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Movie Review: King Richard

Mike Tyrkus
Will Smith, Saniyya Sidney, and Demi Singleton in King Richard

Will Smith, Saniyya Sidney, and Demi Singleton in "King Richard."

In the film King Richard, Will Smith portrays Richard Williams, the father of tennis phenoms Venus and Serena Williams, as well as the architect of their ascent into sports history. Yet underneath the paternal planning there is a heartfelt family narrative at work that makes King Richard succeed not only as an above-average sports film, but as an inspirational drama as well.

Richard, it seems, has been planning his daughters’ assault on history before either was even conceived. He has a surprisingly well-thought out plan for their success (it’s 78-pages long to be exact) that involves training them himself, regardless of the weather conditions, on whatever available courts he is able to find in Compton, California. That is, until it becomes clear that Venus and Serena have surpassed his ability to instruct them and he seeks a professional trainer. Since he is unable to pay for such a service he is, of course, planning to trade a percentage of the girls’ future earnings to whomever takes on their cause. Eventually, he finds a trainer in Rick Macci (Jon Bernthal) who agrees to take on one of the girls (Richard plans on Macci training Venus while he records their sessions and implements the same techniques with Serena). This all culminates is an unbelievably exciting and riveting match wherein Venus shocks the world of tennis.

Will Smith in “King Richard.”

Smith is at the height of his game as Richard Williams. He is not only a well-intentioned father, but he comes across as something of a trailblazer himself seeking to better the lives of his children. The matriarch of the family is played with bravado by Aunjanue Ellis as a mother who while puts her children above anything and everything, even to the point of calling out Richard when it appears as though the “plan” may not be moving along as expected. As Venus and Serena (Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton, respectively) do a remarkable job of giving the young protégés the grit and determination they obviously must have, but also the emotional baggage that comes along with that within a familial setting.

Director Reinaldo Marcus Green blends these nuanced performances effortlessly with a seemingly methodical screenplay by Zach Baylin that nevertheless moves so briskly along that the film’s running time passes by before you may expect it to. Cinematography courtesy of Robert Elswit moves the film equally well, along with the editing provided by Pamela Martin, between the grittier urban settings and the less-than-so world of professional tennis tournaments.

While King Richard may not break any new ground in its exploration of the story of Venus and Serena Williams or as a film within the sports genre, it instead proves to be an endearing portrait of a man who wanted the best for his children and set about to get that for them by any means necessary.

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Mike Tyrkus

Editor in Chief at CinemaNerdz.com
An independent filmmaker, co-writer and director of over a dozen short films, the Editor in Chief of CinemaNerdz.com has spent much of the last three decades as a writer and editor specializing in biographical and critical reference sources in literature and the cinema, beginning in February 1991 reviewing films for his college newspaper. He was a member of the Detroit Film Critics Society, as well as the group's webmaster and one-time President for over a decade until the group ceased to exist. His contributions to film criticism can be found in Magill's Cinema Annual, VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever (of which he was the editor for nearly a decade until it too ceased to exist), the International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, and the St. James Film Directors Encyclopedia (on which he collaborated with editor Andrew Sarris). He has also appeared on the television program Critic LEE Speaking alongside Lee Thomas of FOX2 and Adam Graham, of The Detroit News. He currently lives in the Detroit area with his wife and their dogs.

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