Writer/Director: Greg Kwedar
Starring: Colman Domingo and Clarence Maclin
‘A Powerful Prison Drama’
Wrongful incarceration impacts inmates in prison. America has built an image of a nation where prisoners facing conviction seldom achieve redemption. On a personal level, I find stories about wrongful conviction relatable. Several years ago, I formed friendships with a kid in school whose father was sent to prisons causing sorrow. At an early age, my friend faced outrage when his father was sent to prison for a crime he didn’t commit causing damage. He never quit questioning why his father imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit. Unable to watch a system that abused, he refused to stay silent when his dad was wrongfully accused. Like Divine G, he was committed towards fighting wrongful conviction causing prisoners to decline. To cope with his father’s sentence tearing his life apart, my friend turned to art. Theatre became an art allowing him to recover from unjust imprisonment of his father. Acting became a way for him to take his mind off his father being put behind bars in prisons that declined. Shining silver linings in darkness, acting ensured his happiness. It wasn’t long before I bonded with a friend questioning why his father was incarcerated. However, death brought our bond to a closure. News that his father had died in an accident left my friend horrified. Left devastated, my friend couldn’t accept the death of a father incarcerated for crimes he hadn’t committed. After his father died in imprisonment, our bond became distant. No longer the theatre geek I adore, he became a stranger I didn’t recognize anymore. Years later, prisons are a sad reminder of a friend that changed my life forever.
As someone treasuring a friend whose father faced frightening wrongful conviction, I admired “Sing Sing”. Released in 2023, Greg Kwedar’s Oscar-nominated movie captured wrongful conviction. Packed with breathtaking sets, engaging storytelling and strong acting, it’s a powerful prison drama. At the centre of it all is Colman Domingo, who portrays a prisoner facing sorrow. Although “Sing Sing” is powerful, it isn’t a flawless film. It suffers from uneven pacing. Nevertheless, it offered engaging entertainment for fans of prison dramas.
Set in the Sing Sing prison, “Sing Sing” follows an African-American facing wrongful conviction that’s frightening. Colman Domingo plays Divine G, an African-American man wrongfully accused of crimes he hasn’t committed causing tragedy. However, Divine G’s life changes when he discovers theatre. Divine G finds staging a play to be an effective way of dealing with prison life causing a price to pay. As odds are stacked against his favour, Divine G begins to wonder whether it’s possible to recover from a prison that causes disaster.
Greg Kwedar is a newcomer towards stories of wrongful conviction. Before he directed “Sing Sing”, Kwedar had never made a movie about prisons in his career before. It was the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture the barriers experienced by prisoners experiencing wrongful conviction but he succeeded. Evoking Spike Lee’s “Do the Ring Thing”, Kwedar successfully uses breaking the fourth wall shots to capture prisoners auditioning for a theatre play. For instance, the fourth wall breaks elevate the audition scene. During this unforgettable scene, Divine G and his inmates audition for a theatrical play. It brought back fond memories of my bond with a friend that loved performing dramatic plays. Breaking the fourth wall is a tricky technique. As Martin Scorsese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street” demonstrated, fourth wall shots enhance commemorated Wall Street biopics. Nevertheless, it works well in this film. Through stunning visuals, the filmmaker captures tensions that inmates which face wrongful conviction in prisons are commonly facing.
Another admirable aspect of “Sing Sing” that merits appreciation is the production design. Kwedar’s decisions to shoot the movie in real American prisons is risky but works tremendously. Inspired with Frank Darabont’s iconic film “The Shawshank Redemption”, Kwedar expertly uses settings of real-life prisons to capture inmates seeking redemption. For instance, prisons elevates the theatre performance scene. During this heartbreaking scene Divine G has a breakdown questioning whether theatre is worth pursuing. It reminded me of my friend losing interest in theatre when his father incarcerated for a crime he hadn’t committed died leaving him affected. Moreover, the musical score is magnificent. Bryce Dessner’s music elevates the movie. It gives the film a tense atmosphere capturing the heavy burden that prisoners bear. Through powerful production design, Kwedar captures lives of prisoners that face wrongful conviction causing a decline.
Storytelling is one of the reasons why “Sing Sing” is a prison drama which is compelling. The movie is beautifully written, and effectively uses dramatic monologues to capture the grim lives of prisoners reflecting on their past lives. Inspired by Frank Darabont’s “The Green Mile”, Kwedar successfully uses dramatic monologues capturing the tragic lives of prisoners facing wrongful conviction which is hostile. For instance, dramatic monologues elevate the group therapy scene. During this unforgettable scene, Divine G and his fellow inmates share their personal stories about joyous lives they once lived before prison sentences. It reminded me of my friend that recounted stories of how his life was joyous before his father was incarcerated. Dramatic monologues are complex techniques. As Tom Hooper’s “Les Miserables” claimed, dramatic monologues elevate Broadway adaptations. That being said, it works immensely in this movie. Using stunning storytelling, Kwedar captures prisoners using art to cope with prisons that are frightening.
One appreciates astonishing performances.
Colman Domingo delivers one of his best career performances as Divine G. Domingo first achieved appreciation for playing civil rights icons in historical dramas. With “Sing Sing”, however, he took on his most challenging role. It isn’t simple portraying an inmate wrongfully incarcerated for a crime he didn’t commit but Domingo succeeded immensely. This is the actor unlike you’ve ever seen him before: intense, charismatic and emotional in his most memorable role. With riveting expressions, he captures angst, desperation and resentments of a prisoner wrongfully incarcerated for a gruesome crime he hasn’t committed causing disaster. It’s a phenomenal performance from one of the most commemorated African-American actors working today.
While the film is mainly a stunning showcase for Domingo, the supporting cast is also sensational and worthy of appreciation. Clarence Maclin is captivating, bringing charisma to a prisoner frustrated with his prison sentence which causes a traumatic experience. Paul Raci is phenomenal, capturing the authority of a commemorated theatre director which assists downtrodden prisoners to cope with adversity. Lastly, Sean San Jose merits appreciation. As a depressed prisoner, he brings heartbreaking emotions toward the movie.
Finally, “Sing Sing” will earn the appreciation of everyone for capturing the tensions which wrongfully accused inmates are facing. The film tackles strong themes including identity, justice and trauma which would resonate with everyone. It delivers a strong message about wrongful conviction which would definitely resonate with everyone. Therefore, “Sing Sing” is one of those rare commemorated prison movies everyone would adore.
Although “Sing Sing” is a captivating prison drama, it isn’t a flawless movie. If there’s a drawback to the movie, it suffers from an uneven pacing. Kwedar’s decision to integrate subplots about deaths into the film is bold but doesn’t entirely succeed. Therefore, scenes focusing on the death of inmates aren’t as engaging as Divine G’s journey to discover his identity. Therefore, “Sing Sing” can’t quite capture the hardships that commemorated prisoners which are wrongfully accused of crimes in America are often facing.
Nevertheless, fans of prison dramas will definitely appreciate “Sing Sing” and so will movie-goers seeking heartbreaking entertainment. A riveting drama about prison, it honours the lives of inmates that face wrongful conviction.
As strong as DIvine G’s desire to survive the Sing Sing prison, it has motivated me to move on years after parting ways with a companion whose father facing wrongful conviction was murdered in a depressing accident by treasuring a friend whose lifelong love for dramatic theatre inspired me to pursue my filmmaking passion.
4.5/5 stars
The Film Buff 