X
  • 2024
  • PG-13
  • Netflix
  • 2 h 5 m
  • 2024
  • PG-13
  • Netflix
  • 2 h 5 m

Summary A battle is brewing in the Charles Household. At the center stands a prized heirloom piano tearing two siblings apart. On one side, a brother (John David Washington) plans to build the family fortune by selling it. On the other, a sister (Danielle Deadwyler) will go to any lengths to hold onto the sole vestige of the family’s heritage. T...

Directed By: Malcolm Washington

Written By: Virgil Williams, Malcolm Washington, August Wilson

  • 2024
  • PG-13
  • Netflix
  • 2 h 5 m
  • 2024
  • PG-13
  • Netflix
  • 2 h 5 m

The Piano Lesson

Metascore Generally Favorable Based on 29 Critic Reviews
69
User Score Mixed or Average Based on 6 User Ratings
6.0
My Score
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Summary A battle is brewing in the Charles Household. At the center stands a prized heirloom piano tearing two siblings apart. On one side, a brother (John David Washington) plans to build the family fortune by selling it. On the other, a sister (Danielle Deadwyler) will go to any lengths to hold onto the sole vestige of the family’s heritage. T...

Directed By: Malcolm Washington

Written By: Virgil Williams, Malcolm Washington, August Wilson

Top Cast

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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
Generally Favorable Based on 29 Critic Reviews
69
69% Positive
20 Reviews
31% Mixed
9 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

 View All
Metascore
Generally Favorable Based on 29 Critic Reviews
69
69% Positive
20 Reviews
31% Mixed
9 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
100
Nov 7, 2024
The Piano Lesson is a hugely energetic, albeit often bittersweet, film.
By Liz Braun FULL REVIEW
80
Nov 8, 2024
Mostly newbie director Malcolm Washington puts his trust in Wilson’s words, the play’s complex characterisations and the phenomenal performances from his never better cast.
By Kevin Maher FULL REVIEW
80
Sep 19, 2024
The Piano Lesson captures the importance of honoring our ancestors through legacy.
By Patrice Witherspoon FULL REVIEW
75
Oct 17, 2024
It’s the performances that ultimately carry the film.
By Josh Larsen FULL REVIEW
63
Nov 5, 2024
This film feels at times like the earnest result of a group of artists paying tribute to a great playwright rather than a fully realized work of its own.
By Seth Katz FULL REVIEW
60
Nov 7, 2024
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.
By Peter Bradshaw FULL REVIEW
50
Sep 13, 2024
When it succeeds, it’s impressive. But it also can’t hold a candle to Wilson’s original, and it can’t reconcile the fundamental tension between theater and film.
By Bilge Ebiri FULL REVIEW

User Reviews

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User Score
Mixed or Average Based on 6 User Ratings
6.0
67% Positive
4 Ratings
17% Mixed
1 Rating
17% Negative
1 Rating

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Mixed or Average Based on 6 User Ratings
6.0
67% Positive
4 Ratings
17% Mixed
1 Rating
17% Negative
1 Rating

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
6
TVJerry
Nov 8, 2024
This film is adapted from August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play about a family's conflict when the brother (John David Washington) wants to sell the family's heirloom piano. Meanwhile, his sister (Danielle Deadwyler) wants to hold onto it, since it's the sole vestige of the family’s heritage. Director Malcolm Washington (brother of John David and son of Denzel, who produced) has captured the rhythm and flow of Wilson's dialogue. John David creates a dynamic, forceful character that grounds the film, and the rest of the cast is equally outstanding (Ray Fisher is a stand out). The mostly singular location and torrent of talk sometimes echoes the stage origins. Unless you're familiar with Wilson's oeuvre, it may be bit more challenging to accept the drama as realism and it's not (there's even a song break). This has a theatrical base that allows for a powerful ensemble and a historic heritage.
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Details

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Production Company Mundy Lane Entertainment, Netflix Studios
Release Date Nov 6, 2024
Duration 2 h 5 m
Rating PG-13
Genres
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Awards

Montclair Film Festival (MFF)
• 3 Wins & 3 Nominations
Gotham Awards
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
Hamptons International Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination

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