Common Sense Media Review
By Monique Jones
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Racial commentary, trauma in serious play-based drama.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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The Piano Lesson
What's the Story?
Set in 1936, THE PIANO LESSON follows Boy Willie (John David Washington), who travels north with his friend Lymon (Ray Fisher) to visit his sister, Berniece (Danielle Deadwyler), and Uncle Doaker (Samuel L. Jackson) to try to convince Berniece to sell the family piano. Berniece wants to keep the instrument because of its family history and what it meant to their mother, but Boy Willie wants to sell it in order to buy the land owned by their ancestors' enslavers. A family feud ensues as the vengeful spirit of their family's former enslaver weighs over them.
Is It Any Good?
Director and co-writer Malcolm Washington demonstrates his talent in this drama based on August Wilson's 1987 play. But there are clear delineations between the scenes that were added to the film to make it feel more cinematic and those taken directly from the source material. These former—which include watching characters go up and down stairs, visit a nightclub, drive from here to there, or walk through the town—feel more naturalistic and immersive, with the strongest ones surrounding the history of the piano itself. On the flip side, the scenes depicting what was written for the play feel more staged and less naturalistic. But most of the actors make their characters relatable and gripping throughout—with the exception of John David Washington as Boy Willie. His broad acting choices, such as sounding like he's constantly yelling his lines, make his character feel a bit over the top.
What's most important, though, is how The Piano Lesson engages with the lingering trauma caused by the United States' history with enslavement. The piano itself becomes a symbol of Black pain, trauma, and grief. It's only by confronting the past and reconnecting with ancestral wisdom that the ghost of that past can be cleansed. The Piano Lesson has some clunky moments, but, overall, it feels like a worthy theatrical entry in Hollywood's ongoing quest to bring Wilson's plays to the screen.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what the piano represents to the family in The Piano Lesson. How do the characters differ in the way they think about the piano?
How does the film address traumatic racial history? What does Sutter's ghost represent?
What does the film's climactic scene mean with regard to letting go of trauma? How do characters demonstrate courage in the film?
Have you seen other movies based on plays? How does this one compare? What do play-based movies have in common?
Movie Details
- In theaters : November 8, 2024
- On DVD or streaming : November 22, 2024
- Cast : John David Washington , Samuel L. Jackson , Danielle Deadwyler , Corey Hawkins
- Director : Malcolm Washington
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Director(s) , African American Movie Director(s) , Black Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Writer(s) , African American Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Book Characters , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , History
- Character Strengths : Courage
- Run time : 125 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong language, violent content, some suggestive references and smoking
- Awards : NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Winner , NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Nominee
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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