King Richard
Richard Williams is an interesting subject for a film biopic. The sometimes controversial coach and public persona has long been the target of a critical media eye. Overwhelming much of that is the simple true statement that his most outlandish claim—that he built an extensive plan to catapult Venus and Serena Williams to the tennis stratosphere—is evidently true. In King Richard we get to see the man, the father behind the persona. Via a largely sympathetic and genuinely exceptional performance by Will Smith, we also receive a slight window into the dedication and work that the Williams sisters put into their early careers. It’s an excellent film that fires on all rhetorical cylinders.
King Richard traces the early path of Venus and Serena Williams via following the story of their father Richard (an electric Will Smith) alongside the rest of the family including Oracene Price (Aunjanue Ellis), the Williams sister’s dedicated tennis pro mother. We watch the girls move from their home in Compton, California to a Florida training camp to become some of the greatest tennis players the world has ever seen. Richard himself is a force of nature—a man with a plan if ever a man had a plan. He’s a dedicated if bombastic father who endures hardship and is willing to bend the will of the universe to bring his family up, and to give his daughters the opportunity to become the greatest tennis players in the world. (Spoiler: he succeeds, and they become two of the most accomplished athletes in the history of the modern world).
It’s an excellently scripted and structured film, with a strong, rising set of challenges for the family and the young sisters that are consistently engaging throughout. From a script perspective, Zach Baylin’s writing is skilled—it’s funny, emotional, and complex, with a solid driving progression. It’s worth noting this out in particular given that a number of major films in the last couple months have suffered tonal issues, poorly developed scene progression, or overdrawn exposition (and this includes both Oscar hopefuls and blockbusters). It’s refreshing to see a film that, from a story perspective, just lands.
The biggest draw to the film is certainly a standout performance by Will Smith, and it’s an absolutely stellar one at that. His turn as Richard captures well the complexity of the historical figure. He’s bombastic at times and subtle at others, and overall complex, nuanced, and emotional without being viewed solely through rose colored glasses. It’s a truly moving, multifaceted portrayal of a man who, for all his faults, would do anything for his girls… and he does. The rest of the family shines as well, and especially Saniyya Sidney as the young Venus Williams. She portrays the dedicated rising phenom with grace and complexity, and her interactions with Smith, Ellis, and Jon Bernthal (as Rick Macci) all shine.
King Richard is at its core an enjoyable, inspirational, and emotional ride. It hits the family’s troubling moments hard and effectively, but they’re ably balanced against a story with a happy ending. It’s a crowd pleaser that still hits home, even outside the hardcore fans of tennis and sports biopics (of which I am not). Once the film catches it’s a breezy ride, thanks in part to a solid screenplay and Smith’s top-shelf turn as the phenoms’ father. King Richard hits theaters and HBO Max on November 19th. Don’t miss it.
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