Good evening everyone! Tonight, we are going to be reviewing a film that was released by Warner Bros. Pictures, and is based on a true story. Not to mention that it features Will Smith, Tony Goldwyn, Aunjanue Ellis, and other actors, and actresses. Released on November 19th, 2021, the movie is King Richard.
Plot: The movie tells the true story of a pro tennis player named Richard Williams, and his journey to trying to make his daughters Serena, and Venus (Demi Singleton, and Saniyya Sidney respectively) be the best tennis players that they can be.
Okay, I may not be fully knowledgeable about the life of Richard Williams. I did hear that he was married another time before getting married to his second wife that’s portrayed in this film by Aunjanue Ellis in this film, then to his third, and likely thus far, current wife. However, even if that’s the case, one can’t help but think that maybe he learned some valuable lessons along the way. I mean talk about a man who was willing to go so far as to train his kids, particularly her two daughters that are the two main characters of his kids in this film, to be the best that they can be. Not only that, but it’s also interesting how creative Richard, even in this biopic, uses surprisingly creative ways in teaching his kids to be as humble as they can be. Oh, and it’s also great to see Richard Williams’ Christian faith, which I’m not sure if he had before being married to any of his three wives or not, being incorporated into this movie. Seeing as we haven’t had mainstream films with Christianity incorporated as of recently, besides films like 2019’s Little Women, and 2019’s A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood, it’s great to have something like that incorporated into a movie again. Additionally, Will Smith most definitely outdoes it again in this role. He has nailed nearly anything that he’s in, from action comedies like Men In Black to dramas like this, and 2006’s The Pursuit Of Happyness. King Richard is no exception. Now, why is this film called King Richard in the first place? Could it be because of how, as a father, he was trying to be the best role model that he could be? Or perhaps he was a really good tennis player? It could likely be a number of those reasons. Anyway, King Richard does a great job of showing how the dad was a strong father physically, and emotionally, and how he will stand up for his family whenever he needs to. Not to mention that he tries to help his family think through certain decisions, especially difficult ones that may come up from time to time throughout this movie. The characters are also really great, from Richard Williams, to his daughters, Paul Cohen, Rick Macci, and the rest of the cast in this film. Sure, not all five of Richard’s kids are fully fleshed out. However, since the focus is more on his kids, Venus, and Serena, and their journey to becoming pro tennis players, that’s rather understandable in this case, wouldn’t you say? In addition to all of this, how could one not forget the score by Kris Bowers? Now, keep in mind that for those of you who saw Space Jam: A New Legacy when that was released back in the summer of this year, he scored in that film too. Now, even if his score for that film was very good, it’ll likely be hard to compare the score between Space Jam: A New Legacy, and King Richard, especially since they’re two separate movies. Nevertheless, let me just say that you’ll most definitely like the score in King Richard, especially since it adds more engagement, and momentum to this film. Finally, again, it’s great to see a film in which the main character will look for creative ways to teach his children to be humble, be willing to let go of too much control that he may have on either his kids, or anyone else from time to time, and overall do what’s right, whatever that takes.
And that’s my review for King Richard. It is a film that is most definitely worth seeing. It’s a shame that it hasn’t done as well at the theatrical box office. Could that be because it may be more popular on the HBO Max streaming service? Perhaps! Well, let me just say that hopefully, after this year, Warner Bros. Pictures will stick to just releasing their films in theaters. Why? So that really good films similar to King Richard will be experienced on the big screen alone. Yeah, I understand that some people are, for some reason, still somewhat fearful of the whole ridiculous COVID-19 deal, and things like that. Still, because of movies like King Richard deserving a more theatrical experience, it’s a good excuse for people to get out more. So, if you want to see a film that is trying to be as great if a film as possible, has great acting, teaches excellent morals, and is an overall uplifting film in the end, then definitely see King Richard hopefully in theaters if you can. You’ll be surprised by what an amazing quality film King Richard is in the end. Again, go out, and see it, and see what you think!
Final Grade: A+
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