Sing Sing (2023)

Scrappy troupe, long odds, opening night on the line: Sing Sing runs on the oldest formula in show business, and it barely matters. Colman Domingo plays John "Divine G" Whitfield, the star writer and actor of Rehabilitation Through the Arts, the theater program inside Sing Sing prison, led by director Brent Buell (Paul Raci). Divine G is also fighting to prove his innocence. Then he helps bring in Clarence "Divine Eye" Maclin, playing himself, a hard-edged skeptic who thinks acting is a con. They clash over the next show. Divine G wants serious drama, Divine Eye wants a comedy, and the room sides with comedy. Many in Greg Kwedar’s cast are real alumni of the program, and when Buell runs his emotional acting exercises, you’re watching men find words for things they’ve carried for years. Domingo is extraordinary, and Maclin matches him beat for beat. It holds a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. A 9.1 because it’s tender, funny and earns every minute. $737 says you look up whether there’s a community theater near you before the week is out.

What works: Colman Domingo gives a towering performance, and the ensemble of real program alumni brings an authenticity no casting call could fake.

What doesn’t: It follows the familiar shape of a putting-on-a-show story, so a few turns in the rehearsal arc are easy to see coming.

Who it’s for: Anyone who believes in second chances, theater kids of every age, and people who want a drama that leaves them hopeful.