Last Updated on November 22, 2024 by Stephinie Heitman
The Piano Lesson is a 2024 Superhero, action, and thriller Movie directed by Malcolm Washington and written by Virgil Williams, Malcolm Washington, and August Wilson. The film stars Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, and Danielle Deadwyler with a runtime of 2 hours and 5 minutes, theatre released on November 22, 2024.
Are you ever curious to know what respecting your heritage entails even as you yearn for a better tomorrow? Which is the core of The Piano Lesson for most of it is based on August Wilson’s 1987 play and is a family drama with supernatural themes and a reflection on history.
“The Piano Lesson” is a Washington family affair: Their father, Denzel, is in the film as the producer, and the lead role is given to their son, John David, their other son, Malcolm, directing the film, and their elder daughter, Katia being an executive producer for the film and Olivia, sister of Malcolm and twin to Katia, has a cameo role in the movie. Together, they struggled to bring the iconic 1987 stage play of the same name to the screen, and it was a shame that Wilson did not fare well in this adaptation.
What’s the Story About?
This movie is adapted from August Wilson’s play which is one of the plays that form the “Pittsburgh Cycle”. These 10 plays are each set in a different decade of the 20th century and depict what life was like for black people, especially in the Hill District of Pittsburgh. Examples of themes include leaving behind the horrors of slavery, migrating north in the Great Migration, and coping with the remnants of slavery in the form of spirits. Wilson’s plays are classics of American drama, and Denzel Washington has agreed to adapt them for cinema. He has already delivered Fences (2016) and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020) among others, and there are more to come.
The story is set in 1936 when life was particularly challenging for black families especially because of the great depression. At the center, there is a beautiful old piano on which all the music gradually emerges. Not merely a piano, but one that is part of the family’s heritage, embellished with carvings by one of the family’s slaves. The struggles and stories of the Charles family are represented by the piano.
Berniece Charles is portrayed by Danielle Deadwyler, and she cherishes it as it reminds her of the hardships they faced. But her brother, Boy Willie (John David Washington), sees things differently. He wants to sell it and buy a piece of real estate land in which his family used to work as slaves before being converted into an animal. He believes that owning the piece of land is their chance to claim their independence and change their lives.
So, the siblings argue. To Berniece, selling the piano would be like leaving behind their history. He considers holding onto it to be resisting change and being confined to his old life with his father. The pull of emotions is what the story is all about. Oh, and to make things even more interesting, the movie is haunted—like, it has real ghosts haunting the main characters. Suddenly the family has to deal with the literal ghosts of the past in the form of the piano’s previous white owner – Sutter who recently died under quite suspicious circumstances.
Although, there are apparent glimpses of it present in some parts of The Piano Lesson. Father-like figure Doaker, played by Samuel L. Jackson, is also great. Jackson was actually in the original cast of this play back in 1987 when it was first produced, so he knows this story like the back of his hand. Thus, his character is like the family historian who knows better than he saw it but is also wise enough to let the young ones learn their lesson. Seeing Jackson perform is like being in class with a teacher that you like and who manages to keep you hooked.
Airport has Danielle Deadwyler as Berniece which is another highlight. You might know her from the emotional movie Till where she portrayed the character of Emmett Till’s mother. In this role, she adds so much realness to Berniece—she is powerful, fragile, and authentic. There is also a tender scene between her and a kind and bashful character named Lymon (Ray Fisher) that will make you fall in love with him. Deadwyler is the soul of the movie, and her performance alone is worth watching.
However, as much as fans of The Piano Lesson and other works by this playwright will argue that the play is flawless, there are issues that one cannot ignore as a viewer or critic. The largest of the three outstanding renderings is John David Washington in his portrayal of Boy Willie. In the play, Boy Willie is characterized as a bold, noisy, and energetic man who wants to take over the world. However, here Washington exaggerates—he overdoes it to the extent that it looks like he is mimicking rather than acting. It is as if he is attempting to be heard by the people at the back of a theater when watching a movie, which in this case is not a theater or stage play. I find it quite annoying and detracts from the development of his personality.
The next question is the direction of the process. This is Malcolm Washington’s feature directorial debut, and despite most of his enthusiasm, the viewer gets the impression that the movie is rather inconsistent. He attempts to be creative with the use of flashbacks and other cinematographic techniques but they serve to be rather intrusive at times given their placement. While the theatrical aspects are natural, some of the supernatural elements like Sutter’s ghost dripping water as he roams the house look unnatural on screen.
There is no logical flow even to the point of the music; it seems to be out of place. Some scenes in the movie take place in 1936, while the songs and their lyrics belong to the 1970s. In any case, it is quite an odd decision and might make you wonder why this was done.
Final Thoughts:
In summary, The Piano Lesson is an inconsistent work. They do however have moments of sheer brilliance, which can be credited to Jackson and Deadwyler but as a whole, it lacked a proper flow. Still, the story of history, family, and the debt to the past is as strong and engaging as in the first part of the series. Still, the movie is not always effective in capturing the experience of Wilson’s play.
Nevertheless, if one is a follower of Wilson or simply interested in a film that boasts such stars, it is perhaps worthy of watching. But let me just note that Deadwyler once again delivers a great performance proving that she’s one of the best actresses of now and someone needs to grant her cheerful romantic comedy, she deserves it!
The Piano Lesson 2024 Parents Guide Age Rating
The Piano Lesson is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Rating (MPA) for strong language, violent content, some suggestive references and smoking.
Language: Some, petty cursing that will include fair word judo (“damn”, “hell”). No explicit language.
Violence: Situational/Minor supernatural violence – includes signs of haunting such as; apparitions, and unexplained occurrences. Occasional arguments excluding physical combats.
Sexual Content: An innocent but almost sexual touch between two characters (Lymon and Berniece). No nudity or sexual scenes.
Alcohol/Drug Use: None.
Recommendation: This is why the movie has a PG-13 rating – due to its serious plot and supernatural indications and emotions. It may be a bit intense for very young children though they don’t show any very close-up killing it has images that are rather scary and it is related to ghosts which makes it better for teens and adults only because of the complicated matter discussed and inserted scenes.
