Rating: 8.5
I think Will Smith is gonna finally get his Oscar for this one! (And if he doesn’t I will riot.) His performance as Richard Williams is absolutely remarkable, and easily the best part of the movie. He’s so damn good in it, Richard is such an interesting yet frustrating character and Will plays him to perfection. In the movie, you really don’t ever see “Will Smith”, you only see Richard. He pretty much transforms into Richard Williams, from his voice to his gait and mannerisms. This is probably one of his best performances, right next to “The Pursuit of Happyness”. The movie paints such a fascinating and multilayered portrait of Richard, by the end you feel like you know him and can almost predict his actions. And honestly I’m surprised they took this angle to explore him rather than his daughters, which would have been the easier road to take. The story really shows such a realist perspective of him; the good and the bad. It highlights the complexity of everything involved in the plot too, from Richard’s life and background to the sport of tennis or even the pressure that is put on athletes.
Oh, as I should have mentioned before… I loved the movie! While it does feel like quite the typical sports biopic, it is still very nuanced and I loved the story that was told. It’s a crowd pleasing drama, an all around good movie that has an overall positive feel to it despite having darker moments. The only problem is that it’s nothing overly special technically; the writing is good and the directing is solid, but really what holds the movie together are the amazing performances (not just Will Smith) and the inspirational, powerful and touching story told. You will laugh, cry, smile, cheer (all at once!) and just leave feeling very pleased by the movie.
I’m also someone who isn’t a tennis fan, so I had no idea what was happening on the court, but I was no less intertwined by the story. It was really compelling and kept me invested the whole way through. It’s slightly too long, but still wildly entertaining with strong messages. But it really is driven by its phenomenal performances, I don’t know if it would have been as good without those or it’s story. (Also Jon Bernthal manages to steal all the scenes he is in!) It’s a must see movie, and sure to be a top awards contender. I really loved it, and while I don’t think it’s the best thing I’ve seen all year, it is really something special and does have some of the best performances this year.
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IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%
RT Audience Score: 99%
Metacritic Score: 71
CinemaScore: A
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Warner Bros
Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green
Written by Zach Baylin
Based on a True Story
Cast: Will Smith, Aunjanue Ellis, Saniyya Sidney, Demi Singleton, Tony Goldwyn, Jon Bernthal
Runtime: 2hr 25min
Rating: PG
Biography, Drama, Sport
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Armed with a clear vision and a brazen, 78-page plan, Richard Williams is determined to write his two daughters, Venus and Serena, into history. Training on tennis courts in Compton, Calif., Richard shapes the girls' unyielding commitment and keen intuition. Together, the Williams family defies seemingly insurmountable odds and the prevailing expectations laid before them.
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Fun Fact: The screenplay King Richard was featured in the 2018 black list - the annual list of well-received, unproduced screenplays.
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