Was available on HBO Max through yesterday; wife and I are big tennis fans so thought it might be fun to watch. Will Smith stars as Richard Williams and he's developed a 70+ page plan for his daughters to become tennis superstars (which he supposedly wrote before they were born; in fact, he claims he 'had' them so he could turn them into superstars....). Anyway, Richard is from Louisiana and his past haunts him a bit; mentions having to flee the Klan, getting beat up often, etc. Seems like it was rough. Anyway, his daughters are young prodigies and in need of a 'real' coach, and that's pretty much where the story begins (not sure if true or not, but the way he got his daughters their first real coach is fairly mind boggling...). He and his wife and five daughters live in a small home in Compton (all the girls share one bedroom) and it's rough - gang violence, poverty, etc. - and when not training them on the courts (rain or shine), he works as a night security guard. Anyway, things start to happen for his daughters and it's pretty fascinating to watch; tennis dads are notoriously overbearing and Williams is a bit of a contradiction - he goes to great lengths to teach his daughters to be humble but he farts in a meeting with a Nike executive because he's offended at what he perceives as a low sponsorship offer (when it is anything but). He prioritizes school above all else when convenient, but works his daughters to death on the court.
It's a fairly upbeat/positive movie (the Williams sisters are producers) and Will Smith is really good as Richard Williams, so recommended for tennis fans (and sports fans in general) who are curious about how the Williams sisters started and got where they are (also a bit of a peek behind the curtain at the world of junior tennis tournaments and the players involved). 'The Punisher' Jon Bernthal has a nice role as Rick Macci, the guy Williams convinced to coach his daughters (and buy them a house, move them to Florida, and give him a job) for a cut of future earnings. The movie only covers a small part of their journey (basically from the streets of Compton to Venus's pro debut) but I liked it overall.
It's a fairly upbeat/positive movie (the Williams sisters are producers) and Will Smith is really good as Richard Williams, so recommended for tennis fans (and sports fans in general) who are curious about how the Williams sisters started and got where they are (also a bit of a peek behind the curtain at the world of junior tennis tournaments and the players involved). 'The Punisher' Jon Bernthal has a nice role as Rick Macci, the guy Williams convinced to coach his daughters (and buy them a house, move them to Florida, and give him a job) for a cut of future earnings. The movie only covers a small part of their journey (basically from the streets of Compton to Venus's pro debut) but I liked it overall.
