20 Best Movie Performances Of 2021
6. Will Smith - King Richard
Will Smith may finally win himself the Best Actor Oscar next year for his sublime, arguably career-best performance as Richard Williams in King Richard.
It might take viewers a few moments to acclimate to the rhythms of Smith's performance, which may initially seem mired in caricature but, as anyone who's ever seen the real Williams speak will know, it's impressively true-to-life.
This might be the most shrewd use of Smith's seemingly endless charisma to date, funnelled into playing a man tirelessly committed to pushing his daughters to greatness, but only on his own terms.
King Richard is a good movie, but Smith's performance is great, elevating a well-crafted drama into something genuinely poignant regardless of your own feelings about tennis.