IMDb plot summary: A look at how tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams became who they are after the coaching from their father Richard Williams.
Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green. Starring Will Smith, Aunjanue Ellis, and Jon Bernthal.
King Richard is a biopic about Richard Williams, the very involved father of tennis sensations Venus and Serena Williams. Will Smith plays him in this film, and we see him coordinating opportunities for his daughters, setting the parameters of their training, and occasionally making controversial decisions to bring them to stardom through unconventional means. Smith is pretty great in this role -- he did a lot of research and spent a fair amount of time with the actual Richard Williams, and it pays off in the way his character feels more fleshed out than a lot of biopic leads. There are few narrative surprises here if you know the Williams sisters' story already but it does a lovely job of bringing it to life. The young actresses playing Venus and Serena just radiate confidence and positivity, which is charming, even if it sometimes reach the point where sometimes they don't entirely feel like real teenagers so much as symbols of success for Richard to guide. I would have liked to see a little bit more focus on the girls and their relationship with tennis, each other, and their father. The few moments we do see of that are by far the most compelling pieces. Overall a very watchable movie that directs the viewers' attention back to the subjects, as it should.
How it entered my Flickchart:
King Richard < Frank
King Richard > Annie (1999)
King Richard > Adventures in Babysitting
King Richard > Venom
King Richard > Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam
King Richard < Poulenc: Dialogues des Carmelites
King Richard > Unbroken
King Richard < New Faces
King Richard < All the Money in the World
King Richard > The Morning After
King Richard > Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood
King Richard < JFK
Final spot: #1872 out of 3586, or 48%.
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