Film Review – The Piano Lesson

The Washington Family business expands with “The Piano Lesson,” which serves as the feature-length directorial debut for Malcom Washington, son of Denzel (who co-produces the movie) and sibling to John David, who stars in the endeavor. It’s an adaptation of a 1987 play by August Wilson, and serves as something of a reunion for part of the cast, who participated in a 2022 Broadway version of the play. Thespian ease is on full display in the film, which offers powerful, committed performances from everyone, watching the players get their hands around Wilson’s language and fondness for unusual confrontations. “The Piano Lesson” doesn’t always offer involving subplots, but the story remains commanding in Washington’s care. He works to retain the material’s inherent fury and add his own spin here and there, creating a compellingly hostile examination of familial pain and the Black Experience, seasoned with some supernatural ideas to keep it surprising. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com