Sing Sing (2023 film)

Divine G, incarcerated at Sing Sing Correctional Facility for a crime he did not commit, discovers a sense of purpose through participation in a small theater group made up of fellow inmates. Together, they attempt to stage an original production titled Breakin' the Mummy's Code. These inmates are part of the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program, which aims to use theater as a form of rehabilitation. Under the guidance of theater director Brent Buell, Divine G emerges as the star playwright and performer, highly respected for his emotional depth and acting talent. While pursuing his passion for theater, Divine G is also determined to prove his innocence and regain his freedom.

As the group prepares for their new production, Divine G takes part in recruiting new members, including a gruff and aggressive inmate named Divine Eye with a difficult personality. Initially, Divine Eye is dismissive of acting and performance, considering it a pointless and disingenuous pursuit. In contrast, Divine G views theater as a transformative and therapeutic process that helps individuals connect with their inner selves. The two men clash further when they disagree on the genre for their next play. Divine G advocates for another drama to challenge his acting abilities, while Divine Eye pushes for a lighthearted comedy, a choice supported by the majority of the inmates. Their rivalry intensifies when Divine Eye auditions for the only dramatic role in the comedy, frustrating Divine G, who sees it as hypocritical and is puzzled by this decision from Divine Eye.

Over the following weeks, the inmates engage in acting exercises led by Buell, designed to help them tap into their emotions. Divine G excels effortlessly at all the acting exercises, demonstrating vulnerability and inspiring his peers, while Divine Eye struggles, unable to connect with his emotions or the art of acting. However, after a heart-to-heart conversation where the two open up about their personal lives, Divine Eye begins to open up and take the program more seriously. His acting skills gradually improve, earning the respect of the group, including Divine G and Buell.

The RTA group eventually performs a sample of the play for the prison's board of executives to gain approval for their production. Despite a chaotic and mixed performance, the board approves the play to the surprise of the RTA group.

Divine G's world is shaken with grief and sadness when a fellow inmate, Mike Mike, with whom he had bonded, passes away. At his next parole hearing, Divine G delivers a passionate speech about how acting has changed him for the better, only to be blindsided when the interviewer questions whether he is simply acting at the present moment that he is delivering this parole hearing. Divine G's parole is denied, while Divine Eye's hearing is approved and he is granted release.

Before a dress rehearsal, tensions rise as Divine G suffers a breakdown, criticizing the quality of the production and the lack of commitment from his fellow inmates. Frustrated and disillusioned, he attempts to fight Divine Eye and walks out of the performance, effectively exiling himself from the group.

In the following days, Divine G isolates himself. Divine Eye eventually reaches out and the two reconcile. Divine G apologizes for his outburst and Divine Eye reassures him that he is always welcome back in the group. Divine Eye is soon released from the facility and becomes a free man.

A year later, Divine G successfully passes his parole hearing and is released. Divine Eye waits outside to greet him and the two share an emotional reunion before driving away together, hopeful for the future. The film closes with real-life footage from the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program at Sing Sing, featuring the real actors, who portrayed themselves in the film, performing in past productions when they were still inmates at the facility.

• Colman Domingo as John "Divine G" Whitfield^[8]
• Clarence "Divine Eye" Maclin as himself^[8]
• Sean San José as Mike Mike^[8]
• Paul Raci as Brent Buell^[8]
• David "Dap" Giraudy as himself^[8]
• Patrick "Preme" Griffin as himself^[8]
• Jon-Adrian "JJ" Velazquez as himself^[8]
• Sean "Dino" Johnson as himself^[8]

In 2022, it was reported that Colman Domingo, Paul Raci, and Sean San José were cast and that they would act alongside former incarcerated actors, including Clarence "Divine Eye" Maclin. Inspired by the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility in New York, the story was developed by Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Maclin and John "Divine G" Whitfield, with the screenplay being written by Bentley and Kwedar.^[9][10][11] The latter also came onboard to direct while Monique Walton joined as producer, alongside Bentley and Kwedar.^[12][13][14]

Maclin started acting as an inmate in Sing Sing. According to Maclin, the experience of acting in the film, along with his time in the prison and the transformative theater program, changed the course of his life.^[6] He revealed that it was his decision to star as a version of himself, explaining: "It was a choice that Greg and Clint had given me. They said, we can make up a character for you and give them a fictitious name, or you could just use your own name and be your own character, and I chose to use my own name. I guess it was my own arrogance."^[15]

In exchange for a percentage of equity, variating based on level of overall production involvement, all cast and crew agreed to be paid the same daily salary, thus ensuring a lower budget with increased profitability potential. As a result, with only one month out from filmmaking, A24 and Black Bear Pictures agreed to fully finance the film.^[16]

