The Piano Lesson (2024 film)

The Piano Lesson
Release poster
Directed byMalcolm Washington
Screenplay by
Based onThe Piano Lesson
by August Wilson
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyMike Gioulakis
Edited byLeslie Jones
Music byAlexandre Desplat
Production
companies
Distributed byNetflix
Release dates
  • August 31, 2024 (2024-08-31) (Telluride)
  • November 8, 2024 (2024-11-08) (United States)
  • November 22, 2024 (2024-11-22) (Netflix)
Running time
125 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Piano Lesson is a 2024 American drama film directed by Malcolm Washington, who co-wrote the screenplay with Virgil Williams. It is an adaptation of the 1987 play by August Wilson. It stars Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Ray Fisher, Michael Potts, Erykah Badu, Skylar Aleece Smith, Danielle Deadwyler, and Corey Hawkins.

The Piano Lesson premiered at the 51st Telluride Film Festival on August 31, 2024, and it was released in select theaters in the United States on November 8, 2024, before streaming on Netflix on November 22.

Premise

Set in 1936 Pittsburgh during the Great Depression, The Piano Lesson follows the lives of the Charles family in the Doaker Charles household and an heirloom, the family piano, which is decorated with designs carved by an enslaved ancestor.

— Deadline Hollywood[1]

Cast

Production

In September 2015, Denzel Washington announced that he would produce film adaptations of all of August Wilson's plays from the Pittsburgh Cycle series. Fences and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom were released in 2016 and 2020 respectively.

It was announced in April 2023 that Malcolm Washington would make his feature directorial and screenwriting debut with the film, an adaptation of The Piano Lesson, with his brother John David Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Ray Fisher, Danielle Deadwyler, Michael Potts, and Corey Hawkins starring.[1] John David Washington, Jackson, Fisher and Potts reprise their roles from the 2022 stage production of the play.[2] Washington's father, Denzel, is producing the film with Todd Black. In May, singer Erykah Badu was announced to be making a cameo appearance in the film.[3] Gail Bean, Jerrika Hinton, Stephan James, Malik J. Ali, Jay Peterson and Matrell Smith rounded out the cast in June 2023.[4]

Filming began in Atlanta in April 2023.[5] The Pittsburgh Film Office expressed disappointment that the production would not be filming in the city like previous Wilson adaptations.[6]

Release

The film's world premiere took place at the Telluride Film Festival, prior to its international premiere as a special presentation at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.[7][8]

The Piano Lesson was released in select theaters in the United States on November 8, 2024, before streaming on Netflix on November 22.[9][10]

Reception

Critical response

Danielle Deadwyler's performance in the film garnered critical acclaim.

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 88% of 110 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The website's consensus reads: "A Southern Gothic played at a ferocious key, The Piano Lesson brings August Wilson's words to vivid life with an outstanding ensemble."[11] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 69 out of 100, based on 38 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[12]

