King Richard Movie Review

While we are familiar with the Williams sisters who made history on the courts – King Richard shares an in-depth backstory on how they came to be tennis world champions. The film focuses on the sisters from an early age being masterfully trained by their overbearing father to be champions. Read on for the full King Richard movie review below.

King Richard Movie Review

Armed with a clear vision and a brazen 78-page plan, Richard Williams is determined to write his daughters, Venus and Serena, into history. Training on Compton, California’s abandoned tennis courts – rain or shine – the girls are shaped by their father’s unyielding commitment and their mother’s balanced perspective and keen intuition, defying the seemingly insurmountable odds and prevailing expectations laid before them.

Based on the true story that will inspire the world, “King Richard” follows the uplifting journey of a family whose unwavering resolve and unconditional belief ultimately delivers two of the world’s greatest sports legends.

As a security guard working the overnight shift, Richard Williams becomes fascinated with the sport. He researches everything there is to know about tennis then lays out “the plan” (often referenced in the film) on how to make the Williams two youngest daughters tennis champions.

Growing up in a low-class California neighborhood as a family of seven, they can’t afford the country club lifestyle, let alone a tennis coach. However, that doesn’t stop Richard’s dreams of making Venus and Serena household names. In fact, he and his wife dedicate countless hours teaching the girls everything they’ve learned through videos, books, articles, and more. They work the girls so hard that a nosey neighbor calls family services on them for child abuse.

Richard brazenly cold calls tennis coaches, and even shows up at country clubs unannounced determined to convince them to coach his two daughters for free. He doesn’t take no for an answer. He has a plan and nothing is going to get in the way.

While his expectations for the dynamic siblings are extremely high, he uplifts them….speaking things into existence. He reminds them from an early age that they will be champions. That they will be the first black female athletes to be tennis stars. He frequently encourages all of his daughters to write their intentions for the next day because “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”

When Richard finally gets a coach to come on board and give the Williams sisters a chance, the coach will only work with Venus for free. Serena is left to root on her younger sister while Richard continues to coach her during the family’s spare time.

As the story continues to unfold you will find yourself amazed and inspired. Richard truly had a plan for greatness and was determined to see it through at all costs. And it paid off! Between the two of them, the Williams sisters have won 30 Grand Slam titles (Serena with 23, Venus with seven). When playing doubles together, they’ve won 14 Grand Slam titles and three Olympic gold medals.

King Richard opens in theaters and streams on HBO Max beginning Friday, November 19th. This movie is not to be missed! The entire family will be entertained.

After watching the film, I’m inspired to help my boys write their own 5-year plan and the steps they need to take to succeed!

 

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