If you delve deep into bowels of the dark, labyrinthine federal prison at Sing Sing, New York, and your timing is just right, you’ll find… (wait, what?)… a drama club.

Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) is an in-(big)-house program that, as its name implies, gives life-scarred inmates an opportunity to rediscover their humanity and hopefully move on and up (and out).

Director Greg Kwedar’s ode to the creative process blurs the line between documentary and drama, a vibe that’s enhanced by the fact that only three of the group’s members are professional actors (Colman Domingo, Sean San Jose and Paul Raci). The rest are former RTA members, notably Clarence Maclin, whose story is incorporated into the screenplay.

It would be hard to overpraise the nuanced performance by Domingo (Rustin, The Color Purple) that anchors the film. By turns his expressions of anger, resignation, hope and depression result in complete believability. Simply astounding.

This is unlike any prison movie you’ve ever seen or for that matter any drama ensemble movie, owing to its commitment to the truth and to its characters, its unique empathy, and its schmaltz-free message of hope. A lot of work and care went into this moving and inspirational film, and it shows. It’ll stay with
you, and in a good way. Not to be missed. (107 min)