King Richard - Final As Filmed 9

10.CONTINUED:King Richard.ever, do ya?OLD PATRON (BLACK MAN)Don’t get much restRICHARDDon’t nothin’ come to a sleeperbut a dream.When the cleaning is done, Richard pushes the girls inthe shopping cart full of balls as they laugh and -Venus and Serena throw FOOTBALLS and toss BROKEN RACKETSfrom the baseline as far as they can in a peculiar drillRichard’s concocted. It looks. unusual and -Richard continues prepping, hanging up HOMEMADE SIGNS:“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”“You are a winner.”“Be humble -- Say Thank you.”Finally, they are ready to practice. Richard calls out,placing four balls into a pyramid.RICHARDFirst drill. Whoever hit that -one dollar.They hit ball after ball at the target as Isha, Tunde,and (a very bored) Lynn shag balls at the fence.RICHARDYes! Yes, that’s good power.Serena Williams. There you go.Great power, Venus Williams.Speed that racket head up. Thereyou go.They are out here for hours, all working their asses offbut whatever they do, Richard instills them withconfidence and fun and we see it.There’s something intangible here. Even at 8 and 9, thegirls’ athleticism, tenacity, and drive arestratospheric. When Venus just misses the target -RICHARDOH! Almost Venus Williams!Almost Venus Williams. Very good.Venus steps up again, an incredibly diligent student and BOOM! -- she nails it exactly.(CONTINUED)

11.CONTINUED: (2)RICHARDThere you go. There you go.Yes, you keep that stance open orI’m gon’ come down there andtickle you.Their practice continues for hours with Richard’s nonstopencouragement.RICHARDGet to it. Get to it. Yes, verygood. Don’t wait for that ball.Go get it. Good depth there.Good depth. Don’t get tooexcited. This is your game. Makesure you controlling that ball onevery shot.Richard watches as they rally, while Tunde sits on a milkcrate, doing homework by the fence. Behind her, a GROUPOF YOUNG MEN play basketball on the court and -SAME SCENE - A SHORT WHILE LATERRichard stands at the fence as the girls serve.RICHARDGet all the way up to that cottonpicker. All the way up to thatcotton picker. There you go!Yes, yes. Yes, Venus Williams.Venus thunders a final, empathic serve to end the day.RICHARDCome on in here.(once they join him)That’s a very, very good daytoday. You did good work.(then)Venus Williams, who is your bestfriend?You, Daddy.VENUSRICHARDSerena Williams, who is your bestfriend?SERENAVenus. then you.(CONTINUED)

12.CONTINUED:RICHARD(laughs)Unbelievable. That’s unbelievable.Give your Daddy a kiss.The girls plant two on his cheek as Richard now spots:Tunde, at a distance, head in a book, doing her best toignore a tall, good-looking 18-year-old boy who callshimself ROC, chatting her up through the fence.RICHARD(to Venus and Serena)Go and get all the balls up -The girls hop to it as Richard watches Roc chat up Tunde.ROCHow you doing? I’m sorry. What’syour name?(off her silence)You don’t gotta act like that, yo.We just trying to talk to you.Richard calls out from afar.RICHARDTunde! Pick your things up, getyour sisters, go ahead to the bus.ROCTunde, that’s your name? Hey thehomie said he wanna talk to you.Tunde, you ain’t gotta be actinglike that, love.Tunde tries to ignore him as she heads off the court.ROCDon’t drop your backpack, baby.Hold on to your shit.Richard wraps out, but his dander is up, eyes focused onRoc, laughing with his boy in the park and -EXT. EAST COMPTON PARK - TENNIS COURTS - LATE AFTERNOONPractice complete, the girls are already in the van asRichard exits the court, hearing -Roc, still hollering at Tunde from the park.(CONTINUED)

