HBO Max original film King Richard dropped November 19th, 2021.
#KingRichard was executive produced by Venus and Serena Williams.
rottentomatoes: 91%
metacritic: 77
imdb: 7.3
golden globes: 4 nominations
Richard Williams
Richard Williams raises tennis prodigies Venus and Serena Williams outside of Compton, California.
“I’ll take that. Thank you. Where I grew up, Louisiana, Cedar Grove, tennis was not a game peoples played. We was too busy running from the Klan. But here it is. When I’m interested in a thing, I learn it. How it works, how the best peoples in the world do it. And that’s what I did with tennis, with the girls. All we need is a club for training, and clinics, the whole deal. Everything the girls need to go from prodigy to pro. I wrote me a 78-page plan for their whole career before they was even born. It was, uh, 1977, I had watched this tennis match and I seen them get this girl, uh, Virginia Ruzici, $40,000 for four days’ work. And since I knew I had only made $52,000 all year, I knew I was in the wrong business. Went home that night, told the wife, ‘we need to make two more kids.’ So that night I wrote up the plan. One for Venus, one for Serena. Cover their whole tennis… …cover their education, foreign languages, everything. And now that plan say… …it’s time for us to come see you to help turn them into champions. Now, I know what you thinking. ‘This family is from the ghetto. How they gonna pay old me?’ Well, don’t you worry about that. We’re not here to rob ya. We here to make you rich. Okay, you making a mistake, but I’mma let you make it. Okay. Them pants look expensive. You look pretty rich to me. You need to open your stance a little more. Your stance too closed.” — Richard Williams
“Girls. Y’all go ahead back in the house. Tell your sisters we leaving in a few minutes. We’ll deliver the rest of them books later. I ain’t gonna tell you again, do not talk to them kids. They work as hard as they need to to stay off these streets. I’m in the champion-raising business. I got a book about it about to come out soon. Maybe I give a copy to your daughter. Remind me which corner she working on again? Yeah, just stop talking to my kids. You riling me up with them little nurse shoes on. I love them nursing shoes. You, too. At the club. And, Serena, stop saying everything Venus say. We got us a van full of balls. And you don’t need to be worrying about what other folks is doing anyway. You need to worry about what you doing. We out here getting great, that’s what we need to be worrying about. You understand that? All right. Oh. Say hi to the peoples that’s gone.” — Richard Williams
“Hey, ready to work? Who ready to work? Say again? That’s what I like to hear. Stay up on your toes. You’re making too much noise. Don’t nothing come to a sleeper but dream. Oh, no, watch out. Watch out. There you go. Keep that wrist like the smack. It’s like with the ‘pop’ on top. Throw it to the sky. Get this one over the fence. I like that. Yeah, that’s it. There you go! First drill. Whoever hit that, one dollar. Yes, yes, good power. Yes, there you go. There you go. Yes! Ooh, watch out, Martina. Speed that racket here though. Oh! Almost, Venus Williams! Forehand. Yes, you keep that stance open or else I’mma come down there and tickle you. Very good. Very good. Get to it. Get to it. Get to it. There you go. There you go. Wait for that ball. Go get it. Go get it. Yes. Good depth. Good depth there. Switch it backhand. Don’t get too excited. This is your game. Get it all the way up to that cotton picker. All the way up to the sky. Yes, Venus Williams. Come on in here. That’s a very, very good day today. You did good work. Venus Williams… …who is your best friend? Serena Williams, who is your best friend? That’s unbelievable. Give your daddy a kiss. Thank you. All right. Why don’t y’all go ahead, uh, and pick the balls and everything up?” — Richard Williams
“Tunde! Pick your things up, get your sisters, go ahead to the bus. Young man, now I asked you a couple times… now, that girl there is only 16 years old. Now, that girl there is only 16 years old. And she out here to work. Just leave her alone. Just leave her alone. You leave these girls at peace. I done said what I wanna say. Just mind your business. She not interested in you. When I was your age, I used to have to fight every day. If it wasn’t the Ku Klux Klan or the police or the white boys from next town, somebody was always beating on me for something. And I ain’t had no daddy to stand in their way. The world ain’t never had no respect for Richard Williams. But they gonna respect y’all. They gonna respect y’all.” — Richard Williams
