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A review by Shlomoh Sherman March 23, 2025 Read about Sing Sing On the Internet Movie Data Base |
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A review by Shlomoh Sherman March 23, 2025 Read about Sing Sing On the Internet Movie Data Base |
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Sing Sing (2023) Plot Synopsis: Sing Sing is a true story, based on the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts program at Sing Sing Prison located in Ossining, New York. It focuses on a group of incarcerated men involved in producing and acting in theatrical stage shows. The actors inclde many real-life formerly incarcerated men who were in the RTA program during their time in prison. Director: Greg Kwedar Writers: Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, John H. Richardson Stars: Colman Domingo, Clarence Maclin, Sean San Jos , Paul Raci Release date: August 2, 2024 (United States) Countries of origin: United States Languages: English Filming locations: Ossining, New York Production companies: Black BearEdith ProductionsMarfa Peach Company Box office: Budget: $2,000,000 (estimated) Gross US & Canada: $3,110,476 Opening weekend US & Canada - $137,119Jul 14, 2024 Gross worldwide: $5,281,415 Technical specs: Runtime: 1 hour 47 minutes Color: Color Awards: - Nominated for 3 Oscars, 67 wins & 199 nominations total Read about Sing Sing amazing list of awards, go here: On the Internet Movie Data Base Sing Sing Awards Motion Picture Rating (MPA) Rated PG-13 Parents Guide: See below |
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Storyline: This is a film I knew little about and would probably not have watched. But thanks to my daughter's praise of the movie, I did wind up seeing it, and am glad I did. The story is wonderful in that it provides hope for people we ordinarily have given up on, imprisoned criminals. Some of the inmates [many portrayed by themselves] come from hardened, cynical backgrounds, Yet they have opted to try to better themselves through Shakespearean drama. And after all, aren't their lives imbued with drama? "To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil?" As I watched the movie, I had to ask myself what kind of dreams did these inmates have about their future lives? Suicide rates among prisoners are high, and many must have aksed Hamlet's immortal questrion - "Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them?" But the prisoners/actors have chosen another answer. They have chosen to speak the pain in their lives through Shakespear. KUDOS TO Greg Kwedar, the incredible director of the movie who has captured the Shakesearian lives of jailed men with little hope on film and have presented them to us as a gift of understanding. I can only encourage those whoi have not yet seen this movie to please see it. It's free on your TV.
As usual, I include in my movie reviews, at excerpt from at least one reviewer on IMDB. Sam Steiner
Today's movie was "Sing Sing" (2024), a prison-rehabilitation drama co-written and directed by Greg Kwedar, and based on a 2005 "Esquire" article, "The Sing Sing Follies," by John H. Richardson. It's showing in theaters. It's a prison-rehabilitation drama set in the 2010s in the Sing Sing Correctional Facility north of New York City. It builds a story on the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program that engages prisoners in a drama program in which they put on two plays per year. John Divine G Whitfield (Colman Domingo), one of the program's founders, has been in prison for about 15 years for a murder he denies committing while he was a drug dealer. The director of the Sing Sing program is Brent Buell (Paul Raci). We meet a variety of prisoners, especially Clarence Divine Eye Maclin (Himself), who is very hard-edged at the movie's beginning. "Sing Sing" follows the development of the first comedy produced by the Sing Sing program, which involves time travel. We see conflicts, tragedy, and disappointments when hearings don't go as planned or an inmate dies suddenly. The movie's "hook" is that most of the actors, former inmates engaged in the RTA program, play earlier versions of themselves in the film. This particularly includes Divine Eye Maclin. The real Divine G Whitfield, as does the real Brent Buell, has a small role. "Sing Sing" is heartwarming and demonstrates that people can change. However, it also drags at times and has limited action. Clarence Maclin is amazing, and Colman Domingo does a fine job. Of the prisoners, I especially liked Sean Dino Johnson. Some obvious questions are not addressed, like how women show up in the final productions when none rehearse or are characters in the film. KUDOS TO the entire cast for their amazing dedication to the film and their roles. | 
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Trivia: At the beginning of the movie the cast are trying out for various parts in the play. These are actual audition tapes used to cast the movie. In an effort to ensure a livable wage, everyone was provided the same wage, and offered ownership stakes in the film. To determine how equity was received, the movie was divided into five phases: development, prep, production, postproduction, and promotion. For contributors such as a sound recordist on the film, equity would be collected through the production phase, whereas for those involved with all stages, such as a producer or star, would receive equity from all phases. The character of Mike Mike is played by Sean San Jose, who has been Colman Domingo's real life friend for nearly fifteen years. Most of the cast is made up of formerly incarcerated members of the real-life theatre troupe. The inmate who asks for Divine G's autograph early on in the film is played by the real life Divine G. As portrayed in the film, the RTA (Rehabilitation Through the Arts) is effective at changing lives. According to one quoted statistic, the national recidivism rate is about 60%, while for those formerly in the RTA program it's 3%. The film cast includes three Oscar nominees: Colman Domingo, Paul Raci and Clarence Maclin. Earlier in the movie, Divine G suggests that they do a play by August Wilson. Colman Domingo, who played Divine G, previously appeared in a screen adaptation of a Wilson play Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020). The concept of using real people incarcerated in prison to stage a theatre performance was first developed by the Taviani Brothers for their film, Cesare deve morire/Caesar Must Die (2012), where the inmates perform Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar." On February 3 2025, the cast of the film performed the in-film and real life play " "Breakin' the Mummy's Code" on stage, for the first time outside of Sing Sing correctional facility. Goofs: Soundtracks: |
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PARENTS GUIDE FOR SING SING (2023) Certification: SEX & NUDITY: VIOLENCE & GORE: PROFANITY: ALCOHOL, DRUGS & SMOKING: FRIGHTENING & INTENSE SCENES. |
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Sing Sing (2023) Top cast: Colman Domingo ... John Divine G Whitfield Clarence Maclin ... Clarence Maclin (as Clarence 'Divine Eye' Maclin) Sean San Jose ... Mike Mike (as Sean San José) Paul Raci ... Brent Buell David Giraudy ... David Giraudy (as David 'Dap' Giraudy) Patrick Griffin ... Patrick Griffin (as Patrick 'Preme' Griffin) Mosi Eagle ... Mosi Eagle James Williams ... James Williams (as James 'Big E' vbWilliams) Sean Dino Johnson ... Sean Johnson (as Sean 'Dino' Johnson) Brent Buell Michael Capra Joanna Chan Cecily Lynn ... (as Cecily Lyn) Johnny Simmons Katherine Vockins Reynaldo Gayle Sharon Washington Dario Peña Miguel Valentin Jon-Adrian Velazquez ... Jon-Adrian Velazquez (as Jon-Adrian 'JJ' Velazquez) Pedro Cotto Camillo Lovacco ... Camillo LoVacco (as Camillo 'Carmine' Lovacco) Cornell Alston ... Charlie (as Cornell "Nate" Alston) John Divine G Whitfield ... The Book Fan |
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