SPOILER "Sing Sing" A-List pocket Review

SPOILER ahead

Seen at: AMC Southcenter, Seattle

Premise: Colman Domingo is John “Divine G” Whitfield, an incarcerated man at Sing Sing prison, where he participates in a theater program known as Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA). He butts heads with and later befriends Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin (a real life RTA performer playing a version of himself).

Performances: I loved watching the relationship unfold between Domingo and Maclin. Domingo is absolutely fantastic in this role and deserving of the many nods he's gotten so far (and hopefully an Oscar nom this week, too!). The rest of the ensemble cast, mostly RTA alumni playing themselves, are delightful. Sean San José is particularly effective as Mike Mike, Divine G’s cellmate and friend, who is funny, sweet, and heartbreaking.

Writing: Touching without being overly sentimental. A concise story, well-told by its players, that moves along swiftly.

Cinematography: Shot on 16mm, often with natural lighting, and lots of close-ups. Amplified the claustrophobic feeling of incarceration.

Recommended for: Fans of movies about underdogs rising above the expectations placed on them and anyone following the Oscar nominations this year

You might also like to know:

• No violence, but some strong language
• Intense emotions
• A main character dies unexpectedly [cw death]
• The N-word is used briefly
• Staff at the prison are visible but never have any lines

Overall: A, take your rough-around-the edges family member and have a nice lil cry