King Richard - A Movie Review

Never give up your dreams for anything. Stay focused and be confident.

Once awards season hits, I am excited to check out the films that have been getting buzz. King Richard is an outstanding film that has a bold message. Always stand your ground. While it’s an astounding feature, I think the film gets turned around on whose story it’s presenting.

Will Smith exemplifies how passionate of an actor he is. He has a range of abilities in both comedy and drama. Smith was profound, honest, and hits you right in the feels with an emotional delivery of the impact of being a father. He fell into the shoes of this figure.

With that, it’s his character whom I was not overly fond of. Richard Williams is a complicated man who is hard to please. Endlessly stubborn and not giving his family a chance to speak, Richard’s abrasive attitude got on my nerves. He wanted what was best for his family but it was all too much.

This story is supposed to be about tennis champions, Serena and Venus Williams. The film failed to institute their story, making Richard the center of attention. Their characters fell flat to me. Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton were excellent, most notably in the tennis scenes. Sidney had to train to be left-handed since her real-life counterpart is a righty.

The girls were put on the sidelines. I was hoping for a scene where they’d finally put their foot down like Auganue Ellis’ (Brandy Williams) noteworthy scene. All they do is agree with what they’re asked and play tennis. There’s not much room for their characters to expand. Other than their passion for tennis, I didn’t know anything about these women.

King Richard has several actors who give commendable performances. As I said, Auganue Ellis is splendid as Brandy Williams. Her most notable scene is when she and Richard have an explosive argument, discussing one another's flaws. Smith and Ellis did an incredible job bearing emotion and their ground.

My favorite performance of all goes to Jon Bernthal as Rick. He was my favorite performance of the supporting cast. Trying to persuade Richard of his own ideas and opinions, he never backs down. Tony Goldwyn is also another highlight. Other credits include Erika Ringor, Craig Tate, Andy Bean, and a notable ensemble of tennis players.

I also want to give a shoutout to Mikayla Lashae Bartholomew, Daniele Lawson, and Layla Crawford as the other members of the family. The interactions between the siblings were my favorite. Because Serena and Venus are the main focus, the girls felt left out in the latter half of the film. It should have focused on more of the secondary characters.

Highlighting the sport of tennis, Reinaldo Marcus Green did a remarkable job in cinematography. It is an uplifting story. I liked the way Green worked with all his actors. He should have paid better focus to whose story this film was about. The story began to drag out by the end, repeating sequences and even monologues.

A key takeaway from this story is that you should never let anybody stomp all over your dreams. We are allowed to be whoever we are. If we have a talent, we cannot sit on it. Make yourself known to the world and present your skills.

Overall, I was left unsatisfied with the final film. Richard should not have been the central focus, instead portraying more of the film through Serena and Venus’ perspectives. King Richard is still a film that you should see in theaters or streaming on HBO.