The Piano Lesson (2024 film)

Development and casting

In September 2015, Denzel Washington announced that he would produce film adaptations of all of August Wilson's plays from the Pittsburgh Cycle series. Fences and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom were released in 2016 and 2020 respectively.

It was announced in April 2023 that Malcolm Washington would make his feature directorial and screenwriting debut with the film, an adaptation of The Piano Lesson, with his brother John David Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Ray Fisher, Danielle Deadwyler, Michael Potts, and Corey Hawkins starring.^[2] John David Washington, Jackson, Fisher and Potts reprise their roles from the 2022 stage production of the play.^[3] Denzel Washington produced the film with Todd Black. In May, singer Erykah Badu was announced to be making a cameo appearance in the film.^[4] Gail Bean, Jerrika Hinton, Stephan James, Malik J. Ali, Jay Peterson and Matrell Smith rounded out the cast in June 2023.^[5]

Filming

Filming began in Atlanta in April 2023.^[6] The Pittsburgh Film Office expressed disappointment that the production would not be filming in the city like previous Wilson adaptations.^[7]

Music

In July 2024, it was announced Alexandre Desplat would compose the original score for film. Washington described the film as having "a big Americana, pastoral element" and was curious what Desplat's take on it would be.^[8][9]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 88% of 133 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The website's consensus reads: "A Southern Gothic played at a ferocious key, The Piano Lesson brings August Wilson's words to vivid life with an outstanding ensemble."^[15] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 69 out of 100, based on 40 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.^[16]

Zandra Odetunde for Time Out awarded 4 stars out of 5, praised the film and wrote: "The Piano Lesson strikes a perfect balance, showing us that the past isn’t just about trauma but is laced with moments of jubilance. It’s cathartic and moving – a reminder that strength and survival go hand in hand."^[17] Odeteunde further notes that Deadwyler is "Oscar-worthy".^[17] Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave it 3 out of 5 stars and wrote: "the ensemble cast work wonderfully and intuitively together; I loved the surges of emotion, and then the palate-cleansing moments of silence and calm. The song is a tremendous setpiece and the dialogue has a music of its own."^[18] Caleb Hammond, reviewing on the website Indiewire, gave the film a mixed response: "Malcolm Washington’s adaptation of The Piano Lesson is referential, often overly so, and while this version contains its fair share of standout sequences along with Oscar-ready performances, the film never fully coalesces into an effective, singular, emotional narrative."^[19]

In Vulture's list of the 17 Best Film Performances of 2024, Danielle Deadwyler was featured for her captivating portrayal of Berniece, which deeply resonated with audiences and critics.^[20] Writer Joe Reid praised her ability to channel "grit, sorrow, and regret into something bigger than her body."^[20] Kathleen Newman-Bremang of Refinery29 described Deadwyler’s work as "one of the most transcendent showcases of humanity I’ve seen on screen, ever."^[21] Additionally, W included Deadwyler in their Best Performances Issue for 2025, with Lynn Hirschberg commending her nuanced exploration of "grief, tradition, and the weight of generational trauma."^[22] In The Hollywood Reporter, Lovia Gyarkye highlighted Deadwyler’s immersive approach, writing that she "slips into her character’s skin with quiet ease" and uncovers a performance that is "often electric."^[23] Gyarkye further noted how Deadwyler delves into Berniece’s "rage, grief, and vulnerability" with transfixing precision.^[24] Oliver Jones of Observer admired her ability to "evoke complicated emotions that her character hardly knows what to do with," adding that she delivers her lines "as if she invented them on the spot."^[25] Similarly, Peter Travers of ABC News lauded Deadwyler’s mastery of subtle emotional expression, calling her performance "magnificent" for capturing "every nuance of feeling in Berniece."^[26]

Accolades