In the infamous Sing Sing prison, a group of incarcerated inmates participate in the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program, acting in, directing, and writing stage plays. The group faces their most ambitious project yet in the form of a surreal comedy involving historical and fictional figures embarking on a time-traveling journey. Will their production be a success, or will the emotional baggage faced by the inmates derail the process?
SING SING has been getting rave reviews. One of my fellow critics at the screening I attended here in Vegas at AMC Town Square claimed he’d seen the film at a festival some time ago, and liked it so much he was attending this screening to see it again. I found the notion behind the film to certainly sound unique and appealing. While I wouldn’t say the film is quite the masterpiece people are raving about, it is a solid film with an original premise. And perhaps most importantly, it’s worth seeing.
There are a lot of movies out there about prison life. They often revolve around conflicts like gang wars and abuse at the hands of guards. SING SING scores points for looking at a more redemptive angle, making these incarcerated men into sympathetic characters looking for an outlet and to develop themselves into something more than what society has labeled them. The film is genuinely emotional and touching, but the sheer premise of the play the group attempts to create is laugh-out-loud funny at times as well.
The casting is one of SING SING’s greatest assets. I’d never heard of a single person in this film before; many of them are former inmates who were a part of this RTA program in real life who are essentially “playing themselves” on camera. The results speak for themselves, and while the film sometimes does struggle to juggle its fairly large cast, we do get a feel for these men and what they face.
SING SING isn’t perfect; it’s a bit over-the-top with its premise at times, and it does feel like it’s dragging in a few places, I won’t deny that it’s a moving and powerful film, and a much-needed movie in today’s cinema world that doesn’t feel like a retread of everything else. This one earns a solid recommendation.