Sing Sing intertwines real-life woes with make believe

Sing Sing is the real-life drama of a group of inmates who trade in their cell blocks for stage blocks, as they perform plays behind bars. 

One of the best parts of Sing Sing is how it flips the script on our usual views of inmates, choosing to highlight their growth while they’re doing time.  Enter the ever-enthralling Coleman Domingo.  Whether he’s dodging zombies in Fear the Walking Dead or losing his mind in The Madness, Domingo has a knack for pulling you in and making any narrative come alive.  Every emotion from exasperation to sadness to a good ol’ fashioned “meh,” is delivered with such zeal that you can practically feel it emanating into your own soul.

While the concept has all the makings of a commercial success, I must confess the film felt a bit stagnant.  The inclusion of real inmates, like Clarence Maclin, was astute but I was hoping for a bit more action and depth to keep things moving.  More backstory on each inmate’s struggles would have given us a much needed glimpse into their pasts and personal battles.  Not only would it have kept us mentally enthralled but it would have exemplified the full spectrum of each prisoner’s transformation.  While Sing Sing could have used more pizzazz in the storyline, the performances are so strong that it’s still a worthwhile watch.