Richard Williams (Will Smith) was the father of Venus and Serena Williams. He pursued their extraordinary career with dogged determination, unconventional strategies and massive amounts of love and care for the well-being of his daughters. Smith effectively brings the man to life, which is a challenge because he was sometimes flawed and often frustrating. All of the performances are sterling, beautifully capturing the family’s affections for each other. Since I’m not a fan of the game, it’s a positive that the tennis scenes never go on too long. Even at 2:18, the momentum of the story and the love-filled ensemble propels it to an ultimately uplifting experience.
Local notes: Look for 2 VCU Theatre alum: Brad Greenquist (1983) as the manager in floral pants and Mikayla LaShae Bartholomew (2017), as the eldest half-sister, Tunde and was recently seen locally in The Niceties (my review). 
(4 / 5)
