Movie 12 of 2022
The Movie: King Richard
The Cinema: The Rivoli, Camberwell
Stars: 4
With all the kerfuffle over Will Smith's (and Chris Rock's) behaviour at the Academy Awards this year, there was part of me who was thinking that maybe I could give this a miss. But despite the actor's entitled and dickhead move (not condoning either man - dick heads both of them) Jonella and I decided to see this. Not surprisingly after all the fuss, the cinema was 3/4 full - and the film has been running for a number of weeks now.
I'm glad we did go along. I can see why Will Smith got the Oscar for this. He's excellent.
"Armed with a clear vision and a brazen 78-page plan, Richard Williams is determined to write his daughters, Venus and Serena, into history. Training on Compton, California's neglected tennis courts--rain or shine--the girls are shaped by their father's unyielding commitment and their mother's balanced perspective and keen intuition, defying the seemingly insurmountable odds and prevailing expectations laid before them. Based on the true story that will inspire the world, "King Richard" follows the uplifting journey of a family whose unwavering resolve and unconditional belief ultimately delivers two of the world's greatest sports legends.".
It's an inspirational tale of a man wanting more for his family and being willing to do anything for them. You want to love Richard as much as you want to hate him. He's loud, brash and unconventional as he pushes his girls to be their best. He's the perfect advocate for his girls, but he's also a huge pain in the arse. For anybody who's had a difficult relationship with their father, you'll recognise a lot of his behaviours.
Will Smith is excellent in this as the eponymous King Richard. Very quickly you forget you're watching Will Smith and completely believe you're watching this loving, driven, left-of-centre father get the best out of his daughters.
But there is much more to this film. There's the life in Compton, an impoverished part of Los Angeles. There's the relationships with his wife Brandy (Aunjenue Ellis, deserving of the Oscar nod) and his five daughters. Most of the film focuses on Venus Williams rise from promising Junior to her first match with Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, when Williams nearly beat her as a 14-year-old.
As somebody who doesn't really like tennis, I really liked this film. It was definitely worth the Oscar nods.
It's just a pity it's going to be overshadowed for eternity by the disappointing actions witnessed at this year's Oscars.
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