Starring: Will Smith, Aunjanue Ellis, Jon Bernthal, Saniyya Sidney, Demi Singleton
Distributor: Warner Brothers
Runtime: 144 mins. Reviewed in Jan 2022
Reviewer: Fr Peter Malone msc
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Richard Williams has a powerful plan for his two daughters – Venus and Serena. He believes they will be tennis champions and he trains them with dedication.
No, not the Crusades and the Lionheart. Although this King Richard, Richard Williams, certainly has more than a Lionheart concerning his crusade, or in his words ‘plan’, for two of his talented daughters – Venus and Serena – and their tennis careers.
As we watch this film and wonder what the real Richard Williams was like and how he communicated with his daughters, there is satisfaction during the final credits with actual footage of Richard and his daughters.
While the two young actresses bring the early teenagers, Venus and Serena, alive as determined and dedicated tennis players, the focus of attention is on Richard Williams. And, as played by Will Smith, with his long TV and film heritage behind him, he is something of a power force. While we do have a lot of sympathy for him, he is not always a likeable character. And the screenplay highlights this, with conflicts between Richard and various coaches, working with his wife, Brandy (a persuasive performance by Ellis), disciplinary demands of his daughters and some strong confrontational sequences about motivations, methods, ego. (And, on the basis of several sequences, was not surprised to learn after watching the film that the couple did separate and divorce.)
For tennis fans, there is plenty to enjoy. Many practice sessions in detail and a number of matches illustrating styles and techniques. The culminating sequence for the film is Venus at 14, her first competition in three years, taking on the world champion, Arancia Vicario Sanchez in Oakland in 1994. This is the dramatic end of the film, a young teenager facing the challenge, disappointed in performance, but suddenly finding an enormous acclaim for the courage and strength of her game as well is character. She is played by Sidney. And, while the focus is on Venus, there is sufficient emphasis on Serena (Singleton), younger but idolising her sister, and later becoming her competitor and co-champion.
Also for tennis fans, there is a lot of background about coaches, Richard Williams working with his daughters from a young age at the local tennis courts in Compton, California, thugs and muggings, protection support, the era of the Rodney King case, police and race prejudice. We are introduced to Paul Cohen who coaches John McEnroe (an amusing incident) and a more cooperative Pete Sampras, who allows the two sisters to demonstrate their skills and takes them on for several years, promoting them in young players’ competitions. Later there is Rick Macci (Bernthal), talented with coaching young players like Jennifer Capriati, no match for the wiles of Richard Williams in working out the best of all possible contracts and independence while Macci coaches Venus.
For those who enjoy dramas, whatever the subject, there is much of interest here. Will Smith is at his best, an excellent supporting cast, family drama and conflicts, the world of tennis, sport, competitiveness, tournaments.
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