Sing Sing
“Sing Sing” gives us a look at masculinity being healed through art. It’s entertaining, it’s beautiful and it’s emotional in how it looks at a life we often look down on, and how it finds purpose and direction. This is a film to cherish, to ponder, and to look at with empathic eyes.
The main character in Greg Kwedar’s film is John “Divine G” Whitfield, a writer who is in prison at Sing Sing Maximum Security Prison for a murder he didn’t commit, and Colman Domingo’s performance might be his finest one yet. While in Sing Sing, John is one of the main people involved with the prison’s Rehabilitation Through the Arts program, which allows prisoners to get more in touch with their feelings. Every six months, they put on a show, and it’s time for them to put another one on. This time, however, they get an unexpected idea from a new member, Clarence Maclin (playing a version of himself in one of the year’s finest performances). His suggestion is a comedy, and it will have to be an original comedy, with all of the various ideas the members bring to it. It’s out of John’s wheel house, but the director, Brent (played by Paul Raci), gives it a go. As we see it come together, it will be an experience no one expects, but everyone needs.
One of the most extraordinary aspects of “Sing Sing” is how it features real-life graduates of RETA, and formerly incarcerated men, in several of the main roles, and how everyone feels like an exceptional on-screen force next to Oscar nominees Domingo and Raci. Another long-time actor that is in the film is Sean San Jose, a theatre writer-director-producer-actor who plays Mike Mike, John’s best friend (and next to cell mate). At first, he is leary about bringing in Clarence, but he comes to see the value in it. Mike Mike and John’s dynamic is wonderful, especially in a late scene that will pivot the film into the third act. When we listen to these men speak about their lives, and how their art fits into them, we don’t feel as though they are reading from a script, but speaking from their very souls. This is an ensemble of tremendous work, and it’s hard to pinpoint one performer that truly stands out; everyone has their moments, and they all add up to a film that truly values creative expression.
Sometimes, the most valuable thing we can do for ourselves is get out of our comfort zone. While John is the main character, I think Clarence is the ultimate audience surrogate in the film. He is someone who- we get the feeling- is not much different in jail than he was out of jail; when John approaches him, he is on his way to confront another inmate with an issue about a drug deal they have. His idea for the comedy comes from a natural place- their lives in Sing Sing are so serious, how about something light- and yet, when it comes to the auditions, he auditions for the most serious part. While he wants to make things lighter for his fellow inmates, he has some shit to work out for himself, especially with a parole hearing coming up. John has a clemency hearing, as well, one in which he’s hoping new evidence will clear him, and make him eligible for release. Seeing their personal struggles on their journeys is what connects them. That these unlikely individuals become friends is not surprising, given the nature of the story, but still makes for a strong arc because of the divergent paths they have taken to get to this moment. I cannot say enough about the performances in this film, which break down stereotypes, and gives us looks at men whom- in real life- we’d feel like we could make snap judgements about, but as we get to know them, we see the humanity in them. Their work with RETA is bringing that out, and I am grateful that “Sing Sing” exists to shine a light on something that matters, whether we find ourselves in a similar situation or not.
