The Piano Lesson

The Piano Lesson(2024)

PG-13
11/07/2024 (US)Drama, Music2h 7m
6.0

"Blood is a chord that resonates through time."

Overview

A brother and sister's battle over a prized heirloom piano unleashes haunting truths about how the past is perceived — and who defines a family legacy.

Malcolm Washington

Director

Malcolm Washington

Screenplay

Virgil Williams

Screenplay

Where to Watch

Stream

Netflix
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Media

Official Trailer #2

Official Trailer #2

Trailer

Official Trailer

Official Trailer

Trailer

Malcolm Washington on his film THE PIANO LESSON

Malcolm Washington on his film THE PIANO LESSON

Featurette

Denzel Washington and Malcolm Washington on How The Piano Lesson Was Made

Denzel Washington and Malcolm Washington on How The Piano Lesson Was Made

Behind the Scenes

Malcolm Washington On His Vision for The Piano Lesson

Malcolm Washington On His Vision for The Piano Lesson

Behind the Scenes

The Cast of The Piano Lesson Share Personal Experiences With Ancestors

The Cast of The Piano Lesson Share Personal Experiences With Ancestors

Featurette

How Brothers Malcolm & John David Washington Hit the Right Notes in ‘The Piano Lesson’

How Brothers Malcolm & John David Washington Hit the Right Notes in ‘The Piano Lesson’

Featurette

The Cast of The Piano Lesson Share Superstitions From Set

The Cast of The Piano Lesson Share Superstitions From Set

Featurette

The Cast of The Piano Lesson Break down the Boy Willie Fight Scene

The Cast of The Piano Lesson Break down the Boy Willie Fight Scene

Featurette

John David Washington & Ray Fisher Discuss Family Heirlooms

John David Washington & Ray Fisher Discuss Family Heirlooms

Featurette

The Piano Lesson Cast Discuss Berneice Seeing a Ghost

The Piano Lesson Cast Discuss Berneice Seeing a Ghost

Featurette

Malcolm Washington on Directing The Piano Lesson

Malcolm Washington on Directing The Piano Lesson

Featurette

Danielle Deadwyler, Corey Hawkins, & Malcolm Washington Discuss The Piano Lesson

Danielle Deadwyler, Corey Hawkins, & Malcolm Washington Discuss The Piano Lesson

Featurette

Director Malcolm Washington Discusses His First Feature Film

Director Malcolm Washington Discusses His First Feature Film

Featurette

The Piano Lesson Cast Discuss the Carvings in the Piano

The Piano Lesson Cast Discuss the Carvings in the Piano

Featurette

The Cast of Piano Lesson Interview Each Other

The Cast of Piano Lesson Interview Each Other

Featurette

'The Piano Lesson' With Malcolm Washington, John David Washington, and More

'The Piano Lesson' With Malcolm Washington, John David Washington, and More

Featurette

Honouring The Play | TIFF 2024

Honouring The Play | TIFF 2024

Featurette

Reclaiming History: Malcolm Washington & Virgil Williams on THE PIANO LESSON  | TIFF 2024

Reclaiming History: Malcolm Washington & Virgil Williams on THE PIANO LESSON | TIFF 2024

Featurette

John David Washington on Netflix's The Piano Lesson #lff

John David Washington on Netflix's The Piano Lesson #lff

Featurette

Red Carpet | TIFF 2024

Red Carpet | TIFF 2024

Featurette

Social

B
A review by Brent Marchant
5.0

Written on December 3, 2024

When a gifted playwright’s work is adapted for the big screen, the transition from one medium to another can be quite challenging to pull off successfully. And, if the adaptation gets it wrong, it fails to do justice to the source material, an outcome that often unfairly reinforces the blanket denigration often accorded to film as an “inferior” artform compared to others (like literature or the stage). Such is the case, unfortunately, with this latest adaptation of work drawn from the writings of August Wilson, a stage-to-screen cross-over comes up short compared to previous conversions of his material (like “Fences” (2016), which succeeded brilliantly). This tale of two siblings (John David Washington, Danielle Deadwyler) who match wits over the fate of a family heirloom – a piano with a hand-carved façade featuring images of their slave era ancestors – depicts their heated discussions over its ultimate dispensation, one option aimed at selling it and the other bent on retaining it as a treasured piece of family history. As this scenario plays out, however, complications emerge when the ghosts of their deceased relatives and other spirits make their surreal presence known in steering the quarrelsome brother and sister to settle the matter. It’s an intriguing premise, one that speaks volumes about dealing with the ghosts of one’s past, what they endured in their lives and how the impact of their experiences has been passed down to their descendants. But many of the film’s scenes fall prey to one of the key pitfalls that often undermine theatrical adaptations – a series of overlong, stagey, tediously talky conversations that may work on Broadway but that try the patience of viewers on screen. What’s more, many sequences launch into seemingly unrelated exchanges whose connections to the primary narrative often seem tangential at best, segments that are further undermined by loquacious and not particularly interesting dialogues. And, as for the fantasy sequences, their excessively disparate nature is wholly incongruous with the remainder of the film, looking more like they belong in a movie like “Carrie” (1976) than an August Wilson production. While writer-director Malcolm Washington’s debut feature definitely has its strong suits, such as its fine ensemble of performances, inventive cinematography and meticulous period piece production design, it lacks the integral components needed to make this a compelling and engaging watch. To be sure, August Wilson deserves better than what’s materialized here, a film that’s largely forgettable and a pale shadow of his other cinematic adaptations.