'Sing Sing' A Review

Sing Sing is a drama based on the real life Rehabilitation Through The Arts program at the titular prison. Divine G(Coleman Domingo) and the group are looking for new members, they approach Divine Eye(as himself) to be a part of it and he joins the group as they begin to put together their next production.

Domingo gives an emotional and theatrical performance, able to play with the theme of theater, with moments of capital P performance balanced with some straight up realism. But he is, at times, tonally differentiated from most of the cast. As one of the few professional actors in the cast and as the lead, there are some moments, if not discordant, at least odd where you can tell he is an actor and the other inmates are not. Divine Eye is the real surprise, the groundedness and truth he's able to bring, the subtlety and transformation and exuberance is really wonderful. Perhaps more so than Domingo simply because he is less studied in what he's doing. The rest of the supporting cast are all great and their rough realism, mostly all playing versions of themselves, create an evocative if occasionally stilted reality.

Filmed mostly on location, visually the film is immersive and the various theatrical productions and costumes and sets serve to further the theme juxtaposing the bleakness of prison life with the potential of art. If there is a flaw its that the movie doesn't necessarily trust us to get what its doing, there are times when it is too direct with how it wants us to feel instead of trusting the actors and us the audience to get it. Even so its an effecting piece of cinema.

Inspiring, with a unique and talented cast, a small film with something to say.

Currently in theaters, coming soon to VOD.

See It.