King Richard
2021
***
Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green
Cast: Will Smith, Aunjanue Ellis, Saniyya Sidney, Demi Singleton, Tony Goldwyn, Jon Bernthal, Mikayla LaShae Bartholomew, Danielle Lawson
Before they were born, Richard Williams drew up a step-by-step plan how his two biological daughters, Venus and Serena, would complete their education and train hard to become top professional tennis players. This long autobiographical story is engaging but, knowing what happened later, rather low on drama. Williams makes for a compelling lead character, but it is rather frustrating to watch a determined, controlling, and overbearing man being proved to be right. In any case, Will Smith is very good in his Academy Award winning lead performance.