Accolades

Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Hamptons International Film Festival October 5, 2024 Breakthrough Director Award Malcolm Washington Honored [13]
Mill Valley Film Festival October 5, 2024 MVFF Acting Award Danielle Deadwyler Won [14]
Middleburg Film Festival October 20, 2024 Breakthrough Actor Award Honored [15]
Newport Beach Film Festival October 20, 2024 Outstanding Performance Female Won [16]
Best U.S. Narrative Malcolm Washington Won
SCAD Savannah Film Festival October 26, 2024 Inaugural Ensemble Award The cast of The Piano Lesson[a] Honored [17]
Montclair Film Festival October 27, 2024 Performance Award John David Washington Honored [18]
Breakthrough Director Award Malcolm Washington Honored
Chicago International Film Festival October 27, 2024 Breakthrough Award Honored [19]
Spotlight Award John David Washington Honored
Denver Film Festival November 1, 2024 Excellence in Writing Award Malcolm Washington and Virgil Williams Honored [20]
Elle's Women in Hollywood Celebration November 19, 2024 The Witness Danielle Deadwyler Honored [21]
Gotham Awards December 2, 2024 Ensemble Tribute The cast of The Piano Lesson[a] Honored [22]
Outstanding Supporting Performance Danielle Deadwyler Nominated [23]
Astra Film Awards December 8, 2024 Best First Feature Malcolm Washington Nominated [24]
Best Supporting Actress Danielle Deadwyler Nominated
Boston Society of Film Critics December 8, 2024 Best Supporting Actress Won [25]
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association December 8, 2024 Best Supporting Actress Won [26]
Celebration of Cinema and Television December 9, 2024 Actor Award – Film John David Washington Won [27]
San Diego Film Critics Society December 9, 2024 Best Adapted Screenplay Malcolm Washington and Virgil Williams Nominated [28]
Best Supporting Actress Danielle Deadwyler Nominated
SFFILM Awards December 9, 2024 George Gund III Award for Virtuosity Malcolm Washington Honored [29]
Chicago Film Critics Association December 12, 2024 Best Supporting Actress Danielle Deadwyler Nominated [30]
St. Louis Film Critics Association December 15, 2024 Best First Feature Film Malcolm Washington Runner-up [31]
Best Supporting Actress Danielle Deadwyler Nominated [32]
Indiana Film Journalists Association December 16, 2024 Best Adapted Screenplay Malcolm Washington and Virgil Williams Nominated [33]
Breakthrough of the Year Malcolm Washington Nominated
Seattle Film Critics Society December 16, 2024 Best Supporting Actress Danielle Deadwyler Nominated [34]
New York Film Critics Online December 16, 2024 Best Supporting Actress Runner-up [35]
Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association December 18, 2024 Best Supporting Actress 4th place [36]
Pandora International Film Critics Awards December 18, 2024 Actress Support Nominated [37]
Filmmaking Breakthrough Malcolm Washington Nominated
Black Film Critics Circle December 19, 2024 Best Supporting Actress Danielle Deadwyler Won [38]
Rising Star/Best Newcomer Malcolm Washington Won
Online Association of Female Film Critics December 23, 2024 Best Acting Ensemble The cast of The Piano Lesson[a] Pending [39]
Best Supporting Female Danielle Deadwyler Pending
Breakthrough Filmmaker Malcolm Washington Pending
Alliance Of Women Film Journalist EDA Award January 2025 Best Supporting Actress Danielle Deadwyler Pending [40]
Palm Springs International Film Festival January 3, 2025 Malcolm Washington Directors to Watch Won [41]
AARP Movies for Grownups Awards January 11, 2025 Best Intergenerational Movie The Piano Lesson Pending [42]
Critics' Choice Movie Awards January 12, 2025 Best Supporting Actress Danielle Deadwyler Pending [43]
Satellite Awards January 26, 2025 Best Actress in a Supporting Role Pending [44]
London Film Critics' Circle Awards February 2, 2025 Supporting Actress of the Year Pending [45]
Black Reel Awards February 10, 2025 Outstanding Breakthrough Performance Ray Fisher Pending [46]
Outstanding Costume Design Francine Jamison-Tanchuck Pending
Outstanding Director Malcolm Washington Pending
Outstanding Emerging Director Pending
Outstanding Ensemble Lindsay Graham and Mary Vernieu Pending
Outstanding Film Todd Black and Denzel Washington Pending
Outstanding First Screenplay Malcolm Washington Pending
Outstanding Lead Performance John David Washington Pending
Outstanding Hairstyling and Makeup Malcolm Washington Pending
Outstanding Production Design David J. Bomba, Chardae Adams and Patrick Cassidy Pending
Outstanding Screenplay Malcolm Washington and Virgil Williams Pending
Outstanding Supporting Performance Danielle Deadwyler Pending
African-American Film Critics Association February 19, 2025 Best Ensemble The cast of The Piano Lesson[a] Won [47]
Best Supporting Actress Danielle Deadwyler Won
Breakout Performance Award Ray Fisher Honored [48]
Emerging Director Award Malcolm Washington Honored
Top 10 Films of the Year The Piano Lesson 3rd place [47]
Film Independent Spirit Awards February 22, 2025 Best First Feature Todd Black, Denzel Washington and Malcolm Washington Pending [49]
Best Supporting Performance Danielle Deadwyler Pending

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Ray Fisher, Danielle Deadwyler, Michael Potts, Corey Hawkins and Erykah Badu.

References

  1. ^ a b Grobar, Matt (April 13, 2023). "Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Ray Fisher, Danielle Deadwyler & More Set For Netflix's The Piano Lesson; Denzel Washington, Todd Black Producing". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 20, 2023. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  2. ^ White, Abbey (April 27, 2022). "Ray Fisher Joins Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington in Cast of Broadway's 'The Piano Lesson'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 24, 2022. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  3. ^ Grobar, Matt (May 30, 2023). "The Piano Lesson: Erykah Badu Latest To Board Netflix's August Wilson Adaptation". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 30, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  4. ^ Grobar, Matt (June 1, 2023). "Netflix's 'The Piano Lesson' Adds Gail Bean, Jerrika Hinton, Stephan James & Others". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 26, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  5. ^ Carey, Adam (April 14, 2023). "Rain delays filming of 'The Piano Lesson' in the Between the Rivers District". Rome News-Tribune. Archived from the original on May 16, 2023. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
  6. ^ Axelrod, Joshua (April 13, 2023). "Netflix's The Piano Lesson adaptation breaks cycle by not filming in Pittsburgh". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on April 20, 2023. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
  7. ^ Hammond, Pete (August 29, 2024). "Telluride Film Festival Lineup Includes 'Saturday Night', 'The Piano Lesson', 'Conclave' & 'Nickel Boys' World Premieres". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 29, 2024. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
  8. ^ Kay, Jeremy (July 22, 2024). "Toronto film festival adds Angelina Jolie, Mike Leigh, Edward Burns, David Mackenzie titles". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on August 2, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
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