Since their introduction to the world of tennis in 1994, the siblings have risen to international glory and fame: Venus is a five-time Wimbledon winner, while Serena has 23 Grand Slam tournament victories to her name.

Success, however, doesn’t always spring out of nowhere. Responsible for leading the girls down the path to greatness is their father, Richard Williams, whose story is told in “King Richard”.

The Academy Award-nominated film, made with the sisters’ blessing, shows how dear old Dad set them up for victory in spite of his own lacklustre childhood.

Longtime tennis enthusiasts may know Richard – 80 years old today and still alive, but reportedly in poor health – to be a controversial figure who is said to have been too hard on his daughters.

Some biopics make the mistake of depicting their subjects as flawless characters, but this film makes it clear that some of Richard’s decisions are, at the very least, questionable.

He is portrayed as a caring family man, as well as a manager who plans everything to a tee and expects everyone, and everything, to fall in line.

Richard often single-handedly makes decisions for his children instead of letting them decide for themselves. In fact, it is his dogged determination for Venus and Serena to pursue this career path that becomes the main source of conflict, his stubbornness eventually leading him to clash with his wife.

At points, the senior Williams comes across as unreasonable, dismissing the opinions of experienced tennis coaches in favour of the plan he has laid out for his daughters.

His unusual and occasionally unnecessary demands lead to frequent rejection by these professionals, yet Richard’s confidence in his girls does not waver.

And of course, as it turns out, his instincts are right.

Eventually, it is revealed Richard is primarily motivated by his own upbringing, one that involved growing up with an absent father in a seedy neighbourhood with zero prospects.

Everything he does for his kids is to increase their chances of going far in life, and enjoying success the likes of which he could never have – something, perhaps, many Malaysian parents can relate to.

Black-and-white issues

With racism and racial tension still prevalent in the United States, it is inevitable that the topic of prejudice would arise in this film.

For the longest while, tennis courts were only accessible to white people, leading the Williams family to being the only coloured persons in the arena.

Indeed, with tennis at the time being a white person’s sport, the sisters’ entry would prove to be a literal game changer, as they were more than capable of holding their own against their Caucasian counterparts.

“King Richard” is buoyed by stellar performances and good pacing, showing just the right amount of what life was like for the Williams.

With the weight and nuance required to pull off the title character, Will Smith is certainly deserving of his Oscar nomination, comfortably alternating between his comedic and dramatic sides as needed.

Fellow Oscar nominee Aunjanue Ellis also shines as Oracene “Brandy” Williams (née Price), treading the fine line between being the supportive wife/mother and a strong, independent individual; while Demi Singleton and Saniyya Sidney are enjoyable in their roles as Serena and Venus, respectively.

And while this is not something many people would necessarily pay attention to, praise also has to be given to the camerawork.

Tennis is a fast-moving sport, and the scenes of gameplay are executed so perfectly, it feels like you are watching a tournament in person, which is no easy feat on the big screen.

All in all, “King Richard” will certainly please diehard Will Smith fans who wish to witness more of his acting prowess. It is great to see him in a role that actually shows off his ability, unlike some of his previous films where he comes across as an emotionless robot or bland, directionless persona.

It is also the film for you if you are a sports enthusiast looking for inspiration; a parent who wants their child to succeed in life; or someone who’d like to be entertained for two hours while learning more about two of the tennis world’s most renowned players, and the driving force behind them.

‘King Richard’ is playing in cinemas nationwide.