The Stream: It’s a serious topic that can feel heavy and didactic at times.

The Big Screen: The ensemble cast is engaging and inspiring.

The Final Bill: Rehabilitation Through the Arts gets a boost through this emotional and entertaining movie.

– Trip Fontaine
Director: Greg Kwedar
Writers: Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar (screenplay); and Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Clarence Maclin, and John Divine G Whitfield (story)
Stars: Colman Domingo, Clarence Maclin, Paul Raci
Genre: Drama
Rating: R for language throughout
Runtime: 1 hour 42 minutes
Production Companies: Black Bear, Edith Productions, Marfa Peach Company
Platform: Re-release in theaters January 17, 2025
Notable Trailers: Flight Risk, Thunderbolts, Mickey 17

Hey, Streamers! While there were some popular musicals released in 2024, Sing Sing was not one of them because it’s not a musical. Sing Sing picked up some Academy Award nominations a couple weeks ago, and I was finally able to catch it in a movie theater near me. Sing Sing follows a group of men incarcerated at Sing Sing Correctional Facility, who participate in a program that uses theater as a form of rehabilitation called Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA).  In the movie, Divine G (Colman Domingo), a playwright and performer who is incarcerated at Sing Sing, mentors his fellow inmates through the theater program while trying to prove his innocence and gain his freedom. We also meet Divine Eye (Clarence Maclin), a new recruit in RTA, who is dubious about the prospect of performing in front of the other inmates but he’s looking for an outlet to keep himself out of trouble. Divine G and Divine Eye have strong personalities destined to clash as the group comes together to put on a new show for the rest of the inmates. Prison yard and theaterical hijinks ensue.

Sing Sing’s biggest asset is its cast. Since there isn’t much to the plot of the movie, it relies on the charismatic and engaging actors to capture the audience’s attention. Colman Domingo is a strong presence, and he brings a confidence and vulnerability to his character that draws you in. We can understand through his eyes the difficulty of being in Sing Sing and the reprieve it is to be part of RTA. Other cast members are performers who were formerly incarcerated and went through the program in real life as depicted in the movie. Clarence Maclin, who is playing a version of himself, does a great job sharing scenes with a seasoned actor like Domingo. The ensemble does a good job of bringing the emotion of the story to the surface, and each performer gets their chance to shine.

Beyond that, Sing Sing is a well-made movie that presents the importance of this program by showing the emotional investment of the inmates. While these are serious characters under difficult circumstance, the movie does have some funny moments and it effectively expresses the joy these inmates tap into while participating in RTA.

Ultimately, Sing Sing is an enjoyable experience. There is humor and there is heartbreak. It is a simple movie that has an impactful message about redemption and rehabilitation. The cast led by Colman Domingo does a great job getting the film’s message across. If Sing Sing is playing in your area, it is a worthwhile 102 minutes with a bowl of popcorn; and when it comes of streaming, grab a big box of popcorn.