The Piano Lesson

"This was a rather fantastic adaptation of the August Wilson play. Uniformly well acted and directed (along with solid editing, production values, and cinematography), this definitely had more of a cinematic feel compared to the other 2 August Wilson adaptations. Easily the standout aspect was the chemistry between the cast (with editing a close second), which was a key factor in making this film work (most of the cast appeared in the 2022 Broadway revival, which explains the natural chemistry). Danielle Deadwyler was the standout of the cast (deserves a nomination frankly), with very strong performances from John David Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Ray Fisher, Corey Hawkins and more. A very powerful reminder of how an ensemble cast can really make or break a movie. A very promising directorial debut for Malcolm Washington (Denzel Washington’s younger son), and a very solid continuation of the series of August Wilson film adaptations (FENCES and MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM were the first 2 movies in that series), all of which are (and will be) produced by Denzel. Worth a watch for sure."

"A family’s history is wrapped up in a piano and the story unfolds for all to see past and present collide. "

"Great job introducing this story!"