“Nothing, Junior. Go in the house. That same boy sniffing around Tunde. Thank you. I got to get to work. Okay, girls, half hour. Finish your homework, then get to bed. What you mean? Look, I done already put this behind me. Okay, we just got to stick to the plan. We got champions in the other room. My feets are fine, okay? Okay, actually they was hurting out there a little bit today. You are right. Yeah. You should have seen Venus out there today. Just something done clicked in her mind. She is so ready. She ready for that next level. You got to trust me, okay? I’mma get us some help. Venus and Serena gonna shake up this world. And they gonna need to ’cause they not gonna make it as singers. They not ’cause… I got to get to work. Mm-hmm. We’re gonna shake up this world.” — Richard Williams
“Ten o’clock, girls. Time for bed. All right. Y’all wrote in your journals? Made your plans for tomorrow? That’s right. Got to have a plan for every day, else what? That’s right. We not failing, are we? Okay, all the way to the top. You know, one day not too long from now, somebody gonna hand you girls a check for $1 million. And you gonna buy as many beds as you want. Maybe even a couple of ’em. But we not gonna be like this forever, okay? Okay. You girls go to bed.” — Richard Williams
“As you notice, Vic, they have very good form. And, uh, you can see their serve looks very good, hopefully. Raise your hand, Serena. Venus Williams. And, uh, we have our tape, Tennis Our Way, and we’ve been viewing it. However, the tape say you’ll be good by Friday. Well, guess what, Vic, we got good by Tuesday. That’s how good your tape is. These girls is looking for some coaching, and we think you’d be great. So, you want to relax, take it easy, and get a chance to see some real good tennis players. That’s it. Yes, I did. Yes. Uh, when the girls was younger, I had bought this camcorder. So I film myself in the mirror asking questions, things, and the such. Then when they got older, I start doing it with them. I called it their ‘media training.’ Oh, yeah, I’m a businessman, Vic. Yep. Yep. Okay.” — Richard Williams
“Dear Heavenly Father, Jehovah, God, we thank you for this food. We ask you to bless the hands of the peoples that prepared this food. We thank you for this opportunity as a family to come together. And we ask you to please, please don’t let nobody get fat from eating all this food. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.” — Richard Williams
Brandy Williams
“Richard, leave that nosy woman alone. You know she just wanna rile you up. I gotta get to work. Get these girls to practice. All right. Have a good day. Keep turning those hi[s if you wanna get that power. Yeah, where are we practicing? Hi to the people that’s gone.”
“Dinner’s ready. How was practice? Did you work on your serve? Tunde, get the plates. Move, move, move. Leave Serena alone. Here, give this out. Y’all go wash up. What happened. Gimme this. Y’all clean up. Mm-hmm. Something has to change. We can’t keep up this pace. Me nursing all day, you working all night. Coaching in-between. Now look at your face. Richard, we have done a great job with them. They are great, but they’re not going to Wimbledon like this. Not with hitting with you and me on those raggedy courts. They need better surfaces that… they need better everything. And not playing with you with your busted-up feet. Richard, you playing. I’m serious. I’m serious. I know I’m right. Yeah, she really is. She ready. All right. Oh, Serena. That’s what I wanna hear.”
Venus Williams
“Serena, those books are bigger than you are. And break your back while you’re at it? Serena! Phone book. Phone book. Told ya I’d win. Told ya I’d win. Bye, mom. Where are we practicing today, daddy? Yes, daddy, we do. Hi to the people that’s gone. We’re ready, daddy.”
“Mm? You, daddy. Daddy, what’s happening? Okay. Yeah. ♪ Because the greatest ♪ Love of all ♪ I wanna dance with somebody ♪ With somebody ♪ Somebody who loves me ♪ Oh, I wanna dance With somebody ♪ “
“Saturn. Yes, daddy. You fail to plan, you plan to fail. No, daddy. Come on, Meka. In one check? Really? Okay. Good night, daddy.”
“Daddy?”
Serena Williams
“No, they’re not. I can do it. I can carry more than you. Wanna bet? Oh. Phone book. Phone book. Phone book. Hey. Hey. Hi, Mrs. Strickland. Okay. Okay. Yes, daddy, we do. Hi to the people that’s gone.”
“I feel like I’m in church. We’re ready, daddy. Venus. Then you. Then you. After Venus. Hi, mom. It was good. Oh, wait, hold on. I’m going first. I already know what I’m singing. ♪ Because the greatest ♪ Love of all ♪. Stop! What’s so funny? The song is a great song. Yes, ma’am. Yes, ma’am. ♪ I wanna dance with somebody ♪ With somebody ♪ Somebody who loves me ♪ Say you wanna dance Don’t you wanna dance ♪ Oh, I wanna dance With somebody ♪ “
“A basketball. A basketball hoop. Yes, daddy. You fail to plan, you plan to fail. No, daddy. Good night, daddy.”
