“Jails and prisons are designed to break human beings, to convert the population into specimens in a zoo - obedient to our keepers, but dangerous to each other.” - Angela Davis
My favorite movie of 2023 was a small romance drama called All of Us Strangers. It was without question not just the best of the year for me, it was the most unexpected. I knew almost nothing about it before seeing it but I knew enough about the plot to make a half-hearted assumption that it was one I could miss without concern. But I forced myself to go. Sometimes I get a little too content at home to the point of my own detriment. And like I said, it left me mesmerized. I like to call certain movies “Reminders”; these are movies that remind me why I love cinema as much as I do. My favorite movie of all-time, Blade Runner 2049, is obviously a “Reminder” movie. All of Us Strangers, a “reminder.” And now, having had zero interest in seeing what it had to offer but forcing my stubborn ass to the theater regardless, Sing Sing is now my latest, “reminder.”
Sometimes, a movie will leave me practically speechless and for once it’s for all the right reasons. It will make me emotionally fulfilled, almost crying out of sheer euphoria. It’s proof that modern cinema is still alive and creators trying to tell these profound stories are very much out there and pushing forward in a business that only seems to reward massive box office receipts. And because these instances can feel a bit too rare, their arrival feels all the more sudden and unexpected. Dune: Part Two was highly anticipated since the first and its greatness, while rightfully celebrated, wasn’t what I would call unforeseen. Its presence was massive and its arrival even bigger. It’s like trying to conceal an arriving school bus, good luck sneaking that big yellow bastard past anyone.
On one hand I wish it were different but on the other, these surprises, while infrequent, are amazing to experience. In the era of videos and movie trailers, going into a movie knowing almost nothing about it is a real gift these days. I sat down for Sing Sing almost completely blind to what it was and the results were nothing short of stellar. My only complaint with this movie is that I can’t see it again for the first time. But I trust any future repeat viewings will still be quite spectacular. So enough bloviating, to the point at hand.
Sing Sing is about men in prison with a means of mental escape through a program called Rehabilitation Through the Arts or RTA. It gives incarcerated men a chance to create plays to perform in hopes of finding purpose and identity beyond their crimes. They choose the play, they write it, hold tryouts, build sets, choose costumes, rehearse and eventually unveil their creation on opening night. The program is entirely their own to make the most of or to squander. For the regulars in this group, this is their one chance at finding redemption in an environment that abandoned them long ago. For acting enthusiast Divine G, this is his lifeblood and perhaps most importantly, it’s a means of finding not only purpose but a reason to hope for more than what he finds in front of him, bars, concrete and no future.
To make an already extraordinary film all the more so, it’s a fascinating fact to learn that most of the cast consists of formerly incarcerated members of the real-life theater troupe for which this movie is inspired by. I say this because there is not a single weak link among this newcomer cast. Everyone is exceptional in their roles, most playing a version of themselves. Of particular note is Clarence Maclin who plays himself and is absolutely transcendent. He has a look about him that suggests he is always one single confrontational remark away from exploding with violence. He makes perfectly clear he carries a knife in his waistband and repeatedly demonstrates his willingness to use it if necessary. And yet he never breaks. He remains unsettlingly calm, always observing and judging if he belongs.
Like most in their environment, they have a necessity to create a hardened image of aggressiveness and violent tendencies. It’s a matter of survival. But as he discovers over time, the environment within the RTA is one of vulnerability and self-discovery. His walls, built over his life can be, if only temporarily, taken down. Once he believes that it’s okay to show himself as human and fragile, he truly begins to shine as a performer learning Hamlet, and as a man realizing he is not the facade of a tough gangster, an identity he has survived behind his entire adult life. His story and character development are stunning to experience. He feels like a genuine discovery of talent, raw and exciting. He is most earnest when he’s talking with Divine G played with a brilliance rarely seen anymore, by Colman Domingo. His performance is nothing short of awe inspiring. He is so human and unguarded, seemingly blending who he is as an actor, as a man and his character, Divine G, into a singular force of ascendancy. In a movie filled with exceptional acting and incredible storytelling, Colman Domingo somehow raises it to even greater heights.
There are so many moments of regret and reflection but there is also an inspiring number of moments that are hopeful and utterly moving. It leaves you crying for numerous reasons. It makes you sad for those lost within the system, for those that don’t see a future beyond those walls, for those that want a true opportunity and for so many reasons squander those moments out of fear of failure or fear of actually achieving something. But it also makes you feel hope. It makes you feel a kind of human triumph and with its message that we are not our worst mistakes is something to carry within yourself forever. It’s inspiring and gleefully persistent, always pushing toward a goal of self-improvement in all forms. I think most of all, Sing Sing is pure, wholly authentic storytelling. It is one of the best movies of 2024 featuring the best acting of the year and if there is any kind of justice in this world it will be among the most heralded of the year. It is absolutely exceptional in every regard.
Rated R For: language throughout
Runtime: 105 minutes
After Credits Scene: Mid-credits, yes.
Genre: Drama
Starring: Colman Domingo, Clarence Maclin, Sean San Jose, Paul Raci
Directed By: Greg Kwedar
Out of 10
Story: 10/ Acting: 10/ Directing: 10/ Visuals: 10
OVERALL: 10/10
Buy to Own: Yes.
Check out the trailer below:
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