King Richard (2021)

OMG Will Smith. He really does seem to take on the mantle of Richard Williams and never once sluffs it off the whole length of this docudrama. It is about is half sports movie, half biopic and almost always a bit edgy. As such, it hits the sweet spots and sour notes of both genres. Depending on your perspective, this is either an invitation or a warning to parents of talented youngster who lack means and money. The story of how the preternaturally talented tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams came to be at the top of the game in tennis. They grew up in Compton, a town synonymous with poverty and rap, but not athletic prowess. The title itself on exactly how complicated the characterization of its subject will be, which is not altogether likable. Richard Williams does some infuriating things here, but the movie never once indicates he was ever wrong. This film repeatedly comes at you from unexpectedly skewed angles and is ultimately worth watching.