Tunde Price
“Stop. Because I am trying to get an A. You should try it with your B-plus. Yes, daddy, we do. Hi to the people that’s gone. We’re ready, daddy.”
“What is he doing? Daddy, are you okay? If we eat fast enough, we’ll probably have time for the talent show. ♪ Because the greatest ♪ Love of all ♪ . Leave Serena alone. Thank you, mama. You got it? Yes ma’am. ♪ I wanna dance with somebody ♪ Say you wanna dance Don’t wanna dance ♪ “
“Dancing together. A hole… oh, a ring. A ring. Yes, daddy. You fail to plan, you plan to fail. No, daddy. Good night, daddy.”
Lyndrea Price
“Tunde, dang, you’re a nerd. Why you doing homework on a Saturday? Hope they don’t seal our balls again. Yes, daddy, we do. Hi to the people that’s gone. We’re ready, daddy.”
“Hey, mommy. Daddy got beat up again. Let me guess… ♪ I wanna dance with somebody ♪”
“Ballet. Yes, daddy. You fail to plan, you plan to fail. No, daddy. Good night, daddy.”
Isha Price
“Lyn, you probably told them to do it so we wouldn’t have to practice. Yes, daddy, we do. Hi to the people that’s gone. We’re ready, daddy.”
“Hey, mom. ♪ Because the greatest ♪ Love of all ♪ I wanna dance with somebody ♪”
“What was it? Yes, daddy. You fail to plan, you plan to fail. No, daddy. Good night, daddy.”
Vic
“So I guess you made that yourself. I see. Well, that’s very industrious. This deal you’re asking for, you know, all of this for free, Richard, nobody’s taking that bet. Tennis is a technical game, you know, probably one of the most. And… and if you didn’t grow up with the game, then… it’s like playing the violin. You know, it takes hours and hours a day. You know, year after year of expensive expert instruction, just to hold the thing right. Yeah, and even then, even for families with unlimited financial resources, the chances of achieving the kind of mastery and success that you’re talking about… I mean, for one kid, let alone two, it’s… it’s like asking somebody to believe that you got the next two Mozarts living in your house, you know? It’s just… it’s just very, very unlikely. I’m sorry, that’s just my two cents. I, uh… maybe you can prove me wrong.”
Mrs. Strickland
“Girls. Thank you. Now, you need to go tell your father to stop working you so hard. I seen y’all practicing in the rain. The man is crazy. Excuse me. They came onto my lawn. And somebody has gotta, as hard as you’re working ’em. Get off my property. Got your little booty-hugging shorts. You need some bigger shorts.”
“Somebody ought to call the cops on you.”
Compton Local 2
“How you doing? I’m sorry, what’s your name, mama? You ain’t gotta act like that, love. We just trying to talk to you, that’s all. You Tunde? That’s your name? Hey, the homie said he wanna talk to you. But, Tunde, you ain’t gotta be acting like that, love. She’s studying. Where she going? Don’t drop your backpack, baby. Keep talking all that shit. Oh, Tunde! Tunde, the homie’s still right there. I be tellin’ this love right here… you gotta stop acting like a… ***** be acting like he scared or something like… young man? I talk to whoever I want, homie. What, now you feel like you’re better than us or something, homie? Hey, homeboy, you know you hear me talking to you. What’s up, homie, you got something you wanna say? Yeah, now you my business, bitch. See your daddy now, huh, Tunde? That’s your homie, man. What’s going on with him? Hey, keep your old ass at home, homie. Come over here trippin’ and shit, man. Came over here with that stupid shit.”
Compton Local 3
“Oh, he upset, *****. Hey, yo, come on, homie, man. Leave this old-ass ***** alone. Oh, damn! Come on, Roc! Come on, man. He’s an old-ass *****, man. Punk-ass *****, say what?”
Compton Local 4
“Come on, man. Turn that music up. Why you beating up my homeboy, man?”
Compton Local
“King Richard, don’t get much rest ever, do you?”
Tennis Club Attendee
“All right. Step in a little bit more. All right, short it up.”
Tennis Club Attendee 3
“You ever think about basketball?”
Tennis Club Attendee 4
“Best of luck to you. All right. Oh, they are.”
Coach
“If I had a dollar for every crazy parent that told me their kid would make it to number one, I’d be a rich man. Well, there you go.”
Bud Collins on tape
“If you look at the biggest servers, Sampras, Lendl, Connors, you’ll see the break of their wrist is like a smack, like a high-five. That’s what you’re looking for when you hit it. That ‘pop.'”
