November 24, 2024
FILM: THE PIANO LESSON
DIRECTED BY: MALCOLM WASHINGTON
STARRING: JOHN DAVID WASHINGTON, DANIELLE DEADWYLER, SAMUEL L. JACKSON
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
There are some stage adaptations that don’t translate well to the big screen. The Piano Lesson is not one of them. Based on August Wilson’s Pulitzer-Prize winning play, the film is a powerful family drama filled with history, attachments, and some supernatural forces. John David Washington stars as Willie, a man who arrives back to his family home in Mississippi with his buddy Lymon and a truck full of watermelons. It is 1936 and Willie’s plan is to sell the fruit along with the piano that has been in the family for over twenty years so that he can purchase some farm land. The problem: his sister Berniece doesn’t want to sell it. She attaches sentimental value to the exquisite piece of furniture which features, on its surface, deceased family members carved into the wood making it, at least to my eyes, even a major work of art.
All of this leads to a series of confrontations between Willie and Berniece which makes for an emotionally charged situation for all involved. The question boils down to whether the past associated with the piano makes it more important to keep it in the family home than to sell it and move at least one member forward. In addition, there is an eerie supernatural element seemingly attached to the piano that is connected to an older white man who died after falling into a well. Berniece appears to see the ghost of the man suggesting an even larger sense of purpose to the piano.
To be clear though, this isn’t really a ghost story. Yes, there are some supernatural elements to the narrative and a very effective sequence with some scary effects, but this is more than anything a story about making the choice to move forward or remain in the past and the possibility that both goals can be achieved.
Because the story is based on a stage play that takes place in one home, some may be concerned about whether it feels cinematic or not. Director Malcolm Washington (John David’s brother and yes, Denzel’s son) does a very good job at opening up the story at key moments so as not to make the experience claustrophobic or “stagey.” There are scenes from the past and present that take place outdoors which are beautifully shot with rich environmental textures. Similarly, the interior features angles and perspectives that rarely make the production feel static. One impressive shot features the camera circling around the home as a major moment of tension arises. The roving camera brings us right into the heated conversation as if we are there.
Of course, none of this would work without the actors. Danielle Deadwyler is the standout here as Berniece. Her performance is showy but never overdone. She has more than one scene where she is filled with rage that she modulates beautifully. One of these will be her Oscar scene if she gets nominated, which she should, for Best Supporting Actress.
Also of note is Samuel L. Jackson as Doaker, a member of the family who lives with Berniece and her young daughter. Doaker provides a lot of details on the family and piano’s background. Jackson finely tunes his performance so that it never over takes his character’s more reserved place within the family dynamics. Seeing him in this kind of role is quite refreshing.
John David Washington as Willie does seem to be playing the character a bit bigger than necessary, as if he is performing for a stage audience. His voice is louder and his movements are more animated than the others. Some of this is due to the ambitious energy of Willie but a few of his scenes could have been toned down somewhat.
There’s also a beautiful score by Alexandre Desplat. The music is at once tense and at others highly reflective of the jazz and blues sounds that were a big part of this era and culture. Erykah Badu also has some great musical numbers as singer Lucille at one of the town’s nightclubs.
I’m definitely impressed with the way Malcolm Washington pulled this film together. It’s moving, mysterious, and sentimental with a great cast.
The Piano Lesson is currently playing in limited theatrical release. It is also available to stream on Netflix.
FILM: THE PIANO LESSON
DIRECTED BY: MALCOLM WASHINGTON
STARRING: JOHN DAVID WASHINGTON, DANIELLE DEADWYLER, SAMUEL L. JACKSON
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
There are some stage adaptations that don’t translate well to the big screen. The Piano Lesson is not one of them. Based on August Wilson’s Pulitzer-Prize winning play, the film is a powerful family drama filled with history, attachments, and some supernatural forces. John David Washington stars as Willie, a man who arrives back to his family home in Mississippi with his buddy Lymon and a truck full of watermelons. It is 1936 and Willie’s plan is to sell the fruit along with the piano that has been in the family for over twenty years so that he can purchase some farm land. The problem: his sister Berniece doesn’t want to sell it. She attaches sentimental value to the exquisite piece of furniture which features, on its surface, deceased family members carved into the wood making it, at least to my eyes, even a major work of art.
All of this leads to a series of confrontations between Willie and Berniece which makes for an emotionally charged situation for all involved. The question boils down to whether the past associated with the piano makes it more important to keep it in the family home than to sell it and move at least one member forward. In addition, there is an eerie supernatural element seemingly attached to the piano that is connected to an older white man who died after falling into a well. Berniece appears to see the ghost of the man suggesting an even larger sense of purpose to the piano.
To be clear though, this isn’t really a ghost story. Yes, there are some supernatural elements to the narrative and a very effective sequence with some scary effects, but this is more than anything a story about making the choice to move forward or remain in the past and the possibility that both goals can be achieved.
Because the story is based on a stage play that takes place in one home, some may be concerned about whether it feels cinematic or not. Director Malcolm Washington (John David’s brother and yes, Denzel’s son) does a very good job at opening up the story at key moments so as not to make the experience claustrophobic or “stagey.” There are scenes from the past and present that take place outdoors which are beautifully shot with rich environmental textures. Similarly, the interior features angles and perspectives that rarely make the production feel static. One impressive shot features the camera circling around the home as a major moment of tension arises. The roving camera brings us right into the heated conversation as if we are there.
Of course, none of this would work without the actors. Danielle Deadwyler is the standout here as Berniece. Her performance is showy but never overdone. She has more than one scene where she is filled with rage that she modulates beautifully. One of these will be her Oscar scene if she gets nominated, which she should, for Best Supporting Actress.
Also of note is Samuel L. Jackson as Doaker, a member of the family who lives with Berniece and her young daughter. Doaker provides a lot of details on the family and piano’s background. Jackson finely tunes his performance so that it never over takes his character’s more reserved place within the family dynamics. Seeing him in this kind of role is quite refreshing.
John David Washington as Willie does seem to be playing the character a bit bigger than necessary, as if he is performing for a stage audience. His voice is louder and his movements are more animated than the others. Some of this is due to the ambitious energy of Willie but a few of his scenes could have been toned down somewhat.
There’s also a beautiful score by Alexandre Desplat. The music is at once tense and at others highly reflective of the jazz and blues sounds that were a big part of this era and culture. Erykah Badu also has some great musical numbers as singer Lucille at one of the town’s nightclubs.
I’m definitely impressed with the way Malcolm Washington pulled this film together. It’s moving, mysterious, and sentimental with a great cast.
The Piano Lesson is currently playing in limited theatrical release. It is also available to stream on Netflix.