King Richard (2021) * * 1/2

Directed by: Reinaldo Marcus Green

Starring:  Will Smith, Aunjanue Ellis, Jon Bernthal, Demi Singleton, Saniyya Sidney, Tony Goldwyn

Will Smith plays the title role of Richard Williams, the domineering father of tennis legends Serena and Venus Williams who leads them on the path to immortality.   It's a tribute to Smith that he is able to eschew his natural likability to play the blowhard Williams as the ultimate Little League Dad and still make a movie about him at least watchable, if not anything special.  What prevents King Richard from evolving into true greatness is its attempts to shoehorn a positive spin and happy ending to these events.   The movie is called King Richard and not Saint Richard for a reason, and there are times the movie forgets that.

The athletic prowess of Venus and Serena is not exactly on full display here.  Serena is shoved to the back burner almost altogether, except for some unbelievable speech by Richard to her that she will someday be better than her older sister.   The speech almost serves as a reminder that Serena is also in the movie, with so much of the focus being on Venus.   As great as Venus is, Serena has whizzed past her in terms of career and stardom.    At an already bloated 2 hours, 20 minutes, King Richard would've approached Gone with the Wind's running time if any attention were paid to Serena. 

The movie isn't about the Williams sisters but about Richard's pursuit of their fame.   He is the Stage Dad who rightfully believes he has the next two Michael Jordans of their sport, and makes life intolerable for the poor coaches who agree to train them.   Richard wants to do things his way and interferes in Venus' and Serena's development as often as he possibly can.   Richard has a long-suffering wife (Ellis) whose primary function is to sit by, support Richard while gritting her teeth, and eventually dress him down as the egotistical showman he is.   It is ironically amusing when Richard attempts to instill humility in his daughters when they become overly celebratory after Venus wins yet another junior event.   

Any emotional investment in King Richard is caused by the Smith performance, in an Oscar-bait role that is flashy and slyly entertaining.   We may not always like or agree with Richard, but he still doesn't fail to compel us to watch him.  Smith nearly makes the film a three-star endeavor all by himself.  The ending reeks of filmmakers wanted to contort a happy ending out of these events even it kills them, and any of the film's credibility.