While the movie industry continues to struggle in several areas, we live in a time when emerging talent is having big impacts on modern cinema. Among the most exciting names is John David Washington, a young star following in the acting footsteps of his famous father, Denzel Washington. The younger Washington has put together a small but eclectic filmography, having already worked with such directors as Spike Lee, Christopher Nolan, and David O. Russell.
But it’s Washington’s latest film that may best display his immense talent. “The Piano Lesson” is a key play in the late, great August Wilson’s The Pittsburgh Cycle – a series of ten plays, each set in the Steel City during different decades. Wilson’s aim was to offer a different way of looking at the Black experience in the 20th century. Adapting his work is nothing new for the Washington family.
Interestingly, Denzel Washington won a Tony Award for his Broadway performance in “Fences”, the third play in Wilson’s Pittsburgh series. Denzel later made a critically acclaimed film adaptation of “Fences” which earned four Academy Award nominations. Now his family’s connection with Wilson’s work continues with “The Piano Lesson”, a film featuring one of the best acting ensembles of 2024 and one of the most impressive directorial debuts of the year from Malcolm Washington, Denzel’s youngest son and John David’s brother.
As with other August Wilson adaptations such as “Fences” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”, the story’s stage roots are impossible to miss. But Malcolm Washington (who also co-wrote the script alongside Virgil Williams) has a cinematic eye that transcends any perceived limitations. And he understands that “The Piano Lesson” is a character-rich, performance-driven drama. He allows his cast all the space they need to fully realize their meaty roles.
The vast majority of the film is set in 1936 Pittsburgh in the aftermath of the Great Depression. After a brief yet brilliantly visualized prologue with lingering implications, the movie introduces us to Boy Willie (John David Washington) and his good friend Lymon (Ray Fisher) as they arrive in Pittsburgh with a truck full of watermelons. The pair have driven all the way from Mississippi to sell the melons, but Boy Willie has a lot more on his mind.
While in the city Boy Willie pays a visit to his sister Berniece (Danielle Deadwyler) who lives with their Uncle Doaker Charles (Samuel L. Jackson) who has a house in Pittsburgh’s Hill District. Through a series conversations we learn about the family’s complex history and the relationships that have survived over time. We also learn more about Boy Willie’s deeper motivations which involve and old family piano he wants to sell.
The problem is Boy Willie needs Berniece’s approval to do so and she’s not willing to part with it. He explains that he wants to take the proceeds and buy a patch of land down South that once belonged to their enslaved family’s owner. She’s determined to keep the family heirloom as it remains a symbol of their ancestors’ legacy. Both represent unique perspectives on accepting the past and moving on from it. And those perspectives fully form as the siblings repeatedly butt heads.
The performances are spellbinding throughout. Each cast member taps into a palpable pain which some of their characters bury deeper than others. They also keep the story grounded with moments of humor and tenderness. John David Washington leaks charisma from every pore and Samuel L. Jackson is effortlessly captivating. Meanwhile Danielle Deadwyler (who was frustratingly robbed of an Oscar nomination for 2022’s “Till”) is nothing short of heart-rending. Ray Fisher, Michael Potts, and Corey Hawkins also shine in meaningful supporting roles.
While “The Piano Lesson” is very much an authentic lived-in domestic drama, there is a tinge of the supernatural that may catch some viewers by surprise. But it’s key to Wilson’s vision and represents years of family trauma that inevitably reaches its boiling point. It all culminates in a heartfelt finish to this intelligent and assured stage-to-screen production that heralds Malcolm Washington as a filmmaker to be reckoned with.
VERDICT – 4.5 STARS
Keith & the Movies 