Imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit, Divine G finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other incarcerated men, including a wary newcomer.
Prison is a dark and dangerous place filled with some of the worst of humanity. Yet within that darkness, a program offers rehabilitation for those who seek it. One of these programs, Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA), is a non-profit founded at Sing Sing Prison, which allows prisoners to explore arts while serving their sentences. Their program has seen a reduction in violence at the prison and has seen several success stories. One of these success stories is the tragic tale of John “Divine G” Whitfield, a man who was wrongfully convicted of two homicides. During his unjust imprisonment, he found solace in the prison’s theater program. This film is based on his autobiography about his time in prison and the power of the arts. Sing Sing is a heartwarming exploration of the transformative power of the arts. However, within the film feel good vibes, I can’t help but feel emotionally manipulated.
I respect that Sing Sing is not your standard prison drama. It is not a legal drama nor an escape thriller, but an exploration of the healing of the arts. We follow John “Diving G”: Whitfield (Colman Domingo), a founding member of the RTA, helps helm a group of men to put on a new theatre production as he prepares for his impending clemency hearing. He is viewed as a role model to his peers as he routinely flexes his acting and writing abilities in the RTA workshops. While preparing, he recruits several new members, one of whom is Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin (himself), an intimidating figure who runs the jail yard. The two immediately start butting heads over the vision of the play, leading to tension in an otherwise calm group. But soon the pair begin to bond with their fellow prisoners over their shared passion for the arts.
This story is told through an authentic and intimate lens that captures the imperfections of humanity. Through beautiful long handheld takes, to intimate close-up shots, you feel the raw emotional vulnerability these men are experiencing while in prison. However, because of this intimate approach, the film emotionally manipulates you through forced empathy and sympathy. Throughout the film, it felt like I was being bombarded with constant visuals and storytelling modifies that I should feel sorry for these men and be glad that they have found some purpose. I felt so overwhelmed with this storytelling that I felt indifferent to the struggles I saw on screen. When the film was more restrictive with its storytelling, such as when their cells are tossed and destroyed in a contraband search, was when it was more impactful.
Furthermore, the film conveniently leaves out why some of these men are in prison. I understand this film is not about why they are in prison, but let’s not ignore the fact that information was purposefully withheld because the filmmakers knew that it would immediately affect how empathetic and sympathetic the audience would be to these characters. These characters are at Sing Sing, a maximum security prison. They had to do something serious to end up there. These elements ultimately left me feeling like I was being manipulated into feeling for these characters. When if the film had pulled back its manipulative storytelling, I would have felt more for these characters.
One fact that I enjoyed was outside of Colman Domingo and Paul Raci, the ensemble was made up of RTA alumni. This small touch adds to the film’s authenticity and they deliver great performances as their characters, albeit they are playing themselves. However, of this RTA ensemble, one performance rises above the rest, and that was from Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin, who plays a fictionalized version of himself. He immediately sells this intimidating, gangster, that you do not want to get on the wrong side on. However, as the film progresses, he slowly reveals layers of pain and suffering that his character has experienced as the cathartic nature of the arts begins to heal him. His performance was surprisingly moving and might be enough to secure him an Oscar nomination.
However, the one performance that will most likely get an Oscar nomination is from Colman Domingo. He is introduced as having a moral, intellectual, and artistic superiority complex that could have led to an unsympathetic character if Domingo did not play him. He is caring, but in that care, you see the layers of pain as he is wrongfully imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit. To see him be challenged in every way imaginable when he meets Diving Eye was a fascinating deconstruction of the hidden egos of two vastly different people. If it weren’t for these two performances, the film easily would have fallen flat because of its undercooked, sentimental script.
Overall, Sing Sing will most likely be an Oscar darling when award season begins, and rightfully so. It is a well-made movie that has deeply resonated with many audience members. It is a powerful exploration of the healing nature of the arts to those who are in one of the most hostile environments on the planet. I just wish it didn’t force it so hard.
My Rating: B
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