The opening scenes of Sing Sing take us behind the walls of the New York prison. Divine G (Colman Domingo) and his buddy Mike Mike (Sean San Jose) are members of a Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at the prison. Their theater group stages productions for their peers and meet regularly to rehearse under the leadership of Brent (Paul Raci). They’re on the hunt for a new member and decide to give Divine Eye (Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin), who sports a tough exterior, the chance to audition. When Divine Eye joins the group, the power dynamics shift. He challenges Divine G’s status as the de facto leader. Instead of putting on a play written by Divine G, the group comes together (led by Divine Eye) to suggest a hilarious hodge-podge of genres and storylines that Brent assembles into a somewhat cohesive story. 

 

The two men’s styles clash. Divine G’s calm but assured demeanor doesn’t mix well with Divine Eye’s fiery, aggressive spirit. But over time, the two men learn they have more in common than they thought. And we watch as a new friendship is forged amidst the difficulties of life in prison. Domingo and Maclin put on a master class of the art of subtlety interspersed with loud and emphatic displays of emotions. Although the story centers on their characters’ journeys, Sing Sing’s supporting cast is just as important. It’s a mix of professional actors and those who have gone through the RTA program. The honesty and emotion that comes through the screen is unmatched because they lived this in real life. It adds more weight to an already emotional story. 

 

Sing Sing avoids commenting directly on the injustices and major pitfalls of the criminal justice system. Instead it focuses on what statistics and data can’t seem to ever quantify (other than the recidivism rate for those that go through the RTA program being less than 3%): the importance of the arts. The theater group allows the men to safely move through and express a wide range of emotions and reflect on their lives both outside of and inside the prison walls. It provides space for them to be creative and vulnerable while also collaborating on something meaningful. Director Greg Kwedar does a good job of sitting back and letting the actors showcase the raw emotions that move the story forward. Sing Sing is a powerful and poignant reminder that art is for everyone.