Sing Sing Movie Review

“Sing Sing” is an emotionally uplifting story set in the most depressing place — the maximum security prison called ‘Sing Sing’. Prisoners on the inside never have a lot of freedom to express themselves. But a program designed to get inmates familiar with ‘The Arts’ gives them a chance to produce plays and learn acting skills. You might call it ‘The Sing Sing Redemption’, just without the major escape at the end.

 

In Sing Sing prison, there is a lot of depression, anger and rage. But one thing has been set up to help those on the inside cope with their difficult life. The “Rehabilitation Through the Arts” program is designed to take inmates who are interested in getting more knowledge about ‘The Arts’.

 

The outside facilitator, named Brent Buell (played by Paul Raci) guide a group of prison inmates to select, produce, and star in a play. One of his best ‘students’ is a guy in the clink for a long time –  John “Divine G” Whitfield (played by Colman Domingo).

 

‘Divine G’ is in for a crime which he says he did not commit. ‘G’ says that he will have substantial proof for the Parole Board next time. ‘G’ has worked with Brent for many years. He has a lot of other guys involved with the RTA program. ‘G’ has a next-door cell partner named ‘Mike Mike’ (played by Sean San José).

 

There are quite a few others: David “Dap” Giraudy, Patrick “Preme” Griffin, Sean “Dino” Johnson. One person that ‘G’ thinks might have a lot of potential is an incarcerated person with a very tough reputation in the yard. ‘Divine G’ goes to talk with this inmate with hopes he can get him to join into the RTA group.

 

Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin (played by himself) is known as a hard-headed, volatile incarcerated person with a major chip on his shoulder. ‘G’ knows that the effort he has put into RTA production has changed is outlook, and now he is more trusting of the system and the process. ‘Eye’ has no trust in the system, or the process — or even of ‘G’. But one day, he turns around and starts to think about his family.

 

‘Eye’ was raised in a rough and tough section of town, and had no father round. His son was born, and it still does not soften ‘Eye’. He was still out for money and revenge. His way was putting rival gang members in the hospital, or the morgue.

 

Once that all caught up to him, he could only watch from prison — when his son took the same path of aggression, rage, and crime. ‘Eye’ now thinks that if he can change in prison, maybe there could be some hope for his son, also.

 

Brent Buell is pretty open to have anyone be part of the RTA group. ‘Divine Eye’ is not very receptive at the start. But the other guys are doing the best they can to help ‘Divine G’ to welcome ‘Eye’ into the RTA. All the current members, ‘Mike Mike’,’Preme’, Dino’, ‘Dap’ and ‘G’ try to show ‘Eye’ that what they are doing can be a big help someday.

 

It might seem silly to remember lines and don wigs and outfits to get out on the stage, but it can give you a lot of joy deep inside. Joy is one thing that is in very short supply inside the walls of Sing Sing.

 

The guys decide that the next performance needs to be something pretty wild. The want Classic Drama, and a Cowboy Story, and Ancient Egypt, something about Gladiators, and a Time-Travel Comedy. Brent takes all of those suggestions and come up with this own work .

 

Brent is calling it “Breakin’ The Mummy’s Code”. It is pretty expansive story that goes through space and time, for an Egyptian Prince going everywhere to find his ‘Mummy’. Everyone is thrilled, except for ‘Divine Eye’. He thinks it is stupid…

 

But ‘Eye’ finds a way to get into the play. One of the characters is “Hamlet” (the Classic Drama part of the story). ‘Eye’ knows that ‘G’ has played Classic characters in the past. So he gets in there first and ‘Eye’ is selected to play Hamlet.

 

All the better to irritate ‘G’ — right? ‘Eye’ has bit of a rough time at first. It is difficult to get all the words out correctly, and he does not like to have people lurking behind him. Brent tells him – the people are not ‘lurking’ back there. It is called blocking…

 

There are not too many who get to come and go, after all — they are in a prison. But the RTA troupe loses one of members, due to an unexpected medical condition. Also, the group gets to meet with a formerly incarcerated group member who got out on parole.

 

The group is happy to hear from ‘Blaze’ (played by Jon-Adrian Velazquez). He explains that life on the outside can be tedious and unfair. But it has the one thing out there that they do not have in Sing Sing — freedom.

 

‘G’ finds out the ‘Eye’ is going to have a Parole Board hearing very soon. It is about the same time as his upcoming hearing. ‘Eye’ says he is not interested in getting anything prepared or submitting an essay to the Board. ‘G’ has been in the act of preparing ever since his prior Board Hearing.

 

He has all the information that anyone could need. ‘G’ says that normally, when the Board sends the decision back to the inmate, it could go two ways. If the envelope is big and thick, then settle in a long time. If it is a thin little envelope — then get ready to be set free…

 

There are Parole Hearings in front the Board for both ‘Divine Eye’ and for ‘Divine G’. One of them gets the thick response, and the other one gets the paper-thin envelope. But as they say, “The Show Must Go On”. The RTA troupe puts on the weird little play that Brent Buell created for them. “Breakin’ The Mummy’s Code” goes over really well.

 

‘Divine Eye’ gets a lot of praise for his “Hamlet’, and all the guys have a great time putting it on. ‘G’ was feeling a bit down for a while, since he will be spending a bit more time in Sing Sing. But even he could see the light at the end of his incarceration tunnel.

 

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“Sing Sing” has the amazing fact that many of the actors in the movie are the actual men who were once locked away for good. Except for Colman Domingo and Paul Raci — the rest of the actors in the movie are the ones whom they portray.

 

Now released and rehabilitated, the men who are up on the screen are the same ones who were once behind bars. “Rehabilitation Through the Arts” — you can see that in this case, it worked exactly as promised.

 

“Sing Sing” says you can put that Shawshank place on the back burner. This is the story of ‘The Sing Sing Redemption’.