The Piano Lesson

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The Piano Lesson

PG-13

2024

2h 5m

Drama

Music

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

88%

Tomatometer

133 Reviews

65%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

Set in 1936 Pittsburgh during the aftermath of 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 documents the family history through carvings made by their enslaved ancestor.

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Critics Consensus

A Southern Gothic played at a ferocious key, The Piano Lesson brings August Wilson's words to vivid life with an outstanding ensemble.

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Roger Luckhurst

Sight & Sound

Nov 20, 2025

]The Piano Lesson has moments of shared song which in their call-and-response patterns bear the memory and trauma of slavery.

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Leila Latif

Little White Lies

Feb 20, 2025

3/5

It lands as more of a showcase of assembling the many talents on board rather than an adaptation shining a new light on an already treasured work.

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Sheri Flanders

Chicago Reader

Dec 11, 2024

An exquisite film rendition of an American stage classic, The Piano Lesson promises to strike a powerful chord within the soul.

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Louis Skye (Ronita Roy Mohan)

Women Write About Comics

Aug 20, 2025

What I loved the most about the performances in this film was how expressive all the actors were even when the camera wasn’t on them. Jackson, John David, Potts, and Fisher... brought those stage skills to their work with the camera.

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Marissa Hill

Shade Studios

Jul 30, 2025

The ghostly elements of the story—the eerie presence surrounding the piano—add a supernatural touch to the narrative. However, I felt that these haunting moments, which could have added an extra layer of tension, were not introduced soon enough.

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Tim Miller

Cape Cod Wave Magazine

Jul 22, 2025

4/4

Director Malcolm Washington delivers a fiery adaptation of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, set mostly in 1936 Pittsburgh, about a Black family haunted by its family history as slaves in the Deep South.

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ADG

Nov 16, 2024

Terrible and disjointed and longer than it needed to be. The story obviously has value yet was not adapted well for film

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Demetria

Nov 16, 2024

A masterpiece from start to finish—beautifully cast, beautifully acted, and beautifully directed. Every performance is captivating, and the direction brings August Wilson's powerful story to life with nuance and depth. I'm so glad I caught it in the theater and can’t wait to experience it all over again when it hits Netflix. A must-watch!

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Yasmin

Nov 11, 2024

Deep, moving, entertaining, feel good movie. The cast is extremely talented and captivating in this story. My family and I had a few laughs too.

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bobsaxa L

Nov 10, 2024

A++++!! The Washington kids are all super talented. John David is a bonafide star Danielle Deadwyler is too!! Both will be household names. Excellent directing and cinematography. Strong cast, timely timely story.

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Abby P

Nov 10, 2024

A powerful story told beautifully. The playwright was done justice by the actors and director alike. The climactic finale took my breath away.

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merrie t

Nov 10, 2024

Based on the play by August Wilson, The Piano Lesson is a big swing that mostly connects. The acting is standout especially Danielle Deadwyler. The direction and cinematography also is first rate.

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Synopsis

Set in 1936 Pittsburgh during the aftermath of 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 documents the family history through carvings made by their enslaved ancestor.

Director: Malcolm Washington
Producer: Todd Black, Denzel Washington
Screenwriter: Malcolm Washington, Virgil Williams
Distributor: Netflix
Production Co: Lord Miller, Netflix Studios
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 8, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 22, 2024
Runtime: 2h 5m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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