King Richard

I like these bottoms-to-top sports dramas a lot, and this one definitely ranks as one of my favorites. Will Smith is perfect, his life wisdom and advice are a balm to the soul, the emotions are functional, the dramatic scenes are steamy (the police visit was great), and the tennis scenes were entertaining. A powerful and incredible story. I enjoyed it more than I would have hoped. 8/10. (12/31/2021)

Except for the bigoted and aspiring fascist chocopapa, it was actually pretty good. Four stars might be a bit much, but I just love these boilerplate "from zero to (black) hero" stories. I had a bit of a problem with what the film was actually trying to convey. The experience is mostly taken care of by the story itself, which is a kind of maybe even a slightly fairy tale sports drama. Then again – Will Smith really makes an effort here, and he screams for that bent-backed Oscar until it's not pretty (and he’ll probably get it, too). While there's more than a healthy dose of pathos (not the good kind, unfortunately), there are still a few passages where the whole thing manages to be properly punchy and suitably epic. It's certainly not the film of the year for me, but those considerable Oscar ambitions are understandable given the current social discourse. Yes, there are much stronger films in this genre, and it probably wouldn't stand a chance in a closer Oscar competition (it's not particularly great in terms of craftsmanship or screenwriting). But when I think about it after almost two and a half hours, I actually liked it quite a lot. I'll admit that Jon Bernthal had something to do with that; he's absolutely divine here. [80%] (01/03/2022)

An excellent sports film, appropriately motivational, though, of course, it’s not only about tennis, it has other important messages. Will Smith is fantastic in the lead role, and he portrays such a contradictory character as Richard WIlliams definitely is, with everything he has. Sometimes he oozes infectious enthusiasm, sometimes you want to punch him in the face a little (or more), sometimes he moves you. Still, the film doesn't stand on him and his "plan" alone, as Aunjanue Ellis as his wife and their daughters are just perfect, with Jon Bernthal and Tony Goldwyn also rightfully stealing a lot of the audience's sympathy. P.S.: I would love to see a movie about the movie, with the real Richard Williams on set advising Will Smith on how to play it :) (02/06/2022)

A smart biopic for the whole family; thematically appealing, well scripted, accessible and well acted. It's considerably more a feel-good-vibe movie than an ambitious and raw drama, but it's so skillfully made, with so many worthwhile and entertaining scenes, that most viewers will gobble it up like a raspberry. Will Smith gives one of the best performances of his rich career. (01/08/2022)

Serena and Venus as the perfect projects of the brilliant strategist and visionary Richard. Nothing against it, but the film is too respectful of the King's gloriole. Although it tries to problematize his motivations and the execution of the divine plan for the "two Jordans" several times, it always ends up slipping into schematic adoration. Green isn't an inventive director. He just repeats a learned pattern of punches and when he has to do a big smash at the end to win the game, he hits it out of bounds. Partly because Venus is so absent-minded throughout the narrative that one can't quite sympathize with her efforts. Smith is literally begging for an Oscar in every scene and I wouldn't be surprised if he gets one. It's a similarly digestible and pre-chewed morsel as Green Book was some time ago. Thanks, but I'm sticking with Borg vs. McEnroe. And if you are looking for emotion and psychology, get Untold: Breaking Point. That film speaks about the essence of tennis about a thousand times better and more dramatically than this mess. P.S. There's hardly a film where Bernthal appears and doesn't add a star on top. Give him a big role already. (11/27/2021)