Title: Sing Sing
Director: Greg Kwedar
Screenplay by Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar
Based on the true story of John “Divine G” Whitfield and Clarence Maclin
Release Date: August 2, 2024
Runtime: 1h 47m
Genre: Drama
plot details
Sing Sing follows a wrongfully convicted man (Colman Domingo) who finds purpose and community in a maximum-security prison’s theatre troupe. It centers on the transformative power of art, bringing together a group of incarcerated men to write and stage plays while reclaiming their humanity.
my thoughts
There are truly not enough words to express how much I absolutely loved this movie! If you follow my blog, you know I am a very big fan of the production company A24. However, I have to be entirely honest: I found that they had quite a few misses throughout 2024. I was starting to feel a bit disconnected from their recent catalog, but this movie… this is exactly what I think of when I think of an A24 masterpiece. It hits with the same artistic weight and cinematic gravity as The Brutalist movie, proving that when a studio lets human-driven storytelling take center stage, magic happens.
The film focuses heavily on Divine G, who is navigating the unimaginable reality of being imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit. Throughout the story, we get to see him wear so many titles: he is a playwright, a father, and a deeply loyal friend to many of the men inside.
To cope with his surroundings, he uses theatre as an active escape from the harsh reality that he and the other inmates are forced to face day in and day out. As someone who has spent years using art and storytelling to process my own overwhelming days, I deeply related to using theatre in this way. It felt like a weighted blanket for the soul, much like the comfort routines I look for when my brain is crowded, which I talk about in my list of comfort movies to watch when spiraling. Seeing that universal human need for emotional escape captured on screen made me feel incredibly seen.
a deeply personal & authentic masterpiece
What made me love this movie so much wasn’t just the theatre aspect, but the profound way the story was told. I knew before walking into the theater that many of the character portrayals were done by real-life formerly incarcerated individuals who actually lived and inspired these exact stories.
Knowing that the cast was filled with the real men from the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program made the film feel so much more personal, raw, and revealing. Every performance carried a layer of genuine truth that traditional actors simply wouldn’t be able to replicate. It strips away all the Hollywood filters and leaves you with pure, unfiltered human connection.
final thoughts
Yes! I would recommend this movie to anyone and everyone! It is an incredibly inspirational story that made me feel so many intense, beautiful feelings all at once. If you have the chance to watch it, please do not skip out on it!
let’s chat!
What is your favorite A24 film of all time, and do you think their recent releases have been hitting the mark for you?
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