The job of a parent is to do anything they can to ensure the safety and future success of their children. In the world of entertainment, the parents who take this task to the extreme with micromanaging and immense pressure on their young kids are called stage parents. Richard Williams, father of tennis greats Venus and Serena, was always portrayed in the media as one of these types of taskmasters. Some people agreed with this assessment, but others saw a father who was fiercely protective and active in guiding his daughters because the world they lived in, rough and tumble Compton, California was equally fierce and demanded it. If Richard was loud, boisterous, and overprotective, it was because a father in his situation needed to be. A new film depicting the rise of the Williams sisters in the competitive and rich world of youth tennis seeks to shine a new light on Richard Williams, his methods, and his motivations.
King Richard follows the journey of tennis legends Venus (Saniyya Sydney) and Serena (Demi Singleton) Williams through the eyes of their father Richard Williams (Will Smith) when they were just young girls growing up in Compton, CA being coached by him in an effort to make them future superstars.
As one can deduce from the film’s title, or from having just cursory knowledge of the film’s subjects, King Richard is a story about the importance and impact of a father on the lives of his children and his family. And while the Richard Williams portrayed by Will Smith is the strong, but sometimes obnoxious and headstrong patriarch we came to know him to be, the film does well in portraying the sacrifices and know-how that the Williams family used as a whole in developing Venus and Serena into the champions they are. Most notably their mother Oracene, played beautifully and impactfully by Aunjanue Ellis has her story told well with her strength, knowledge, and most importantly words of wisdom and correction for Richard when needed portrayed as a necessary part of helping the girls become who they became.
The efforts made by their parents, in particular Richard, make for a heartwarming family tale of perseverance and the determination that good parents have in ensuring that their children have better lives than they did. As the story unfolds, we learn that Richard’s life in Jim Crow Louisiana was a tough one where he faced not just the racial terrorism of the day, but an inability and unwillingness from his father to protect to his young son from it. Richard made it his life’s mission to give his daughter’s the opportunities and support that he never had while ensuring that they were afforded the respect of the world around them that he never received as a poor, undereducated black man from the rural South. This desire from parents to put their children in a better space than they had in their own childhood is what sets many people on the path toward future success and is one of the most impactful forms of love that can be bestowed upon a child; a point made impactfully through this film’s story, performances, and direction.
Will Smith’s performance as the titular character is one of the best in his career and puts him in prime position for another Oscar nomination and possibly his long elusive first trophy win. Much like the film itself, Smith balances humor, sadness, and tension well within the depiction of one dad determined to make something out of nothing for his family. Despite the difference in appearance, Smith is able to capture the essence of Richard Williams well through both his vocal intonations and his displays of Williams’ personality traits, making for one of the more transformative roles in his career. Aunjanue Ellis shines right alongside Smith creating a perfect balance of care, love, support, and forceful reasoning to go alongside Richard’s headstrong nature. Ellis portrays Oracene with a quiet strength that is just as pivotal in keeping the family together and on the right track as Richard’s dream of tennis superstardom for the girls.
King Richard is one of the best surprises of the year, managing to hit all of the right notes to make for what feels like the perfect family film. At once funny, dramatic, inspiring, and overall entertaining featuring a career highlight of a performance for an A-list superstar and quality supporting performances, led by Aunjanue Ellis with notable work from Saniyya Sydney and the always consistent Jon Bernthal as the girl’s coach Rick Macci. It’s life lessons and heartfelt story are sure to connect with audiences and make this a crowd pleaser. This one feels like what a night out at the movies with loved ones was made for.
Image: Warner Bros.
