Interesting story good acting.

Producer Denzel Washington continues to showcase the profound grapple of thematic provocation from playwright August Wilson through a powerfully acted gravitational pull solidly delivered with taut conviction that stirs enthralled engagement, besides the unexpected supernatural horror angle with a looming chill to boot amid the verbally chaotic mixture. (B+)

I felt this film was a mixture of family drama past and present mixed with a ghost story . the family history obviously played a huge roll as to why the ghost was their in the first place . but overall i felt it was just ok /pretty good . John David Washington & Danielle Deadwyler were both very good .

Phenomenal acting and direction. Beautiful adaptation from the stage to film.

Blah. What a drawn out, weird movie…cool concept..but not done well. The movie is about an heirloom piano that stays in the family, and what the different members of the family want to do with it. But it’s not worth the watch.

This drama is an adaptation of the 1987 Pulitzer Prize-winning play by August Wilson set in 1936 Pittsburgh that follows the lives of the Charles family as they grapple with family legacy and difficult decisions as they determine the fate of their heirloom piano, exploring deeper themes along the way. With marvelous acting and the kind of intense dialogue-filled scenes one expects from Wilson, this film showcases the personality of each character very clearly and when they all collide in the haunting climax, it is a fantastic and entertaining resolution. I expected music to be more relevant, even if it has its moments. The tension of the scenes is powerful, and Danielle Deadwyler is astounding as Berniece, such good acting through so many emotions!

Not knowing the source material, #ThePianoLesson was a jarring experience, as a story of legacy & the literal ghosts that haunt us. John David Washington's intensity doesn't quite work for me, but Deadwyler & Fisher are top-notch. Overall, I feel a bit lost in the art on this one.

Its a predictable plot that was dragged out forever. The story was repeated over and over. Bernice's character was the only good thing in the movie. But they overlooked half of her character development.

Absolutely fantastic! Classic that demonstrates the power of the creators ability to carry the spirit through all of his children. Thanks for giving this generation a moment to experience this.

This is an exceptional film. If you just ranked the story telling & acting it would be a 4+. But imagining the determination it took to craft and bring this film to the box office it is a 5+. This movie is a tribute to the 'Washingtons' and my only hope is that reviews/ratings could be democratized to reflect what viewers really think. Find me at Schilen clues

I have never enjoyed an adaptation as much as The Piano Lesson. The acting, cinematography, the directing, the set, every opportunity to depict the greatness of August Wilson's work was transformed from the stage to the screen beautifully. Breathtaking, eye-opening, and jaw-dropping are all understatements. I'm going to re-read the script to see how much life the adaptation breathes life into ur all. BRAVO!!!

'The Piano Lesson', despite peaks and troughs, is largely a good watch. I could feel my interest increase and decrease fairly consistently throughout though, so no doubting more could've been done to keep me more interested - but that I still was, in fairness. John David Washington and Samuel L. Jackson are two that perform well, but the person that I would rank as the standout is Danielle Deadwyler - great performance! I didn't actually know her 24 hours ago, though I do now after this and 'Carry-On'. Michael Potts merits props, too. It does feature a noteworthy enough story, the music is decent and there are some solid moments in there - the rendition of "Berta, Berta" with Jackson & Co. particularly stands out in my memory. I now see that this is based on a play, which is indeed very apparent in a few scenes.

A proposta pode ter sido relembrar a experiência de assistir a uma peça de teatro, mas como filme não achei que funcionou bem. Arrastado, difícil de chegar até o final com interesse.

A well written and beautifully acted story about the need of our ancestors to propel us forward. This is a slice of life drama. The characters seemed so real. It was like I was sitting in another part of the house watching the family conflict unfold.

First time director Malcolm Washington does a terrific job of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson. The acting is first rate. John David Washington is a commanding presence as the brother whose motives shake up his sister’s home. The horror of slavery and the haunting are stunningly shot. Very beautifully done. Wish there was more award buzz around this film.

Absolute amazing ensemble of great actors! Watched it twice.

I was reading the audience reviews and realized brilliant movies like The Piano Lesson will never cultivate an audience size a film of this quality deserves. Stellar performances - expertly staged and directed - and wonderfully cinematic.

Another August Wilson play from his Century Cycle gets the Netflix movie treatment after a critically acclaimed Broadway revival in 2022, this is ostensibly yet another family drama set in 1936 Pittsburgh about two siblings fighting over an heirloom piano which has a special connection to their family's past as slaves during the early 20th century. Aptly keeping that family theme going, it's directed and co-adapted by Malcolm Washington, son of Denzel who produces and brother of John David who stars, and he has made a gallant effort to open up what's essentially a single location play where the narrative is propelled forward mainly through stories regaled by the cast. Scenes from those stories are thus re-enacted on screen wordlessly and accompanied often with striking visuals that demonstrates its director's flair and to distinguish itself from its theatrical roots. While John David Washington and Danielle Deadwyler have the flashier roles as the feuding siblings, it's Ray Fisher who impresses as the shy and unsure Lymon who manages to strike a softer but no less potent note. Being the first time seeing this play, I don't know if the 3 wonderfully affecting musical interludes are new to the film or part of the stage production, but they certainly add colour and a sense of the era it's set in. Definitely part of Wilson's play, the supernatural element is unexpected but surprisingly doesn't take me out of the story and it's interesting how that eventually provides the catalyst for the characters to contextualize their past and figure out what they ought to do with their family's legacy. It also sets up a suitably intense and climactic finale for the film, even though I can't help but think that might have worked better on stage than it does on film here.

It was like watching a play. Very good acting. The ending was where most of the excitement was. Highly recommend this movie.

I liked it though it did seem a little long winded. A better ending would have been nice, like the burning piano in the field. It is always difficult to see the hardships suffered by Americans.