Divine G, imprisoned in Sing Sing for a crime he didn’t commit, finds purpose in performing in a theater troupe alongside other imprisoned men in this story of resilience, humanity, and the transformative power of art. Early in the film, the actors audition for different roles in the play. These are actual audition tapes that were used to cast the film. The group is criticized for not doing comedy, but their previous work was A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which is a comedy. Featured on Late Night with Seth Meyers: Anna Faris/Colman Domingo/Jose Medeles (2024). Blades composed by Bryce Dessner. This is a very competent and professionally made film, but somewhat marred by the lack of significant plot elements. The film itself is pretty solid on all technical levels. The dialogue is real and raw, the arc and pacing are spot on, and the acting is extremely strong. However, in none of these areas does the film truly excel. Unfortunately, that seems to be the case throughout the film. There are a lot of good things happening: layered conversations and meanings, good musical choices, you understand what’s at stake. However, nothing really stands out. Perhaps the greatest sin of this film is its dedication to the character-driven drama genre. I can definitely appreciate a slow burn, but there are long stretches of the film where nothing happens, and on some level, there’s no clear denouement to the story. Perhaps that’s a trade-off: the atmosphere of the film works very well, combined with the shaky camera style of photography that gives it a real, raw energy. The cost is that a central theme, or plot if there is one, is muddled. Ultimately, it’s a good film that I’m sure some will enjoy. It’s definitely worth watching, but it ends up being a bit boring for me.