“Sing Sing” (2023)
Colman Domingo is at the height of his powers in “Sing Sing.” And he does it alongside a strong ensemble that matches him scene for scene.
“Sing Sing” is based on the real Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at Sing Sing Correctional Facility (a maximum-security prison), and the film even casts some of the former inmates as themselves.
This blend of movie star wattage in Domingo with the lived experience of most of the other actors in the film lends itself to an authentic story that perfectly hits all of the joy and pain these prisoners are facing and how the RTA program is helping them by providing not only a creative outlet but a place to build community and work through the traumas that brought them to Sing Sing.
A lot of prison movies focus on trauma, and while “Sing Sing” does have its share of trauma, it is truly delightful in its joyous moments, and utterly heartbreaking in its traumatic moments. Many tiny moments do a great job of building the slow burn to a series of life-altering events that occur in the final act.
I laughed just as much as I got teary eyed watching “Sing Sing.” And that is a credit to the filmmakers and the entire cast, with standout supporting work from Sean San José (playing Mike Mike) and Clarence Maclin (playing himself).
But, after decades of supporting roles in films and shows like “Fear the Walking Dead,” “Euphoria,” “If Beale Street Could Talk” and “The Color Purple,” plus a strong leading performance in the mediocre biopic “Rustin” last year, this role in “Sing Sing” as Divine G is truly Domingo’s turn to shine.
As it is a movie about theater, “Sing Sing” gives Domingo the opportunity to recite some Shakespearean monologues, and I now know a full Shakespearean role is one of the things I’d like to see from him next.