If you want to watch something feel-good on Netflix this weekend, this movie about Venus and Serena Williams starting their professional tennis careers – and the work from their dad, Richard, that went into making the break-out possible – is an engrossing story of one family against the world.
The movie has some fantastic performances, including – but not limited to – an Oscar-winning turn from Will Smith that everyone definitely remembers instead of that other thing he did that night...
Exactly how true to life this movie is remains up in the air – while the Williams family had involvement in the film, there are suggestions that it sugarcoats things in places – but it's still a really compelling watch, and certainly does try to view Richard Williams from more than one angle.
He infuriates their coaches, he infuriates his wife, he infuriates his daughters when he doesn't bend his 'plans' for them to accommodate their growing independence… but this is how he gets positive results. That tension runs through so much of the movie – should he change as time goes on? Will he change? Can he change?
Despite the name, the movie is quietly Venus and Serena's story, though more Venus. Saniyya Sidney (Venus) and Demi Singleton (Serena) are both superb, and hold their own not only against Will Smith doing a whole physical change in his performance, but also against Jon Bernthal (coach Rick Macci) and Aunjanue Ellis (Oracene Price, Richard's partner) who are both trying to steal the movie in their own ways. Actually, in the same way, really – both are so good at playing that they're dealing with the most aggravating man in the world, whom they have deep affection for fundamentally.
And you know it's going to have an uplifting ending, because Venus and Serena did not exactly struggle in their careers. Put it on for a fun Friday night light drama, it's a good time.
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