Director: Malcolm Washington
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Ray Fisher, Michael Potts, Erykah Badu, Skylar Aleece Smith, Danielle Deadwyler, Corey Hawkins
Rating: (M)
★★★+
REVIEWED BY AMASIO JUTEL
The Piano Lesson (Netflix), adapted from August Wilson’s celebrated stage play, presents a thoughtful exploration of the weight of slavery’s aftermath, a reminder that generational trauma lingers long after the chains are removed. While the film struggles to fully escape its theatrical roots, director Malcolm Washington has a clear authorial presence over the material that sets the stage for a promising directorial career.
Set in 1936 Pittsburgh, the narrative centres on a family grappling with their past, present and future, symbolised by an heirloom piano intricately carved with the faces of their enslaved ancestors. This McGuffin serves as both a literal and figurative centrepiece, embodying the weight of this history, as well as being the primary setting for most dialogue-laden scenes.
The film quite clearly embodies the perspective Washington gives it, telling the story that closest resembles his truth with the material; using the camera to change perspectives and reframe points of tension.
However, a misstep was not diving deeper into the ghostly horror of the text, that film has a stronger capacity to elicit.
The ensemble nature of stage plays enables the viewer to more freely wander through the action, aligning with whomever they choose. The strongest feature here is the performances, which are impeccable, with John David Washington and Danielle Deadwyler butting heads at the centre, supported by the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, among others.