Sing Sing was filmed over the course of 19 shooting days in July 2022, across numerous decommissioned correctional facilities, which are reportedly tough environments to be in, logistically and for formerly incarcerated actors to return to, even with a counselor in tow. "It's all concrete and there's just no airflow", said Bentley, adding: "But whenever the alumni were filming together, they brought so much joy that it far surpassed any of the misery of filming in that place. Walking into the space they'd created was like walking into color in The Wizard of Oz."^[17]

The three major filming locations were split between the decommissioned Downstate Correctional Facility and nearby Hudson Sports Complex, both of which doubled for different exteriors and interiors of the real Sing Sing prison, plus Beacon High School in Upstate New York, where the RTA theater productions were filmed.^[18]

Cinematographer Pat Scola shot the film on 16 mm. "When we scouted the Downstate Correctional Facility, one of the things I found both impressive and oppressive, was the number of windows and the natural daylight coming through them", Scola recalled. "Beyond the confines of the prison walls and the razor wire, you can see trees and forests in the distance. That element of tragedy – that you can see the world out there, but can't actually go and touch it, that the place was actually light and warm, and not bleakly lit with fluorescents – was really striking. We made the decision to allow the spaces to light themselves naturalistically and speak to the visual story we were looking to tell." As for shooting on 16mm film, Scola said: "In this story, the human face was our landscape, often with very intimate close-ups. The taller nature of the 1.66:1 frame allowed us to create that kind of intimate portraiture, and we used the 25mm a great deal during production ... The Ultra 16 lenses are small, simple and fast, typically T1.3, and give great optical performance on 16mm film."^[18][19][20]

Bryce Dessner composed the film's score, which was released by Milan Records on July 12, 2024.^[21]

Elaborating on the process of the biggest dramatic considerations he took while composing, Dessner explained: "The film itself has elements of documentary. It has real-life characters who were in the program, it has a play within the film, and it has a sense of creative freedom or finding your horizon. These characters are finding their humanity, rebuilding themselves through the arts, and dreaming beyond the walls of where they're confined. The music kind of felt in that space. It was the horizon, or the poetry, of the whole thing. I was relating to that. I wasn't really scoring tension or drama or the little bits of conflict that happen. There are some darker cues, but in general, the music feels like this sort of river running under the film."^[22]

To promote the film, A24 offered free screenings "hosted" by Common, Stephanie Hsu, Liza Koshy, Natasha Lyonne, Bette Midler, the Brooklyn Nets and Gabrielle Union, in participating AMC Theatres from August 22 to 28. Variety noted that while "A24 is looking to position Sing Sing as a major awards player ... [its] campaign is uniquely audience-facing, as opposed to targeting Oscar voters later in the awards season".^[23]

The film premiered in the Special Presentations program at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, where it was acquired by A24.^[24]

It was released in the United States in a limited release on July 12, 2024, before expanding to a wide release on August 2.^[25]

As of October 3, 2024^[update], Sing Sing has grossed $3.1 million.^[1][2] In the United States, the film made $137,119 from four theaters (located in Los Angeles and New York) in its opening weekend (July 12–14), for a per-screen-average of $34,279.^[26] IndieWire noted: "In an unusual move, it is expected to not expand until August in order to build expected word of mouth and avoid competing with the juggernauts the next two weeks."^[27] In its fourth weekend (August 2–4), the film expanded to 18 theaters and made $164,565.^[28][29] It peaked at 191 theaters before returning to 149 screens in its eighth weekend.^[30]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 98% of 163 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.7/10. The website's consensus reads: "A moving celebration of art's redemptive power, Sing Sing draws its estimable emotional resonance from a never better Colman Domingo and equally impressive ensemble players."^[31] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 84 out of 100, based on 41 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".^[32]

ABC News' Peter Travers declared the acting of Domingo as "simply stupendous" and highly praised the film in his review, writing: "Sing Sing is one of the best and most powerful movies you'll see this year. Despite the grim surroundings, it has a heart full to bursting and a spirit that soars."^[33] Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times called the film "gloriously lionhearted and brilliantly rendered", and considered Domingo's performance as "award-worthy work", concluding that the film "will be remembered for the amazing, multilayered, complex and shining work by Domingo and the entire ensemble".^[34] Though she believed the film "shoulders some heavy-duty ideas about forgiveness and redemption", Stephanie Zacharek of Time believed that it recognized the value and delight of pure play, writing: "It's easy, and comfortable, to pass judgment [about incarcerated individuals]. But Greg Kwedar's true-to-life prison drama Sing Sing asks more of us: 'If we believe in our own capacity for growth and change, how can we not extend that good faith to other individuals who have made mistakes?'"^[35]

• Official website
• Sing Sing at IMDb