The Piano Lesson (dir. Malcolm Washington)

By: Adam Freed

Malcolm Washington appears to have birthed a Frankenstein’s monster with his screen adaptation of esteemed playwright August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson.  Washington as both writer and director breathes life into the Netflix film that works well as a multigenerational character study of a family working its way out of the shameful days of slavery and into the 20th century. The film takes place primarily in the mid 1930s and is set in the Pittsburgh home of Doaker, an uncle who represents a generation of African Americans who learned to survive the oppression of the 19th century.  Doaker is captured magnificently by Samuel L Jackson, who despite being underused within the film, maximizes the impact of his limited delivery. The film’s driving force comes by way of Boy Willie, a relative from the south who appears at Doaker’s door to confront his sister Bernice (who lives with Doaker) about his desire to sell a precious family heirloom for his financial gain.  Boy Willie is played at full throat by brother to the director, John David Washington, and it becomes apparent very early that Boy Willie’s appearance is one ripe with ulterior motives.  

As the title, The Piano Lesson alludes, the film is centered around a macguffin-esque, piano once possessed by plantation owners that also owned the ancestors of Boy Willie, Bernice and Doaker.  The piano holds a special meaning as it was personalized through the years with intricate carvings and busts of the African American family's lineage.  The central conflict within a story cluttered with ancillary banter is the tug of war between Willie Boy and Bernice over whether or not to sell the family heirloom, and the ramifications of such a weighty decision.  Rising above some of the film’s linguistic monotony is Danielle Deadwyler (Till, I Saw the TV Glow) who as Bernice, offers a textured and heartfelt performance, one that allows for a quiet strength to emerge from her character in a time in which women were not expected to represent strength on their own.  In contrast to Deadwyler’s wonderful performance is that of John David Washington who captures Boy Willie in a bombastically static manner.  John David Washington’s performance is akin to a pitcher who only throws fastballs, it arrives with authority but quickly devolves into becoming predictable.    

The component of The Piano Lesson that simply does not work is the supernatural element that seems to occupy a majority of the film’s final act. Not only does it cause a tonal shift in what is a period piece study, but it also takes the generational survival story and converts it into a story about the supernatural and religious elements required to free the family once and for all from its difficult past.  Even the most devout of August Wilson lovers may feel that Washington’s Netflix screen adaptation grows heavy handed in the apparition department as the film draws to its climax.  Like Doctor Frankenstein’s motives, director Malcolm Washington’s version of The Piano Lesson begs the question, just because bringing  something to life is possible, should it be done?

Target Score: 5/10: There are aspects of Netflix’s The Piano Lesson that are worthy of watching.  The film works exceedingly well as a generational story and contains wonderful performances from Danielle Deadwyler and Samuel L. Jackson. Sadly though, Malcolm Washington’s adaptation cannot escape a supernatural component that does not work in the film’s favor. 

This review of The Piano Lesson is included in Movie Archer’s coverage of the 60th Chicago International Film Festival.