The Piano Lesson review: another August Wilson play adapted for the screen

The Piano Lesson brings another August Wilson play onto the big screen. This one is set in the 1930s and details a few days in the life of a family arguing over an heirloom piano.

Denzel Washington seems set on getting all 10 of the Wilson plays made into movies. In The Piano Lesson, his whole family was involved. Denzel Washington produced, his son John David Washington starred as Boy Willie. Another son, Malcolm Washington, directed. His daughter Katia Washington helped produce. Denzel starred in the first one, Fences. He went on to produce the next one, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

Putting The Piano Lesson on a screen brought minor changes in the dialog. August Wilson’s dialog is sacred, but the changes provided an opportunity to incorporate some flashbacks and spooky special effects.

The story involves a family piano. When it began, I thought the acting was a bit overdone, as if the actors were emoting for the cheap seats way up in the balcony. As it continued that went away and a more intimate filmlike quality took control.

Boy Willie (John David Washington) and Lymon (Ray Fisher) are headed for Pittsburgh with a truck load of watermelons to sell. They pull up at Uncle Doaker’s (Samuel L. Jackson) house. Boy Willie’s sister Berniece (Danielle Deadwyler) lives there with her young daughter Maretha (Skylar Aleece Smith) and the piano.

They could have sold those watermelons anywhere, but Boy Willie wants that piano. He needs to sell it in order to accumulate enough money to buy 100 acres of farmland from the Sutter family. The Sutter family had enslaved his family. Owning land formerly owned by the slavers everyone hated was a worthy goal, but Berniece wasn’t selling.

As the family argues and debates who should have the piano, the story of the wood carvings gracing the piano comes out. The carvings were made by a family member, polished with sweat and blood by Berniece’s mother. The carvings tell the story of their ancestors and heritage. Keeping it in the family was a worthy goal.

The Sutters had the piano originally. Berniece and Boy Willie’s father stole it out of their house. Berniece ended up with it.

Old man Sutter fell down his well a few days ago which is why his land is for sale now. Apparently quite a few white slave owners descendants fall into wells back where the family came from. Pushed by the ghost of the yellow dog is the local mythology about it.

But now Berniece thinks old man Sutter is haunting them way up in Pittsburgh. Even Doaker and little Maretha claim to see him. Berniece’s current boyfriend, Avery (Corey Hawkins), thinks he can earn his reputation as a preacher by driving the ghost away. This slightly supernatural aspect to the story allows for a thrilling and exciting finale.

August Wilson is known for his brilliant monologues. Berniece gets one about women’s rights. Boy Willie gets one about being a Black descendant of slaves. When the actors are delivering their monologues, the words are aimed straight at the audience – painting, clarifying, explaining, demanding attention, telling truths.

There are a lot of men in The Piano Lesson, but Danielle Deadwyler is the star. Everything revolves around her. She is outstanding in the part.

Erykah Badu sang several of the many songs on the soundtrack. Each song tells part of the story, another sort of monologue.

At just over 2 hours, I thought the film was a little too long, but I have no idea what could be left out. It was all important. You can see the film on Netflix.