Greetings again from the darkness. Since I missed this one on its initial run earlier this year, it became part of my end of year movie marathon where I catch up on the films that slipped through during the previous few months. Even though the premise doesn’t much sound like one I’d embrace, I’m so glad I worked this one into the schedule. On the surface, following a group of prisoners as they work to put on a stage presentation hardly sounds like a desirable form of entertainment, but what a pleasant surprise this one turned out to be.
Buckle up for a second as I try to explain the foundation of this one. John H Richardson had his article “The Sing Sing Follies” published in Esquire magazine. The article was based on Brent Buell’s play “Breakin’ the Mummy Code” which was a prison stage production. The story was enhanced by former prisoners Clarence Divine Eye Maclin and John Divine G Whitfield, and the screenplay was co-written by Cline Bentley and the film’s director Greg Kwedar. Furthermore, Divine Eye and Divine G are both characters in the film, with Clarence Maclin portraying himself. What a wonderfully tangled web of production this is.
The amazingly talented Colman Domingo (MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM, 2020) plays Divine G, the unofficial ringleader of the local RTA (Rehabilitation Through Arts). While he works as a recruiter and writer for the troupe, it’s Brent Buell (played by Paul Raci, SOUND OF METAL, 2019), who directs and co-writes the productions. The dynamics change quickly when new guy, Divine Eye (Maclin), shows up to audition for the lead role that typically goes to Divine G. The two men couldn’t be much different as Divine G is an energetic and artsy guy who smiles a lot, while Divine Eye is an intimidating hulk of a man whose stone-faced expression only changes when he sneers.
It’s quite interesting to see the new play come together after suggestions from the cast include such aspects as time travel, Hamlet, Gladiators, Robin Hood, and Freddie Kreuger. About the time we get comfortable watching this group of men bond for the purposes of the show, reality strikes back in the form of parole hearings. Despite the distraction, these men never forget they are incarcerated and have little daily freedom. It’s especially tough and unfair and heart-breaking when one has been imprisoned for a crime they didn’t commit.
Much of the cast is made up of men who were previously imprisoned, including Clarence Maclin, who along with Colman Domingo (especially expressive in close-ups) delivers a powerhouse performance. The score by Bryce Dessner (THE TWO POPES, 2019) is terrific, and director Kwedar includes vintage clips at the end of the actual prison shows. Despite the feel-good nature of the prison shows, there is an underlying message that happy endings are not guaranteed. Let’s just hope no parents mistake this for the 2016 PG-rated animated film, SING.
Posted by David Ferguson 
Movie Reviews from the Dark 