Of all the movies from TIFF last year, none came out of nowhere more than Sing Sing. I hadn't even heard of it until people I know started seeing it, and nearly everyone I spoke to said it was one of if not THE best film at the festival. I didn't have the chance to see it then but it is finally in theatres now and it truly is one of the most must-see movies of the year.
Directed by Greg Kwedar, the film is based on the theatre program at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility in New York. Oscar nominee Colman Domingo plays the inmate essentially leading the program as they work to put on their latest production. Along the way he grows close to a new member of the program played by Clarence Maclin, showing him how the arts can be an escape from the circumstances they are in while also coming in tune with themselves.
This is one of those movies that leaves you uplifted despite punching you in the gut repeatedly. There is almost never a focus on why any of these men are incarcerated and I think that allows you as a viewer to focus on the characters as they are in the present rather than who they may have been before. That makes it extremely easy to fall for each member of the program, as each have a gentleness to them and passion for their art that is impossible not to smile with. Much of the cast is composed of actual former members of the program, including breakout star Clarence Maclin, which gives the film a truly personal feel while adding to how connected you feel to these characters.
Another big reason this story works so well is how unbelievable Colman Domingo is in the leading role. This has already gotten buzz as a potential best actor winner at the Oscars and I really hope that pans out. Domingo has been great in plenty of different projects but this is one of the best performances I've seen in some time, performing a balancing act between a performer with commanding stage presence and a broken man silently struggling with his situation. It's a performance that had me pumped up as he delivered lines on stage, then close to tears when more emotional beats came in. Clarence Maclin also nails a similar balance, in his case acting tough while letting crumbs of fear and insecurity leak out. The whole ensemble is really great, those two are the real standouts but there isn't a bad performance here, and the actors being former members of the program is a truly special touch.
Even just from a filmmaking perspective, this is a beautiful work. The cinematography is just gorgeous, making the most of its setting to deliver something that looks at times dreamlike, and effect aided by a score that is just as beautiful. It's subtle but has a swooning tone to it to aid the emotional feel. Kwedar nails the tone here too, knowing when to punch us in the gut but delivering an overall uplifting watch that by the end feels almost magical.
Sometimes a movie only exists to make us feel good, and this isn't one of them. It tackles a complex idea and doesn't shy away from the soul crushing side of it. Despite that, it's a film that instills hope despite the sadder side of things, and from start to finish features some of the best filmmaking and acting of the year. This is an absolute must watch.
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