An idealized biopic about Richard Williams, the father of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams (Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton), starring Will Smith, reveals the secrets behind the manager of these icons that changed the history of the sport in more than one sense.
The film covers the intimate relationship of this character with the training process of athletes, from childhood until the moment they begin to gain fame and enter the tournaments that made them famous.
As he himself affirms, the plan had been drawn up since his daughters were born in a poor neighborhood in Los Angeles. There he trained them on the few and dilapidated courts that were within their reach. There they also confronted the racism of the time and the rejection of the environment, in an elitist sport that not only belonged to white people but also to wealthy people.
But despite the economic and social difficulties that any African-American family was experiencing at the time, where the few doors that could be knocked were closed immediately, Richard was persistent and did not give up in the attempt.
He was very clear that for them, talent was not enough. You had to have a very good education and good manners. For this reason, he clothed himself with patience and confronts with dignity the setbacks with those of his own race and family, sometimes going to the other extreme, to avoid any type of negative contamination that could alter his plans.
Richard was marked by a traumatic childhood, without the support of a father to defend him in the most difficult moments of his youth.
Although some scenes may seem repetitive, the film is insistent on showing the stubborn, and sometimes annoying, character of this character who finds no other way to achieve his purpose but imposing himself, to the point of forgetting to consult with his wife Brandy (Aunjanue ellis ), who in a more silent way was as involved and present as he.
It was clear that talent was not enough for his race. Exemplary manners and education had to be shown to the world. For this, even a simple movie session at home became a compendium of morality and honesty.
The film is inspired by the memoirs that Williams wrote, published in 2014, and the performances are what most grabs us about the film.
It is directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, with an entertaining script by Zaqch Baylin that reflects the dichotomy of this particular character who will be able to touch all our emotional fibers.
The film is presented on HBO max and in theaters.
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