Denzel Washington produces what may be very a lot a household affair in The Piano Lesson, which hit the Netflix schedule November 22 after a restricted theatrical launch. The 2-time Oscar winner serves as a producer on the movie — an adaptation of considered one of playwright August Wilson’s most influential initiatives — whereas son Malcolm Washington makes his directorial debut and John David Washington stars as Boy Willie Charles. Critics had the prospect to display screen the film earlier than its launch on the 2024 film calendar, they usually’re raving concerning the haunting household drama.
In The Piano Lesson, a household within the Thirties argues over a 137-year-old piano, as Doaker Charles (performed by Samuel L. Jackson who originated the position of Boy Willie in 1987 on the Yale Repertory Theatre) explains the instrument’s legacy and the way it pays homage to their ancestors as Boy Willie desires to promote it. Our personal Corey Chichizola mentioned whereas it has its flaws, The Piano Lesson is a shifting piece on generational trauma, writing:
Is it higher to honor the previous even when it is painful, or to maneuver ahead and upward? The best way the supernatural factor of the story is woven into the movie’s extra grounded central query additionally helps to actually inform this story. This leads as much as a finale that enables all the narrative to repay in a giant manner. All that being mentioned, I do not assume that The Piano Lesson is an ideal movie. The film’s pacing and runtime bogged it down at factors, which is little doubt as a result of it is an adaptation of a full stage play.
Many critics are lauding Danielle Deadwyler specifically for her efficiency as Berniece, and Carla Renata of The Wrap additionally notes that Samuel L. Jackson is hilarious. In the meantime, John David Washington turns in his finest efficiency thus far as Boy Willie, who — together with Deadwyler — is the dynamic cinematic duo Renata by no means knew she wanted. The critic writes:
With performances that may resonate and a directorial debut that won’t quickly be forgotten, The Piano Lesson is a lesson in love, friendship and household. It serves as a reminder that generational wealth is not only financial, however emotionally and genetically tied to our ancestors.
Robert Daniels of ScreenDaily agrees the variation is executed completely with the assistance of its powerhouse performances. Daniels says Black audiences and awards voters will resonate with The Piano Lesson. He continues:
Deadwyler is the guts and soul of a movie whose each inch is deeply felt. The chipped paint and worn partitions make Bernice’s residence lived in; the overwhelming burst of celestial lighting fills the body with heat; the survivor’s guilt carried north by many African People through the Nice Migration takes maintain. Generally the Southern Gothic derived bumps within the night time aren’t wholly interwoven, and the narrative can lose its propulsiveness as a result of ample characters and storylines. But The Piano Lesson will not be solely a robust debut by Malcolm Washington, but in addition sings the tune of a folks with unusual reverence.
Steph Inexperienced of Empire additionally praises Danielle Deadwyler however total doesn’t see a lot elevation from the stage manufacturing to the display screen. Inexperienced provides the movie 3 out of 5 stars, saying:
There are actually vigorous scenes — such because the opening piano-heist flashback, set throughout Fourth Of July festivities; some pleasingly kinetic musical-hall sequences that includes music legend Erykah Badu; and most importantly, the moments the place Berniece and Boy Willie lock horns on how finest to pay tribute to their ancestors. Washington wrestles with concepts of legacy and the way one ought to honour one’s forebears. However the movie hardly ever elevates the play’s motion in a major manner, the transitions between comedy, drama and horror generally feeling clumsy. It’s a disgrace, as a result of when Washington does flex his budding directorial muscle tissue, The Piano Lesson finds its melody.
Maureen Lee Lenker of EW grades the film an A-, saying The Piano Lesson packs a message so highly effective about trauma and the need of confronting it that audiences will likely be occupied with this one lengthy after its 2-hour runtime. The critic continues:
Malcolm Washington makes his directorial debut with the movie and it is a potent showcase for his visionary, promising abilities as a filmmaker. There are segments of The Piano Lesson, significantly within the early expository sequences, that really feel a bit stagey and indebted to the work’s theatrical origins. However, by and huge, Washington each expands and zooms in on the world in uniquely cinematic methods, whether or not it’s his evocative flashbacks or his use of digicam tips to intensify the textual content’s supernatural components.
The above critics appear to agree this is likely one of the finest motion pictures to stream on Netflix, and that’s additional bolstered by its 90% Licensed Recent ranking on Rotten Tomatoes. If this providing from the Washington household seems like it is going to resonate with you, fireplace up that Netflix subscription, as a result of it’s accessible to stream now.