Smith plays Richard Williams, the father of Venus and Serena, and this is the inspirational true story of the man behind the sibling tennis prodigies.
The film follows the upbringing of the Williams sisters and the passionate, dedicated man behind their rise to fame in the world of tennis.
The sisters have gone on to become multiple-time world champions, but behind their success is the driving factor of their father, Richard.
The film paints Richard as a positive influence in the Williams’ sisters careers, pushing them to be their best in the sport that he imagined they would succeed in since birth.
We get to see how these young women came up to be the best in the world from growing up in Compton, a city known for its crime and violence, especially during the 90s.
King Richard is directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, who just so happens to have another emotional family-centric film due out soon in Joe Bell.
Joe Bell deals with some darker themes, while King Richard aims for a more uplifting tone.
It’s the type of tone that can make for an overly-schmalzy film and judging by this trailer, it likely will be.
Nevertheless, Will Smith looks in top form here, delivering a spirited performance similar in style to his excellent fatherly role in The Pursuit of Happyness (2006).
See the film in cinemas on 18 November 2021.
COMMENTS