Review Roundup: SING SING- Find Out What Critics Think of the Colman Domingo-Led Theatre Drama

Sing Sing, the new film starring Colman Domingo has opened in limited theaters.

In the A24 drama, Domingo plays Divine G who is imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn’t commit. He finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other incarcerated men, including a wary newcomer (Clarence Maclin), in this stirring true story of resilience, humanity, and the transformative power of art, starring an unforgettable ensemble cast of formerly incarcerated actors.

In addition to Domingo and Macline, the film also stars Sean San Jose and Academy Award nominee Paul Raci. Sing Sing is directed by Greg Kwedar. 

Ahead of the film's wide release in theaters on August 2, find out what critics thought of the new film.

Note: The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023. Several of these reviews were published following those early screenings.

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Valerie Complex, Deadline: "Sing Sing is a beacon of hope, shedding light on a crucial truth – that prisons house human beings, individuals with stories and aspirations. It is a call for empathy and understanding, emphasizing the undeniable fact that many incarcerated people ardently deserve rehabilitation and change. The film leaves its audience with a resonating thought: that behind every prison number there exists a human, yearning for acceptance, understanding and a chance to rewrite their story."

Stephen Saito, Variety: "Drawing from their experience as volunteer teachers at correctional facilities, Kwedar and Bentley are conscious of the raw power of seeing these men transform before our eyes from hardened prisoners into playful performers. A handful of scenes may run slightly longer than they should, but it’s a small price to pay, considering the deeply empathetic and hugely engaging look “Sing Sing” offers of the carceral system, where no one should be defined by their past and written off by society."

Lovia Gyarke, Hollywood Reporter: "Kwedar’s film is a portrait of friendship and a tribute to art’s restorative value. The helmer’s considered direction coaxes a lot of big lessons from this quiet film. Sing Sing is about the gift of creating with community and the redemptive nature of self-expression."

Fletcher Peters, The Daily Beast: "Sing Sing is a revelation—although perhaps not as much as Breakin’ the Mummy’s Code. But nothing could top a story that sees a young Egyptian boy calling out for his mother, “Mummy! Mummy!” Comedic gold. Shakespeare ought to hand over his crown for being the greatest playwright of all time to anyone involved in the creation of Sing Sing, the first total triumph of the year."

Tom Gliatto, People: "Sing Sing isn’t what you’d call a feel-good movie — it’s inspirational and moving, but it also carefully avoids the sort of easy emotional upsurge that might encourage you to cheer. Directed by Greg Kwedar with a quiet firmness, it understands all too well the difference between a liberated imagination and the actual physical freedom that beckons beyond the prison walls."

Siddhant Adlakha, Mashable: "Despite the movie’s documentarian feel, and its self-reflexive approach to performance, Sing Sing is first and foremost an entertaining, engaging story of a community thrown together under oppressive circumstances. As much as it resembles The Work, it also echoes the rousing classical drama of Miloš Forman’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest — only its Nurse Ratched is the ever-present specter of the American prison system, which seeks to stifle hope and personal growth."

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Watch the trailer for Sing Sing here:

Photo Credit: A24

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