Film: King Richard

 

GENRE: Biography Drama
RATING: PG-13 for some violence and strong language
RUNTIME: 2 hours and 24 minutes
PLATFORM: Movie Theatre
STARRING: Will Smith (Pursuit of Happyness; Bad Boys; I, Robot)
Aunjanue Ellis (Lovecraft Country); Saniyya Sidney (Fences)
DIRECTOR: Reinaldo Marcus Green (Monsters and Men)
WRITER: Zach Baylin (upcoming Creed III)
PLOT: How tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams became who they are after coaching from their father.

FULL DISCLOSURE: Heard a lot about Will Smith’s performance.

STORY STUFF: I was completely unaware of Venus and Serena’s upbringing which should not be too much of a shock as I know next to nothing about tennis. It’s a powerful story of a father’s determination to bring out the best in his children. He is full of quotable advice and a drive which can be a little too firm at times. It’s an ultra-supportive family which is refreshing to see. The tennis stuff didn’t grab me much as I’m not fan of the sport. The running time goes on a bit long.

ACTING STUFF: There are a number of awesome performances in this film. Smith gives his all as Richard Williams. His stance, his voice, his demeanor is well-crafted. I’m sure he’s getting an Oscar nom for this. Ellis holds her own as the mom, Brandy Williams. The kids are all fantastic, especially Sidney as Venus. You can see the adults they are to become while also experiencing the joy of childhood. I was also impressed with the high-energy performance of Jon Bernthal (Walking Dead, Punisher) as Coach Rick Macci. Bernthal is usually so dark and foreboding; this was a treat to see. Great stuff all around.  

ARTISTIC STUFF: Not much to say here. The production values are well done, especially when you see the real footage during the end credits. There are some nice shots as well. The ones with lots of tennis balls come to mind.

VERDICT: Three and half stars out of five
SEE IT IF: You like tennis and want to see Will Smith shine.    
UPCOMING REVIEW: Top 10 of 2021