Sing Sing Review: Colman Domingo Leads an Excellent Prison Drama

   December 4, 2024

Few films in the 2020s have matched the emotional impact and resonance of Sing Sing. A deeply sincere and open exploration of how we channel our emotions into the things we care about most, while also examining how those same passions can serve as an escape from life’s pain points. The movie is a riveting drama that gently reminds viewers that, even within the broken systems we create, art has the power to both liberate and comfort.

Colman Domingo in Sing Sing
Colman Domingo in Sing Sing
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As with many standout A24 films, Sing Sing seamlessly blends artfulness, accessibility, and heartfelt storytelling. Despite its overt emotionality, the film never veers into preachiness or forced sentimentality. Its delivery is natural, effortlessly lo-fi and charming, and it showcases some of the most endearing, vulnerable performances of the year. It’s a standout example of cinema that wears its heart on its sleeve with grace and authenticity.

This may be a heavy-handed way of saying it, but Sing Sing isn’t just one of my favorite movies of 2024—it’s one of my favorite movies of the decade. The film takes the tender, redemptive elements of The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile and evolves them into a fully realized, artful vision. It thoughtfully portrays how a maximum-security prison’s theater program becomes a profound source of escape and purpose for inmates, focusing on the genuine joy and goodness they bring to one another and the world beyond their walls.

Among the inmates is Divine G (Colman Domingo, delivering the performance of his career), imprisoned for a crime he insists he didn’t commit and clinging to the belief that he has evidence that will one day exonerate him. Divine finds purpose and solace in the prison’s theater program, which he not only participates in but helps to lead alongside a few other prisoners. His dedication to the craft is as much about finding personal freedom as it is about fostering connection and creativity among his fellow inmates.

After years of waiting, Domingo has finally landed material that matches the depth of his talent. While he’s made his mark with memorable supporting roles in acclaimed projects like Euphoria, much of his work has been in lighter or less substantial fare such as Candyman, Zola, and Drive-Away Dolls (the latter of which still manages to be genuinely enjoyable). Sing Sing is an entirely different beast—stripped of gloss, eschewing flashiness, and demanding the kind of emotional vulnerability that Domingo excels at. This is the role that truly solidifies him as one of the finest actors working today.

Clarence Maclin and Colman Domingo in Sing Sing
Clarence Maclin and Colman Domingo in Sing Sing

Sing Sing also takes the time to develop the backstories and humanize the other inmates involved in the theater program. Among them is Mike Mike (Sean San Jose), Divine G’s closest confidant, who occupies the neighboring cell and serves as a grounding presence throughout the film. The rest of the cast is composed of real-life former inmates, including David “Dap” Giraudy, Patrick “Preme” Griffin, Mosi Eagle, James “Big E” Williams, and Sean Dino Johnson. These men bring an authenticity to the film that transcends performance; their lived experiences enrich the narrative and anchor it in a profound truth. This blending of reality and art makes Sing Sing not only a triumph for director Greg Kwedar but also a uniquely conceived project that feels utterly singular in its execution.

And then there’s Clarence Maclin as Divine Eye, whose cold and guarded demeanor initially alienates Divine G and the rest of the group. Divine Eye reluctantly joins the program, but his struggle to let his guard down creates a powerful emotional throughline. The dynamic between Divine Eye and Divine G is compelling in its simplicity yet profound in its execution. Maclin and Domingo infuse their characters with equal complexity, transforming what could have been a straightforward arc into a layered exploration of vulnerability and connection. Their evolving bond is one of the film’s most poignant elements, reflecting Sing Sing’s overarching themes of redemption and humanity.

A few moments in Sing Sing feel slightly contrived, seemingly inserted to add additional set pieces and avoid the perception of being “plotless.” However, these minor blemishes are easy to overlook, as the film’s emotional resonance and originality shine through. Its authenticity and deeply moving narrative far outweigh these small missteps, making it a striking and unforgettable film

Sing Sing has unfortunately lost some momentum in this year’s awards race. It hasn’t been received commercially like other highly touted A24 projects Everything Everywhere All at Once and Civil War. Financially, it hasn’t matched the success of those titles, and the studio appears to be prioritizing other awards-season contenders such as The Brutalist, A Different Man, and Babygirl. Despite this, Sing Sing stands tall as one of the best films of 2024—and arguably of the decade. Its poignant, original narrative and deeply human performances make it a truly remarkable achievement, deserving of far more recognition than it’s currently receiving.

Score: 9/10

Movies like Sing Sing (2024)

Movies like Sing Sing include Here (2024), Juror #2 (2024), and A Real Pain (2024).

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