AFI Fest 2021: King Richard Review

This will be one of many reviews during this year’s AFI Fest, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.

Let’s just get this out of the way right now, the Will Smith hype is real. Ever since the news that he was cast as Richard Williams, the father of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams in the biopic of his life, he was met with Oscar buzz, a position he has not been in since 2007. Suffice it to say that he is going to be there come 2022. But as far as King Richard is concerned, it is much more than that. Though it may not necessarily revolutionize the inspirational sports biopic subgenre, it executes that formula to a tee, resulting in an emotional and heartwarming albeit slightly too long watch. That being said, the excellent performances across the board are easily the highlight, eliciting that emotion and making it a compelling watch in spite of its derivative nature. However, keeping in mind that the film may be intended as a Richard Williams biopic, that limiting point of view still takes away the Venus and Serena story by undercutting or overshadowing that part of the story which was kind of disappointing.

As mentioned, King Richard tells the story of how Venus (Saniyya Sidney) and Serena Williams (Demi Singleton) came to be thanks to coaching by their father Richard (Smith). Richard in fact had gone above and beyond, even planned the trajectory of each of their lives, assuring their success and better lives for themselves away from the streets of Compton, California. With the help of his wife Brandy (Ellis), the two found ingenious ways to make the best out of their circumstances to help Venus and Serena but it wasn’t always easy as they could only take them so far. In order to get to the next level, they needed help. The big question was whether or not Richard could even take a step back? His passion and dedication to his daughters did not allow that as he was adamant in his plan for them though perhaps he became consumed by the plan so much that it blinded him from what was actually happening.

As mentioned, the best part of King Richard was its performances as they certainly kept things interesting. In the end, the film was all about family and that strong dynamic was what it carried it through. Smith was definitely the standout in delivering a powerful performance as Richard Williams, using every ounce of his magnetic charisma as he completely disappeared into the role as the dedicated father who would do anything for his children. Meanwhile, Ellis was also up to the task, holding her own alongside Smith as she undoubtedly was the heart of the film, stealing plenty of scenes herself. Sidney and Singleton made the most out of their time as Venus and Serena Williams, each delivering standout performances, allowing audiences to become emotionally invested in their journeys.

At the end of the day, while the Will Smith hype is real, King Richard is also a great sports biopic in its own right.

 still courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.