21/43
These are the actual audition tapes used to cast the film
Divine G, imprisoned in Sing Sing for a crime he didn’t commit, finds meaning in a theater group with other incarcerated men in this story of resilience, humanity, and the transformative power of art. a film in which actors audition for various parts in a play. The group has been criticized for not doing comedies, but their previous performance was A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which is a comedy.
The blade was designed by Bryce Dessner
In Late Night with Seth Meyers: Anna Faris/Colman Domingo/Jose Medeles (2024). It was a very competently and professionally made film that is somewhat marred by the lack of key plot elements. The film itself is mostly solid on all technical fronts.
Unfortunately, this seems to be true of the entire film
The dialogue is real and raw, the arc and pacing are just right, and the acting is extremely solid. However, the film doesn’t really stand out in any of these aspects. There’s a lot of good stuff going on here: layered conversations and meanings, beautiful musical choices, understandable stakes.
But nothing spectacular
Perhaps the film’s biggest sin is its commitment to the character drama genre. I can certainly appreciate the slow burn, but there are long stretches of the film where nothing happens and to some extent it has no impact on the plot. Maybe that’s what it needs to do – the film’s atmosphere works well, combined with the shaky camera style that gives it a real and raw energy.
The price is that the main theme or plot, if there is one, is muddled
Ultimately, it’s a good film that I’m sure will be great for some people. It’s definitely worth watching, but it ended up being a bit boring for me.