King Richard Early Reviews praises Will Smith’s Oscar-worthy performance »Data Jam

As for the Oscars? I’m not an expert, pssst… no one here is, since we are not in the academy, but I would say that only Will Smith is a lock for the nomination. In fact, I would love to see him win, but there is still a long way to go until March.

– Mara Reinstein (@MaraReinstein) September 3, 2021

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Stephen Farber, THR:

Although Smith’s outstanding performance dominates the film, it is not the whole show. Aunjanue Ellis also shines as the girls’ no-nonsense mother, having the strength to defy her husband when he gets carried away on the ego trip. His is not as flashy a role as Smith’s, but he balances it with understated warmth and wisdom. Jon Bernthal is also excellent as a smart Venus coach; brings humor and a credible mix of exasperation and resignation to his frustrating battles with Williams, which he almost always loses.

Gregory Ellwood, The Playlist:

Obviously, it is difficult for an actor as well known as Will Smith to escape his public persona on screen. It’s that inherent charisma that made him one of the biggest movie stars in the world. But unlike his turn as Muhammad Ali and Michael Mann But, this is a performance in which he almost completely loses himself. The fact that you simply forget that Smith is playing Richard is a remarkable achievement considering the film’s 2 hours and 18 minutes in length.

Peter Debruge, Variety:

As impressive as Smith is as the scruffy and slightly stooped Richard, who channels the actor’s natural charisma into a stubborn but supportive kind of approach, the film offers a formidable equal in Ellis as his wife. Publicly, Brandi lets Richard make the decisions, but privately (where the movie’s most shocking scenes take place), she’s not afraid to remind him that the Williams family project is a group effort.

David Ehrlich, IndieWire:

The film embodies the often-repeated, albeit increasingly suspect, spirit of making sure that fun comes first.

Todd McCarthy, Deadline:

Will Smith hits a winner with King Richard. Playing the passionate, eccentric and controversial father of budding tennis prodigies Venus and Serena Williams in the late ’80s and’ 90s, the protean actor finds a new cog as he dwells in a complicated and courageous man who leads the way for two girls. very talented in the beginning. teenagers in a sport where black hopefuls were virtually unheard of, especially in the female ranks. This captivating account of an unprecedented double hit success story for two sisters will work well with all audiences.

Smith’s return to more emotional storytelling in the face of blockbuster cinematography has proven to be an exciting draw for King Richard ever since the star first signed on for the movie. While the first reactions to any movie should generally be taken with a grain of salt – that is, coming out of a film festival – the level of praise directed at the Williams sisters biopic and Smith himself are quite promising for the film. film. The biggest vote of confidence for the film should come from many who cited Smith’s performance in the film as one of its highlights and evidence that he became one of the pioneers in the career of Best Actors such as the Oscars and the Oscars. Golden Globes.

It has been almost 15 years since Smith last earned an Oscar nomination for his work on The pursuit of happiness and the first trailer of King Richard It certainly seemed to be a good sign that the actor had found a role that would put him back in the competition once again. Although some early reviews point out that the film is not perfect and highlight Ellis’s performance as much as Smith’s, the acclaim seen thus far proves to be promising both for audiences and for its awards season opportunities in the coming months. Only time will tell how many boxes of tissues the public will pass when King Richard hits theaters and at HBO Max on November 19.

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