John David Washington and Co-writer Virgil Williams on the Red Carpet outside Chicago’s Music Box Theater on October 16, 2024, at the Opening Night of the 60th Chicago International Film Festival with the film “The Piano Lesson.” (Photo by Connie Wilson)
Malcolm Washington, Writer/Director of “The Piano Lesson” in Chicago on October 16, 2024. (Photo by Connie Wilson).
Opening night of the 60th Chicago International Film Festival kicked off at the Music Box Theater in Chicago with the appearance of John David Washington (“Tenet,” “BlacKkKlansman”) and his brother Malcolm, who directed and co-wrote with Virgil Williams the screenplay for “The Piano Lesson,” based on an August Wilson play. Both sons of Denzel Washington (who produced) showed up in Chicago to promote the 125-minute film, which was released on August 31st and will screen on Netflix after a November 22nd theatrical release.
The synopsis for the film says that the film (based on the stage play) follows the lives of the Charles family as they deal with themes of family legacy and more, in deciding what to do with an heirloom, the family piano. Present this night to moderate the Q&A following the film was Ron O’Day Parsons, who has directed this particular play 4 times and was very familiar with the works of August Wilson and with the playwright, himself.
THE GOOD
Star John David Washington and co-writer Virgil Williams (foreground) arriving for the Opening Night Chicago International Film Festival showing of “The Piano Lesson.”
The cast was terrific, with John David Washington playing the male lead of Boy Willie. Samuel L Jackson is Uncle Doaker and Danielle Deadwyler (“Station 11,” “Till”) ably commanding the screen as Berniece, Boy Willie’s sister. Others supporting the two leads are Ray Fisher as Lyman, Boy Willie’s simple-minded friend, Corey Hawkins as Avery, the preacher-to-be who would like to marry Berniece, and Skylar Aleece Smith as Maretha, the young daughter of Berniece. Erykah Badu appears as Lucille. The films in which Samuel L. Jackson has appeared, including “Pulp Fiction,” have collectively grossed over 25 billion worldwide, making him, by some reckonings, the highest-grossing actor of all time. Watching him work is always a pleasure and he is spot-on as Uncle Doaker.
In addition to the acting—which is good, (especially in the climactic scene depicting the blessing of Uncle Doaker’s house)—the music by Alexandre Desplat (“The King’s Speech,” “Argo”) is outstanding and the cinematography by Michael Gioulakis (“It Follows,” “Us”) is also top-notch.
FROM THE PODIUM
Retired founder of the Chicago International Film Festival (oldest festival in North America), Michael Kutza. (Photo by Connie Wilson)
John David Washington and his brother Malcolm seemed genuinely grateful to be present that night to answer questions from the moderator and to show their film to an audience before it went to theaters. While accepting an award from co-chairmen of the festival Mimi Plauche and Vivian Teng John David Washington seemed very genuine when he exclaimed, “I really love what I do, so thank you, Chicago, because this is a really big deal for me.”