King Richard is a true story that focuses on how the father of Venus Williams and Serena Williams played a huge role in the success they found in their sporting careers. The scene of a father pushing his two girls reminds one of Dangal. However, both films, execution and plot wise, are as different as chalk and cheese. Despite being 145 minutes long, the makers keep viewers engrossed. A few moments are extraordinary and the fact that most of is true is difficult to believe. On the flipside, a few developments are never explained properly. The focus in mainly on Venus and one wishes if a little bit of focus was also placed on the live of Serena Williams. Will Smith delivers one of the finest performances of his career. And that says a lot as he has delivered many memorable performances. Aunjanue Ellis (Richard’s wife Oracene) leaves a mark, especially in the confrontational sequences. Saniyya Sidney (Venus Williams) is natural. Demi Singleton (Serena Williams) gets limited scope but does well. Jon Bernthal (Rick Macci) shines. Tony Goldwyn (Paul Cohen) is great in a small role. All in all, King Richard is a well-made flick. It has got 6 nominations at the Academy Awards. With the Oscars just 4 days away, Warner Bros decided to release this film purposely this week in India, though it released in the USA on November 19, 2021. Do give it a chance, especially after it makes waves at the Oscars (hopefully)!
My rating – *** ½ out of 5!