‘Sing Sing’: When ‘To be or not to be’ turns into more than a question

Director Greg Kwedar’s film finds the humanity living within the souls of men who society has locked away

If you’ve heard of the film “Sing Sing,” it’s likely due to the critical attention placed on its two lead performances, Colman Domingo, playing the real-life “Divine G,” and Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin, portraying a version of himself in this true story of two incarcerated men in New York’s Sing Sing prison. Both actors are sensational in the film. Maclin serves as co-writer of the movie, along with director Kwedar. It’s those writing and directorial decisions that set this film apart from other prison dramas.

The true story of John “Divine G” Whitfield is he spent 25 years in prison for second-degree murder, a crime he did not commit. While the temptation to give Whitfield’s harrowing story the standard biopic treatment is high, Kwedar and co-writer Maclin have different plans. 

The injustice of being locked up for a quarter of a century for a crime you didn’t commit is infuriating enough. The fact that Whitfield spent 10 of those years locked up, even when evidence came to light that he did not commit the murders, is the blunt reality of the American justice system that tends to look at those incarcerated as criminals one way or another.

Whitfield, a deejay and artist, saw first-hand how prison dehumanizes and made it his purpose to do something to help him and his fellow inmates. He helped found the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at Sing Sing. What amounts to a theater troupe for prisoners, the program gives those who wish to join it a purpose beyond their sentence. Kwedar’s movie centers on this part of the story, and it is a fascinating and enlightening endeavor that unearths the humanity behind these prisoners, who are more than their crimes.

The film focuses little on the reasons that put these men in Sing Sing, but we get to know these characters throughout the film’s economic 1-hour,  47-minute runtime. 

In another stroke of the film’s genius, the majority of the actors in the movie are prisoners who were members of the RTA program, playing versions of themselves. We can sense their rawness as actors and their authenticity. If anything, the other actors are so genuine that, at times, Domingo stands out because he has classical training the others do not. And this is not a detriment; there is an air of superiority in Domingo’s “Divine G.” He’s a prisoner like everyone else, but he knows he’s the better actor, which makes for some gripping drama when he recruits “Divine Eye” Maclin to the RTA. Maclin plays “Hamlet” in the mix-tape production of several genres the troupe agrees to perform. What starts as a rivalry between two very different men grows into a powerful friendship in two of the most outstanding acting performances of the year. Domingo, for his efforts, received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. It’s too bad there wasn’t an additional slot available in the supporting category to include Maclin. His performance is a fiery revelation, and we hope to see more of him in future films.

It is of little surprise that “Hamlet” should play a critical role in the play. Maclin and “Divine G” struggle with the weight of their sentences, the “what ifs” and the “what might never be.” Is there a worthwhile existence to be had in prison when the rest of society thinks you are nothing? The film presents weighty matters, and the filmmaking excellence of the cast and crew shows they are up to the task of providing an answer. Ultimately, yes. No matter what someone has done in life to land them a life sentence, it is still life and a life worth living. The production gives these men a purpose beyond the cellblock, and you can feel the genuine importance the rehearsals play. If prison is meant to be a place of rehabilitation, programs like the RTA provide it. 

There are too many moments to mention without spoiling the enjoyment of this movie, and I found myself welled up with emotion. These characters grew on me. I cared for them and was surprised at how much tension and drama could be built up over mounting a play production while in prison. 

The stakes for these men go beyond an opening night performance. The film continually reminds us that these men deal with other matters, like parole and clemency hearings, when not working on rehearsals. In these things, freedom hangs in the elusive balance. 

Cinematographer Pat Scola’s use of 16mm film and tight 1.66:1 frame zooms in and out of shots often throughout the movie, elongating or closing up space, making us feel the claustrophobic tightness of the prison walls. Other shots in and around the prison provide a realism missing from other prison movies. It’s mundane. Sing Sing sits along the Hudson River, and to the unobserved, one would not guess what occurs inside. It’s a constant reminder that this waterside compound is a place many of its inhabitants will never leave.

There are heartbreaking moments in this movie that will anger you at the injustice that comes to some, be it due to their race or circumstance. However, the film raises the eternal question in “Divine Eye’s” Hamlet character. “To be or not to be?” The movie posits two prisons at work for the men of Sing Sing: the bars they live behind and the ones they form in their minds. They do not have control over one, but through art, they can unlock the doors of the other.  “To be” is most decidedly the way for these thespians. 

James Kent is the publisher’s assistant/arts editor at the Mountain Times and the co-host of the “Stuff We’ve Seen” podcast.