I decided to see The Piano Lesson on a whim while at the London Film Fest. The description revealed it was about a family clashing over an heirloom piano in 1936 during the Great Depression. It also told me it was based on the Pulitzer-prize-winning August Wilson play. As a recovering theatre kid unfamiliar with this script, I was sold. So, imagine my surprise when I settled in for a family drama with Samuel L. Jackson and got ghosts and an attempted piano exorcism.
I am not going to lie to you, The Piano Lesson is a very emotional journey. You will feel your feelings and see messy family dynamics, but you will also witness Black joy. The film touches on the most upsetting chapter of Black history, and the weight is palpable but is not all the movie offers. The film never lingers on what Black folks suffered in the gross manner we have come to expect whenever slavery is brought up. Instead, it uses it to lay the foundation for the story that it wants to tell. It understands that our culture is more than that but knows that as the brilliant Tananarive Due says, “Black history is Black horror.”
So, with that in mind, allow me to explain how this title belongs to the genre kids. Surprisingly, it’s one of the better Black-led genre offerings we’ve seen this year so I am excited to introduce you.
What Goes On Here?
When Boy Willie (John David Washington) surprises his sister Berniece (Danielle Deadwyler) by barging into her home in the middle of the night, she is painfully aware that he only brings trouble to her doorstep. So, it is not long before he reveals his intention to sell the family’s storied piano so that he can buy land. This is not the first time Boy Willie has gotten onto Berniece’s bad side, and they actually have many large issues to resolve between the two of them. However, what neither sibling can predict is that this fight over the piano will stir up more than unspoken resentment. It will also bring up ghosts and give them a chance to finally lay their family’s past to rest.
The Piano Lesson deals with heavy topics such as generational trauma specifically stemming from slavery. However, it is also very much a ghost story at the root. Sutter’s Ghost haunts this family emotionally and physically. Not only was he one of the last members of the family who owned the Charles’ family ancestors, but he has now seemingly manifested in the upstairs hallway of their home. This looming presence not only scares them but serves as a reminder of the things they try to forget.
Why I Dig It
The Piano Lesson made my horror-loving, recovering theatre kid heart happy. It was a pleasant surprise, and I think August Wilson would be proud of the haunting and thought-provoking film adaptation. I also love how it approaches generational trauma, particularly for the descendants of enslaved people. While I am on Berniece’s side of the piano argument, she is equally as guilty as her brother of avoiding their family history. She chooses to honor their legacy by keeping the heirloom in her home and never interacting with it. Boy Willie is ready to sell it and put the past behind him. However, neither method works when trying to deal with the pain and residual fallout for those whose families were enslaved.
Malcolm Washington’s directorial debut is self-assured and captures the feeling of the theatre experience on film in a way many filmmakers have failed. I also believe his ensemble is one of the best of the year. Whether you are watching the siblings go at it as tensions mount or you are giggling at the naive Lymon (Ray Fisher), it is hard to find a weak link in this cast. I also cannot stress enough how Doaker Charles (Samuel L. Jackson) and Wining Boy Charles (Michael Potts) performances as the connective tissue between past and present are beautifully executed.
I could gush about how The Piano Lesson was a hidden genre gem in a sea of dramas all day. Check it out for yourself when it hits streaming next month. It is the Black-led genre win we needed this year, and I am so happy we got it.
The Piano Lesson arrives in theater on November 8 and on Netflix on November 22.
