By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
Who knew a movie centered around hardened criminals in a maximum-security prison could invoke such hope and inspiration? “Sing Sing” is a captivating drama that is mostly comprised of a cast of former prisoners from Sing Sing Correctional Facility in New York. However, it is the lead who elevates this film with an emotionally powerful performance.
Life for Divine G (Colman Domingo) has been anything but easy, convicted of a murder he did not commit and imprisoned at notorious Sing Sing. Despite repeated denials of his appeals to be set free from his lengthy prison sentence, he doesn’t lose heart and finds purpose amongst a theater group of other incarcerated men. Looking to bolster their numbers for their next stage production, Divine G and his friend Mike Mike (Sean San Jose) find an unrefined acting talent in Divine Eye (Clarence Maclin).
Divine Eye’s rough-around-the-edges approach challenges Divine G and the rest of the troupe, but they never stop opening their arms to him to break through that gangster façade. When reality and personal tragedy strikes, even Divine G struggles to maintain his faith and positive outlook. Will this unique brotherhood be enough to wrestle him away from this dark depression, or will the show go on without him?
Headlining this primarily non-professional cast of former prisoners who were part of this real-life acting troupe is veteran actor Colman Domingo. Like a fine wine, he seems to only be improving with age. Not only is this a career defining performance, but he also singlehandedly moves viewers to feel the raw emotion of his character from gut wrenching agony to joyous triumph and everything in between. Nominated for his first Oscar just last year for his outstanding portrayal of the title character in “Rustin,” don’t be surprised to see his name among the nominees again in 2025 after this powerfully dynamic performance.
Playing the friend of Domingo’s character is none other than his best friend in real life, Sean San Jose, who has collaborated with Colman for over 30 years. This makes their on-screen chemistry and banter effortless and genuine. “Sing Sing” wouldn’t be successful without the efforts of Clarence Maclin, whom this film is partially based upon. He is one of the former prisoners who draws on his own experience to provide an incredible performance as an inmate who wants to act but struggles against his own toxic masculinity to find courage in being vulnerable.
Directing a bunch of amateur actors in a feature length film is no simple task, but Greg Kwedar successfully pulls the best from the “Sing Sing” cast. It was clearly important to Greg to make this a more credible true story and avoid typical prison film cliches with one-dimensional characters. He very carefully and skillfully humanizes these convicted criminals without crossing the line of neglecting their inhumane acts that got them imprisoned in the first place. Instead, he shows them as they are, faulty humans who made terrible mistakes but looking for rehabilitation through the creation of beauty in an ugly environment. In this way, he’s able to show these characters as actual people not defined by labels or the crimes they committed. Greg focuses the narrative on brotherhood, vulnerability, and love which shows a refreshingly different perspective from most other prison-based films. His mindful and purposeful filmmaking approach navigates audiences through the emotional ups and downs of this enthralling storyline, somehow cultivating an inspirational message of community from an unlikely backdrop.
Winning the Audience Award at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival, this is a film that is clearly resonating with viewers with a meaningful performance from Colman Domingo that should not go unnoticed. “Sing Sing” is a beautiful drama that demonstrates the importance of finding purpose in your life, regardless of how claustrophobic your physical surroundings may be.
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