‘Sing Sing’ emphasizes humanity in a prison setting

Deep in the walls of the maximum-security Sing Sing Correctional Facility for males, past hundreds of cold, isolated cells, lays the heart of a beating theatre program. Based on a true story, Greg Kwedar’s “Sing Sing” recounts the experiences of the prisoners participating in the Rehabilitation Through the Arts theatre program at Sing Sing. Kwedar’s use of documentary-style filming captures raw confessions and beautiful character growth throughout the film. 

Set in Ossining, N.Y., the film follows Divine G, an inmate wrongfully convicted of homicide (Colman Domingo, “The Color Purple”). In prison, he is the co-founder of the RTA theater program and their production of the time-traveling comedic play, “Breakin’ the Mummy’s Code,” an original play incorporating each of the member’s creative ideas into the storyline. Playwriting helps Divine G cling to his humanity in a dehumanizing environment and productively cope with his unjust sentencing. There are clear, genuine friendships among Divine G and the other members, even after the newest member, Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin (debut), is added to the group. Divine Eye’s arrival builds tension because of his defensive attitude, but it dissipates as everyone swallows their pride and works toward the common goal of performing the play. 

The documentary-style filming made each scene feel raw and purposeful. The camera is sometimes shaky when chasing after the RTA members as they complete funny acting exercises, joking about their foolishness and fostering a temporary environment of sacred joy. At other times, the camera is still while focusing on members reminiscing on their past lives, showing the melancholy on their regretful faces. Every shot was intentional, creating a specific tone for each scene.

Kwedar does a great job packing so many complex emotions into a film under two hours long. Most scenes center around the RTA meetings, which are Divine G’s entire world within the prison. Scenes outside of the safety of RTA meetings help to show how dehumanizing the prison is. In one powerful sequence, Divine G went from being praised as a talented playwright and role model to the aspiring actors, to being stripped-searched by officers and passed over for parole without reason. The audience is constantly reminded of the prisoners’ fragility; even Divine G had his momentary lapse of sanity.

“‘Sing Sing’ is really just about brotherhood more than anything,” Colman Domingo said in a promotional video for A24. I felt this brotherhood even more strongly after finding out most of the actors played themselves. The acting felt oddly real throughout the film, likely because most characters weren’t acting but just replaying old memories. The casting was a perfect choice for this film; Domingo and Maclin’s impressive performances have even sparked Oscar rumors for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor. They delivered an uplifting performance that elicited hope from the audience. I felt emotionally bonded to every character as I watched them cope with complex feelings.

“It really is just about, like, the possibility of what we can do when we’re presented with something that can help open up our hearts and give us some tools to move forward,” Domingo said in an interview 

The film’s final scenes are real clips of the RTA’s “Breakin’ the Mummy’s Code,” creating a heartwarming full-circle moment. There were also clips of many other prison plays, and which helped visualize the global impact of giving prisoners creative liberty to heal in a jailed space. Kwedar and all the actors did an excellent job debunking the stigma around showing emotion in prison and emphasizing human connection in a dehumanizing environment. As Domingo said: “It’s a film about the possibility of our humanity.”

Daily Arts Writer Zara Manna can be reached at zaraam@umich.edu.

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