Warner Bros. were kind enough to let me screen Marcus Reinaldo Green’s “King Richard” last night.
This was one of the films I missed out on in the fall festival circuit (along with Mike Mills’ “C’mon C’mon” and Maggie Gylenhaal’s “The Lost Daughter”). Suffice to say, it’s an incredibly entertaining affair, and I’m glad to report that it doesn’t refrain from showing how flawed (and obsessively aggressive) Richard Williams was in his persistent pursuit of perfection.
At this point, Will Smith has got to win the Best Actor statuette — not only is the buzz behind his performance deafening, but he’s also just really damn good in the movie. Aunjanue Ellis is also a contender.
Yes, this is not a risk-taking/arthouse picture and I do think the high-brows will just shrug it off, alas, it’s one of the few solid adult dramas that will be released this year.
What can I say about “King Richard” other than it’s a phenomenally-acted, smartly written and edited film that truly engrossed the inner sports fan in me. I know all about Richard Williams; married three times, hard-headed, aggressive, passionate etc. You see all that and then some in this movie.
I’ll encompass all my thoughts in an upcoming review.