Movie of The Week Review: King Richard
Will Smith's Brilliance On Full Display
PG-13 2021-Sport/Drama, Run Time: 2hrs 25mins
Can Be Seen On: Netflix (until July 31st), Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Youtube, Hulu, Max, Sling Tv, Fandango at Home.
Movie Short Summary: Armed with a clear vision and a brazen, 78-page plan, Richard Williams is determined to write his two daughters, Venus and Serena, into history. Training on tennis courts in Compton, Calif., Richard shapes the girls' unyielding commitment and keen intuition. Together, the Williams family defies seemingly insurmountable odds and the prevailing expectations laid before them.
SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!
Trivia Question #1: Which actor or actress never played tennis before and had to learn to play with their non-dominant hand for their role?
Happy Review Monday, my fellow watchers!
Let me know if that’s what you guys would like to be addressed as—totally open to bouncing some ideas around and going back and forth about it (see what I did there?). A little tennis humor here, people, as our movie of the week review is about the 2021 film, King Richard. I hope you enjoyed this movie as much as I did because it definitely made me appreciate not only tennis more but also the greatness of Serena and Venus Williams. I knew some of their story about being from Compton, CA, but until this film, I had no idea about Richard Williams' rigorous 78-page plan, training, and unorthodox methods they lived by. It’s always interesting to watch a film based on a true story where you know the ending—in this case, the historic and incredible careers of the Williams sisters—and see how the director will keep you hooked during the journey.
Reinaldo Marcus Green directed King Richard and did an incredible job putting Richard Williams' 78-page plan on full display. You're able to see the Williams sisters rise to stardom, along with all the hard work and obstacles along the way. You not only get to see the prejudice the Williams family faced for being a poor Black family in a predominantly rich, white sport, but also the adversity they faced in their own neighborhood with gangs and intrusive neighbors calling child services. For example, one of the most harrowing and emotional scenes from the movie is when all the girls in the Williams family are packed into their Volkswagen minibus as they watch their father get punched repeatedly by a gangster for standing up for them. We then get to see Richard (Will Smith) at his most vulnerable point in front of his girls, talking about the beaten-down life he has lived that has left him with a feeling of not being respected by anyone. In the same scene, talking about his lack of respect, he says, “this world ain’t never had no respect for Richard Williams, but they gon respect y’all.” A powerful line and one that sticks with you over the course of the movie as you watch Richard make sure of that.
Trivia Question #2: Who was originally cast to play Coach Paul Cohen but had to drop out of the film due to Covid delays and scheduling conflicts?
In a world now where parents are either hands-off with their kids and let them figure out the world for themselves, or just don’t push their children hard enough to give them the confidence and work ethic to succeed, it is absolutely inspiring to watch as Richard Williams and his wife, Brandi (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor), hold all of the Williams sisters accountable. You know the saying, “it takes a village to raise a child,” and the amount of family support to ensure Venus (Saniyya Sidney) and Serena (Demi Singleton)’s success in tennis is phenomenal. Examples include Brandi working double shifts, Richard working nights as a security guard while listening to tennis radio and reading tips and tricks for training, or Tunde, Lyndrea, and Isha (the other Williams sisters) helping gather tennis balls after practice. It is truly an incredible story that is translated into a very good film. Key point is very good as I do have some problems that separate this from being truly great.
Trivia Question #3: Which women’s tennis pro was cast to play in the movie?
One of the biggest gripes I have with the movie is the random skip in the timeline after the family got to Florida. It seemed like out of nowhere we just skipped three years. It also dragged on a bit before there was any context that it was three years later before one of the characters let it slip that they have been pulled from the Juniors for that long and then mentioned Venus being older. On top of that, some scenes lacked the context and build-up of tension that really would have put some scenes over the top. The scene I’m thinking of is between Richard and Brandi in their Florida home kitchen, talking about Richard’s ego and fear of failure, as well as Brandi being pushed to her limit. I just wish there was more context that we were able to see over the three years that Richard really went over the wayside and became a star of a reality show that didn’t exist, and the weight it put on Brandi’s shoulders to deal with it, as well as the pressure she felt to eventually speak out in this moment. I felt that it was a bit inorganic and came from left field due to the three-year jump. The film definitely had its moments that could make you well up, like the scene where Richard interrupts Venus practicing at night. This scene proves why Will Smith won the Best Actor Award at the Oscars for this film. He tells this heart-wrenching story about his own father abandoning him in a time of need during a time of racial inequality, where Richard was beaten and jumped for accidentally touching a white man while taking it in a fetal position all alone. He held Venus back because he was afraid that he could no longer protect her once she went out there on the court in front of the world, dealing with agents, sponsorships, etc. It was a gripping and amazing scene that would make any daughter out there think of their own father and the bond they share. Definitely a film to watch with your dad if he is a girl dad.
OFFICIAL SCORE: 8.2/10
Now, the reason I went with a lower score than you might think after reading this review is that it comes down to the fact that I need to separate the story from the actual film, if that makes sense. The story is incredible—10/10—but the film itself, outside of a moment here and there, didn’t consistently keep me engaged for all 2 hours and 25 minutes, which felt like it dragged on. I feel like the movie could have been shorter, and I was also disappointed that we didn’t get to see more of Serena playing in matches. Will Smith, again, was absolutely brilliant in this film and carried it for the most part, being able to show the full duality of Richard Williams as a protective and caring father to someone who was controlling, overbearing, and loved to be on TV. Now, where I fall on the spectrum of Richard Williams is that I love him. I have always been in awe of people who had a long-term vision or plan, were able to execute it, and prove people wrong. One of the most recent examples in sports of a father and his kids is Lavar Ball. Love him or hate him, he predicted that his sons would be drafted and play in the NBA, and even Lonzo going to the Lakers. In terms of being a polarizing father in sports, Richard Williams walked so Lavar Ball could run. If you haven’t watched the film yet but enjoyed the review, I highly recommend going to Netflix or whatever other streaming service listed above to give it a watch, especially if you are a girl who had her own father as a coach! Let me know what you think about the film by leaving a comment below and don’t forget to subscribe to see the preview for this upcoming week’s film!
TRIVIA ANSWERS:
#1-Saniyya Sidney! She is left handed but had to study, train, learn to play like Venus Williams, who is right handed. (Source: IMDB)
#2-Liev Schreiber. (Source: IMDB)
#3-Mexican tennis pro, Marcela ZacaZacarías as Spanish tennis pro Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario, with no acting experience at all. (Source: Tvtropes.org)