After legendary African-American writer August Wilson died, his estate gave Denzel Washington the heavy task of producing movies based on his 10 plays. So far, this mission has resulted in the Washinton-directed Fences and Netflix’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. The Piano Lesson is the third of these projects. This time, it’s a full family affair, with John David Washington starring and Malcolm Washington directing. The sons of a legendary Black actor stepping up to helm their father’s project feels incredibly fitting for this adaptation. It’s all about the fears connected to legacy and how we deal with them. When there’s negativity haunting your past, is it better to bury it, ignore it, or build on it?
As one can imagine, the piano is the centerpiece of the drama. The Charles family’s piano has been with them for years, and is connected to various traumas and superstitions. Boy Willie Charles (Washington) wants to sell the piano, and Bessie (Danielle Deadwyler) intends to save and preserve it, believing it is too important to get rid of. All the other characters are in the middle of this conflict. As they struggle to deal with their past, each has vices they use to put the history that the piano represents behind them.
This cast is an absolute goldmine of talent. Washington’s role as Boy Willie Charles really shows off his acting chops. There are a lot of scenes where he reminded me of his father to an uncanny degree. We get an uncharacteristically restrained Samuel L. Jackson performance as Doaker Charles, the head of the household who tries in vain to maintain the peace. And Deadwyler, who’s quickly becoming one of my favorite actors, gives a performance that other performers should study here. She disappears into her role seemingly effortlessly.
For this being Malcolm Washington’s directorial debut, it is a very confident and steady vision, especially with how he interprets the play’s wilder moments near the climax. I guess it shouldn’t be too surprising, considering the man has been close to the industry since birth, but even so, it’s an incredible start to a career. The mood of the film is palpable, with our characters’ sadness lingering in the air more than it’s stated, which is why it is a bit jarring when characters start monologuing. In a play, the words are necessary to set the tone in a way it isn’t for a film, which can use editing and cinematography to achieve the same effect. The dialogue here is meant to be performed live and in the moment, and that energy doesn’t always translate to the screen if it isn’t done right. Movies (the good ones, anyway) tend to show more than they tell, and for lack of a better way of putting it, this script has a lot of telling. The result is that some of the dramatic monologue scenes feel stale, but overall, the power of the story isn’t lost.
I don’t think this movie quite captures the power of seeing The Piano Lesson on stage, but it’s still a successful adaptation. It’s emotional, heart-wrenching, and thought-provoking, even if it is a little overwrought at times. Like all Wilson plays, it leaves something with you when it’s over. How do you confront your own past? Do you keep the piano or do you sell it?
Rating: Liked It
The Piano Lesson is currently streaming on Netflix
You can read more from Jeffery Rahming, and follow him on Twitter