Based on the real life Rehabilitation of the Arts at Sing Sing Maximum Security Prison, the film follows Divine G (Colman Domingo), a man who was imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit, and the other incarcerated men who put on plays as a way to escape reality. When newcomer Clarence Maclin (as himself) warily joins the group, Divine steps in and helps teach him the craft.

While the film may be simple in its plot, there is so much more to it than meets the eye. For starters, the acting is phenomenal by everyone in the cast. Domingo is known for smashing just about every single role he’s been in and this one was no exception. What was so astounding to me, however, was the fact that most of the characters were actual prisoners who took part in the program and were playing versions of themselves. Coming to this realization really made the whole experience that much more authentic and gave the film a whole new meaning.

Because this is a character study above all else, the cinematography was often up close and personal. This made it feel like we were in the room with them, having these conversations and being privy to their inner most thoughts and demons, but not in a way that was intrusive. This combined with the juxtaposition of the prison shots brought the audience back to reality.

At the end of the day, these men are human just like everybody else. They made have made mistakes, but haven’t we all? When everything was taken from them, they found a way to keep going despite it all. It was so inspiring to see.

Sing Sing was thought-provoking, understated and sincere. It was also full of hope. Everything about it worked for me and I can’t wait to see how well it does in awards season.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️