moderate violence, threat, references to racism, infrequent strong language
2021 ( USA ) ( Biography, Drama, Sport )
DIRECTOR: Reinaldo Marcus Green
STARRING: Will Smith, Aunjanue Ellis, Jon Bernthal
Nominated for 6 Oscars, King Richard is a US drama following the father of aspiring tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams as he tries to help his daughters achieve their dreams. The film tracks the Williams family’s tough beginnings playing on scuffy local courts, with Richard regularly getting roughed up when he tries to confront guys hitting on his underage daughters. He badgers a prestigious coach into giving his girls a chance, and then. with breath-taking chutzpah, fires this coach and takes Venus and Serena out of the punishing junior tournaments because he feels they need a regular upbringing. He hires another coach instead, and the movie nail bitingly climaxes with Venus’s extraordinary professional debut in 1994 at the age of 14, up against the world number two, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario.
King Richard transcends sport biopic formulas with refreshingly nuanced storytelling, and a towering performance from Will Smith in the title role.
(2hr 24min)