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King Richard Movie Review

King Richard is a 2021 biographical film directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and starring Will Smith in the main role. It is another tiresome conventional biopic.

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“Unlike you, I don’t need the world to tell me I’m great“

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What is the point of making a movie that is only about part of the story and not the full story? I know that this is a trend in biopics – focus only on one significant part of the figure’s life and ignore the rest. But here that became the movie’s biggest problem as it is all about how Richard Williams helped his children without ever focusing on their tumultuous relationship during their adult years.

Yes, the movie is only set in the nineties and it follows the rise of Venus and Serena, especially focusing on Venus interestingly enough. I found the acting by the girls solid and serviceable and the scenes with the two laughing and having a good time were so endearing. Unfortunately though, the movie made a fatal mistake of overly glorifying Richard and his contributions in their successful tennis careers to the point of undermining their own efforts, which was problematic to say the least.

Will Smith is very good in the role, but I wouldn’t call him incredible really. He is pretty strong and believable throughout, but my issue with the movie and his performance is that it is tailor-made for the Oscars and the awards season at large without ever feeling genuine. That artificiality bothered me throughout this overlong, dull movie.

There are certain moments in King Richard that really work. Tennis as a sport was well explored, especially the entry point into this career and how difficult it is for the disadvantaged to get into it. The first winning games by the girls were followed by truly moving scenes of triumph while the arguments between Richard and his wife were also very well executed in dialogue and acting performances.

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However, the movie rarely came alive for me. The cinematography, directing and score are all mediocre and the whole movie is forgettable. It wasn’t as impactful as it could have been nor was it as emotional as it was intended to be. It’s just not worth seeing for just one performance and a couple of strong sequences here and there.