“A look at how tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams became who they are after the coaching from their father Richard Williams.” -IMDB
This is the kind of movie that I want to watch, Hollywood! Keep making more of these! Let me clarify…
King Richard follows Richard Williams as he drives his daughters, Venus and Serena, towards being the greatest tennis players of all time. I have heard criticism about this film being far too forgiving to Richard Williams and that is probably true. However, I don’t think the film is necessarily about rehabilitating Richard Williams’s image as an overbearing and spotlight hugging father; instead, it is a universal story about parenting, communication, overcoming adversity, and maintaining integrity.
This movie goes beyond being just a sport movie or just a biopic, as it has much more depth. It doesn’t shy away from facing difficult subjects including racism, violence, and poverty; however, it highlights the transformative power of love, family, determination, and hope. And I honestly don’t think that anyone but Will Smith could have played this role. He injects his natural charisma and his incredible range, from side-splittingly hilarious to emotionally devastating, into this role and it pays off in a big way. I am absolutely rooting for either him or Denzel Washington to win this year’s Academy Award for Best Picture.
As you can tell, I am biased in my absolutely adoration for this movie, but I appreciate leaving movies with a smile on my face. Maybe this movie won’t be for everyone, but in these incredibly trying time, I appreciated feeling a little bit of hope in humanity. Definitely worth the watch!
Rating: 9 out 10 Claire Bears
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If you like this movie, you should also watch: Belfast, CODA
Streaming: Available to rent or own
With: Will Smith, Aunjanue Ellis, Jon Bernthal
Directed By: Reinaldo Marcus Green
Let Me Clarify 