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Sing Sing

Farhad Dalal Founder
By-
Farhad Dalal
Rating
4 Star popcorn reviewss

Introduction

It is amazing how my relation with cinema has shaped up. Every time that I have tried to slightly detach myself from it, I have been lured into its beauty too. If you have been following my reviews for a while then you would know that the period from 2019 to 2023 was quite tough for me wherein I was under acute depression. But strangely enough, one of the facets of life that actually kept me going was cinema(particularly from the end of 2020 onwards when we started with Popcorn Reviewss). Since then, this has been a bond that has seen the test of times wherein we (and I say we) have shared our highs and lows together. Similarly, I would also imagine cinema to be healing in many ways. Cinema, an umbrella wherein I would also include theatre plays is a broader medium wherein so many artists indulge in the process of healing through their art, that would help them to grow as individuals. On this concept, I decided to watch the new English film Sing Sing with a lot of expectations. There was this soothing energy that brought me closer to the film given that it had such an interesting concept based on a true incident. And boy, was I pleasantly surprised with the outcome.

Story & Screenplay

In a very specific scene in the second act of Sing Sing (maximum security prison based in New York), you see a set of inmates undergoing a Rehabilitation Through Arts program wherein all of them come together to perform a play, and in the process trigger a process of healing from within. There, the task given to each of them as a part of the ‘acting process’ is to imagine and relive some of the happy memories that each one of them have been through. And while listening to those tales, my heart began to melt even while changing my perception about them and the drama. The writing beautifully uses the medium of theatre and drama as a catalyst to transform the lives of characters that are essentially flawed following a crime that they may or may not have committed. And to add to that, the writing follows the journey of a budding rivalry between two protagonists even while acting as a reminder that the medium of theatre and cinema is that of togetherness as opposed to individualistic brilliance packaged a in a screenplay standing at a shade above a 100 minutes.

One of the biggest victories with regard to the writing does lie with its staging. The setting of a prison does represent a gloomy atmosphere essentially symbolic of the lives of inmates who reside there. In a stark contrast, lies the dual lives that they lead through the plays that they perform wherein theatre and cinema act as a medium of hope and life. And this contrasting theme is nicely setup in its opening sequence wherein you are introduced to one of the two protagonists ‘Divine G’ who is wrong convicted in prison while also establishing himself as a successful playwright. Similar to the setting, he does bump into the other protagonist ‘Divine Eye’ who is a stark contrast to his own easy going personality. Divine Eye is known to be aggressive and often dismissive of any sort of art before finally complying to the demands of Divine G who pushes him to take up acting as a form of rehabilitation. Thus, there begins a transformation journey masked as a rivalry between the two characters.

The writers ensure a sense of calming influence of theater, oddly both for the characters and the viewers that results in a heartfelt set of events that unfold at regular junctures in the play. While the tone of the drama is in sync with the gloomy atmospherics, the parts involving the actual play practice is like escapism that cuts through the gloominess. As a result, there are softer moments that embrace the viewers through the individual journeys of the characters who bond with each other during the workshops, and in the process also heal from within. Hence, the perception of the characters from the lens of the setting transforms into a totally different perception once you begin to spend time with them.

The writing doesn’t shy away from reminding the viewers that prison is never a pleasant place to reside, and if given a choice, none of the inmates would wish to continue their lives there. This was particularly true with Divine G who had to deal with bouts of depression, angst and anxiety given that he was falsely convicted in a case that found him in Sing Sing. The shades of frustration are restrained but equally important to his healing process even as you initially see him putting up a happy face, only to finally reveal his inner turmoils. I did feel that the drama did get the emotional aspect of the drama really well although I must admit that the events leading up to the final act are slightly abrupt. The little montage at the end highlighting reels from real life are really emotional and heartfelt (something that could also be implied here given how all things are viewed from a binary lens in this country). Overall, the screenplay is wonderfully written, very serene and understated in its approach while using cinema and theater as a important catalyst in the drama.

Dialogues, Music & Direction

The dialogues are conversational but exude of the right kind of warmth and sincerity that add a different dimension to the drama. The BGM is only sparingly used that ensures that there is no manipulation of emotions while also ensuring the raw atmospherics have a larger bearing on the drama. The cinematography comprises of frames that are grimly lit that act as a timely reminder on the hardships in jail while slightly giving in, in scenes involving theater workshops that are projected as a symbol of hope. The editing is crisp and sharp wherein the drama doesn’t overstay its welcome. Director Greg Kwedar does a wonderful job by approaching this subject matter with a lot of empathy while painting the drama with a feel-good coat amidst the grim surroundings, that act as a dichotomy of life in general. The world-building and characterization is good wherein the director deftly touches upon the right kind of emotions while gently tugging the strings of your heart. The direction is pretty good here.

Performances

The performances are excellent here and full marks to the casting director for actually casting real-life characters who have experienced a similar life. David ‘Dap’ Giraudy, Patrick ‘Preme’ Griffin, Jon-Adrian ‘JJ’ Velazquez and Sean ‘Dino’ Johnson all play versions of themselves, and all of them are terrific in their respective roles. Paul Rici as Brent is sincere and exudes a sense of warmth that accompanies his character wonderfully well. Sean San Jose as Mike Mike delivers a heartfelt performances that engulfs you with a lot of emotions especially with regard to the fate of his character. Claurence ‘Divine Eye’ Maclin who plays himself is excellent and and treads about a range of emotions seamlessly through his character. Colmon Domingo as Divine G is outstanding here in such a layered and affable character that makes you instantly root for him. He showcases his vulnerability wonderfully well and has a staggering impact on the drama, emotionally speaking. Yet, he never lets go of the warmth and charm of his character that makes him standout brilliantly so.

Conclusion

Sing Sing is a beautifully woven powerful drama highlighting theater as a medium for therapy and healing that makes for a rather heartfelt watch. This brilllant film comes with my highest recommendation.

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