’s the drug dealer in the prison, and he’s certainly not afraid of confrontations. Secondly, moments into being welcomed into the troupe, he disrupts the “norm” of the program by suggesting they do a comedy play for once, something that Divine G is not the most experienced in.
It’s the beginning of a shaky dynamic that never once veers into melodramatic territory, as Kwedar always prioritizes seeing the people for who they are. The relationships unfold organically in a manner that never feels staged and directed, almost as if we are watching a documentary. This approach does wonders for the film, as it slowly becomes clear- that the RTA is in fact a real program, and many of the “characters” we’ve been watching are either currently incarcerated members or members who have been released.
As much as we can appreciate and revel in the joy of discovering a story together with talented friends, the film reminds us that there is supposed to be an end goal for each person. Though Divine G has developed a well-respected reputation around the facility, he is still building up all the materials necessary for his clemency hearing. After all, aren’t we supposed to give people a way to restart their lives? Isn’t that what the system is supposed to do?
Domingo carries the emotional weight of this journey on his shoulders, all while needing to maintain the image of the perfect mentor for the theater program. With his early years in the circus, it’s no wonder why Domingo oozes such open charisma and likability in every frame, as we see this man empower those around him without ever asking for anything in return. We can only hope that he sees freedom, just for a chance to start anew. His chemistry with Maclin and Raci produces some of the best moments in any indie drama you’ll find this year. From the hilarious to the downright heartbreaking, Domingo’s performance will take your breath away.
It’s remarkable to see the film be just as patient and empathetic as its lead. Oftentimes, the film’s power comes from its quiet moments, as characters are given the space to be vulnerable and honest towards one another. They’re encouraged to close their eyes and think of a place or a person they care about, and they openly share their inner struggles but also their dreams. It brings to mind the same therapeutic methods that the great Mister Rogers would use on his program. Here is where I must praise Patrick Scola’s cinematography and Bryce Dessner’s score – there is no desire to be fancy or showy. Scola prefers the camera as a way to bring the audience physically closer to the person, keeping them front and center. Where some composers can go wrong by having their music be too extravagant, Dessner leans into something more meditative. Both sight and sound are in service of helping us understand the human beings we’re looking at better. Even if one could argue that the film can get a little too precious at times, or perhaps has one too many endings, the amount of care simply cannot be ignored.
By being present with the characters and intimately sharing the same space as they do, Kwedar (and the real RTA program) could not be more clear on their message: Art can allow any person, no matter their background, a chance to reflect, to heal, and to move onward. As the cast ensemble puts it, art saves lives, or as Maclin puts it, it helps you learn to love yourself. But it can also change how we see people, how we see things in this noisy, heavy climate. Honest, passionate art can always shift our ways of thinking for the better.
Not only is Sing Sing one of the most soul-searching films in recent years, it is perhaps the most honest depiction of art as an expression of hope and inner strength. That Kwedar and his family of storytellers pulled it off so quietly and sensitively is an undeniable achievement in itself.
Grade: A
This review is from the 2024 SXSW Film Festival. A24 will release Sing Sing in theaters this summer.
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