The Piano Lesson
The Piano Lesson
Follows the lives of the Charles family as they deal with themes of family legacy and more, in deciding what to do with an heirloom, the family piano.
Kevin Ward reviewedJuly 1, 2025
John David Washington finally gives a star making performance that to this point I only suspected he was capable of. He is really superb here. Danielle Deadwyler delivers an incredible performance as well in a drama about whether the past is something to be preserved or a burden to be shed in pursuit of the future.
Set in 1936 Pittsburgh, the film revolves around the Charles family, focusing on a conflict between siblings Boy Willie (Washington) and Berniece (Deadwyler) over an heirloom piano that holds deep family significance. Boy Willie arrives at his sister Berniece's home with plans to sell the piano to buy land. However, Berniece refuses to let go of the piano, as it’s intricately carved with the faces of their enslaved ancestors and serves as a symbol of their family's struggles and triumphs.
The piano becomes a battleground for differing perspectives: Boy Willie views it as a means of economic empowerment, while Berniece believes it carries the weight of their family’s heritage and legacy. As tensions rise, the piano also takes on a supernatural role, haunted by the spirits of the past.
The film has plenty of hallmarks of a typical adaptation of a stage play, from the single setting and the limited number of characters, but it’s a strong directorial debut feature from Malcolm Washington.