King Richard

King Richard proves one of my strongest held beliefs when it comes to movies - That a film doesn't have to be overflowing with originality in order to work, it just needs the right combination of strong performances, characters we can feel for, and a script that is worthy of telling the story.  Director Reinaldo Marcus Green, working with a script provided by Zach Braylin, does very little to shake up the sports underdog formula here, but does so with genuine emotion, humor, and a transformative performance by Will Smith, as the father of future tennis pros, Venus and Serena Williams.

Given that Smith is one of the more notable and recognized stars working in Hollywood, it's very hard to make the audience forget that we are watching him up on the screen.  And yet, Smith is able to completely disappear into the role of Richard Williams, who serves not only as the girls' father, but also their mentor in the sport and in life in general.  According to reports, Smith was initially to go under heavy make up to make himself look closer to the real life figure, but the director decided against it, and it was a wise decision.  Instead, Smith disappears into the performance physically.  He walks gingerly, as if he is constantly dealing with aching feet, and he always seems a little hunched over.  Richard explains at various points that he's taken plenty of beatings in his life, both physically and emotionally, and Smith is able to sell this just by how he carries himself.

The story begins in the early 90s in Compton, when the two future tennis stars are still not yet into their teens, and Richard is trying to run a tightly knit house with his devoted wife Oracene “Brandy” Williams (Aunjanue Ellis), and three other daughters.  In Richard's house, there is always a lesson to be learned from just about any experience.  After showing his girls a video tape of the Disney animated film Cinderella, he stresses to them that the movie shows how the heroine was humble throughout, and that they should strive to be the same.  For young Venus (Saniyya Sidney) and Serena (Demi Singleton), life is all about schoolwork, and practicing the game that they both love.  Richard has constructed what he feels is an air-tight plan for their future, and he refuses to deviate from it.

Naturally, Richard is met with a large degree of skepticism outside of his home.  None of the major tennis coaches quite buy his claims that he has the "next two Michael Jordans of tennis" living under his roof.  Not only does he have to deal with the skeptical and largely white figures of the sport that he wants to break his daughters into, but he also has to deal with other challenges, such as the local street gangs that are always trying to lure his five daughters into their lifestyle, or a neighbor across the street who judges Richard from afar, and thinks that he is working his girls too hard, and is afraid for them to the point that she calls the police to investigate their home life.  Eventually, Richard is able to convince real life tennis coaches Paul Cohen (Tony Goldwyn), and eventually Rick Macci (Jon Bernthal), to take on his two daughters and lead them into the world of professional tennis.

One of the more interesting aspects of King Richard is how Richard's viewpoints and overall plan for Venus and Serena often clashes with those of the men who coach them at different points in the film.  His relationship with Macci, in particular, is one that seems to be built out of genuine friendship and at times madness.  Macci pays to bring the whole family to Orlando where they can live in a beautiful home near his coaching facility, and yet, Richard remains headstrong at times, and will not listen to what others say is best for his girls.  Only he knows what is best.  While the portrayal of Richard has been whitewashed somewhat (as is to be expected), the script still is able to show us that he can be stubborn and hard to deal with.  Richard feels he has to be in order to get what he wants for the girls, but is it really about them, or is it just what he wants?  There's a wonderfully acted scene where Oracene confronts Richard about just this, and that they are her girls as well as his.  

Even better is that even though we know how the story ends when we're walking in, it is still able to create a form of tension and genuine involvement in the audience.  We are instantly captivated by Smith's portrayal, but then the film digs deeper, and gives all the major characters a chance to stand out.  There are the big scenes I've already talked about that display Richard's complex relationship with his family and the girls' eventual coach, but there are also the small moments where Richard seems so close to giving up on everything and shows that even he is struggling.  There's a powerful moment where Richard almost makes a fatal mistake concerning a young gang member who is constantly harassing him and his daughters while they practice, and how he is snapped back to reality.  There is no dialogue in this scene, but Smith portrays every emotion beautifully.

King Richard is a bit overlong at nearly two and a half hours, and there are a few heavy handed moments here and there, but for the most part, this is an excellent and uplifting film that captivates with its power, warmth and moments of humor throughout.  Despite the fact that it was made with the full cooperation of the Williams family, it never feels like it is glorifying the family.  It is an honest portrayal of the strength that Richard, Venus and Serena have that brought them to where they are today.

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