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‘King Richard’ fueled by warm, winning performances

by TYLER WILSON/Coeur Voice Contributor
| November 24, 2021 1:00 AM

A case could be made that a movie about the rise of Venus and Serena Williams in the tennis world should focus on Venus and Serena, instead of their father, Richard Williams, who became a enigmatic public figure while his daughters rose through the competitive ranks.

For the first 15 minutes or so of “King Richard,” the biopic that stars Will Smith as Richard, the movie appears to be a rose-colored inspirational sports flick that celebrates the father rather than the two women who did most of the actual work. Fortunately, “King Richard” becomes a much more complicated and engrossing drama, and it ultimately earns its warm-hearted climax while giving everyone involved their proper due.

It also helps to have a top-of-his-game Will Smith in a career-best performance.

“King Richard” opens in Compton, with Richard and wife Oracene (a terrific Aunjanue Ellis) raising five daughters while trying to shield them from the gang activity in their neighborhood. The two youngest girls, Venus and Serena (Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton) devote most of their free time training on the tennis court, with Richard and Oracene trading off in-between work shifts to help them hone their skills. However, Richard’s “85-point” plan for her daughters requires a tennis coach that can better prepare the girls for professional competition.

How Richard ultimately clashes with these coaches reveals some of the man’s unorthodox methods for his children. He openly criticizes the white, upper-class culture of the junior tennis circuit, and he purposefully holds both kids out of competition because of their ages, despite outside forces thinking they’re ready (the older Venus especially).

The conflict between Richard and Oracene grows too, and it becomes clear that “King Richard,” directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and written by Zach Baylin, is a more nuanced family drama than it initially seems. It’s through Richard’s stubbornness and growth that the film ultimately earns its inspirational trajectory.

Smith has always been a charismatic presence in film projects, but the material he chooses doesn’t always provide much dimension. With “King Richard,” Smith commands the screen while getting to explore more nuanced character motivations.

Despite the title, the film also appropriately frontlines Venus and Serena, especially as Venus eventually pursues competition. Sidney and Singleton prove to be solid on-camera athletes, and they also believably convey the weight of being young competitors who are also breaking racial barriers in such a white-dominated sport.

Also worthy of a quick shout-out: Jon Bernthal is lively and very funny as Rick Macci, a coach who occasionally clashes with Richard as Venus approaches going pro.

Yes, a few scenes in “King Richard” fall into some of the faux-sentimental trappings of a traditional Hollywood biopic. Enough of the script avoids the cliches though, and the performances across the board elevate the material. By the end, it’s a charming heartstring-tugger.

“King Richard” is now playing in theaters and streaming on HBO Max.

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Tyler Wilson is a member of the International Press Academy and has been writing about movies for Inland Northwest publications since 2000, including a regular column in The Press since 2006. He can be reached at twilson@cdapress.com.