13.CONTINUED:ROCYo, Tunde! The homie’s stillright here!Richard’s seen enough.He heads over to the men.RICHARDYoung man, I asked you a coupletimes. That girl there is only 16years old. She’s out here towork. Just leave her alone.ROCI’ll talk to whoever I want homie.RICHARDJust leave these girls at peace.With that, Richard walks off. Roc follows, but a boy, TD,steps in.TDYo, Roc, come on.ass alone.Leave his oldROC(still at Richard)Yo, what up? You feel like youbetter than us or something homie?Hey homeboy. I know you hear metalking to you.He catches up with Richard, who turns to face him.ROCWhat’s up homie. You got somethingyou wanna say?RICHARDI done said what I wanna say.Just mind your business. She notinterested in you.Richard starts to move toward the bus when -CRACK!! Roc sucker-punches him hard in his stomach. Avicious body-blow that takes out his wind and then -BOOM!!again.Roc hits him hard in the face, dropping RichardHunched on all fours and gasping, Richard watches as Rocretreats, laughing and mocking him to his friends --(CONTINUED)

14.CONTINUED: (2)ROC (O.S.)See your Daddy now, Tunde? Keepyour old ass at home.Richard musters the strength to get back to his feet.Beaten but not broken, Richard gathers his pride, lickshis wounds, and he heads off to the bus.INT./EXT. RICHARD'S VW VAN - DUSKRichard drives home, face already swelling. Everybody isquiet. Tunde checks on him from the backseat.TUNDEDaddy, are you ok?RICHARDThat wasn’t nothing.SERENAYou did really good out there,Daddy, but next time you swingremember to keep your stance open.Despite his pain, Richard laughs.RICHARDThat’s funny. That was funny.When I was your age, I used tohave to fight every day. If itwasn't the Ku Klux Klan or policeor the white boys from the nexttown, somebody was always beatin’on me for something. And I didn’thave no daddy to stand in theirway.(beat)This world ain’t never had norespect for Richard Williams, butthey gonna respect y’all. Theygonna respect y’all.The girls listen, quite solemn as -EXT. WILLIAMS’ HOME (COMPTON) - NIGHT (LATER)They finally arrive home. 1117 East Stockton Street.Their quaint, green, stucco, one-story house marred byblack graffiti where -- Richard pulls up.They exit the VW to see the lights of a COMPTON P.D.CRUISER flashing past, the NEIGHBORS all watching.(CONTINUED)

15.CONTINUED:MS. STRICKLANDSomebody oughta call the cops onyou.MS. STRICKLAND yells from across the street.VENUSDaddy, what’s happening.RICHARDNothing, Junior. Go ahead in thehouse.Richard regroups, following his girls inside into -INT. WILLIAMS’ HOME (COMPTON) - NIGHT-- the tiny, well-kept home where the five girls barrelinside, with their book bags and tennis gear, giving hugsto their mom, still in her nursing uniform, just comehome from work, busy finishing dinner. Family chaos.ALL THE GIRLSHi mom / Hey mom!ORACENEHey, girls. Dinner’s ready.was practice?It was good!HowSERENALYNN(sarcastic)Daddy got beat up again.Before Oracene can process that, her daughters startsetting up for dinner.TUNDEIf we eat fast enough, we probablyhave time for the talent show.SERENAHold on! I’m going first. Ialready know what I’m singing.Let me guess.LYNNIn unison, her sisters all chime in together, singing -ALL THE SISTERSBecause the greatest love of all -(CONTINUED)

16.CONTINUED:SERENAWhat’s so funny? It’s a good song.They crack up laughing as Oracene brings out the food.ORACENEYou all go wash up.The girls run off to the bathroom, leaving the parentsalone for a moment in the kitchen.What happened?ORACENERICHARDThat same boy was sniffin’ ‘roundTunde.Oracene hands him a bag of FROZEN PEAS from the freezer.Richard takes it, grateful. Pressing it to his face.RICHARDI got to get to work.Oracene watches concerned as he returns to the girls, nowfixing plates at the table.RICHARDOk, girls. Half hour, finish yourhomework, then get to bed.TUNDE(noticing the bag)Daddy, are those peas?RICHARDYeah, you like peas? Who wantssome peas?The girls laugh as Richard goes. Oracene following into -THEIR VERY SMALL BEDROOM-- where Oracene arrives in the doorway, regarding:Richard, still sore from his beating, starting to changeout of his tennis clothes for a shower. His SECURITYGUARD UNIFORM hangs on the door.ORACENESomething has to change.Whatchu mean?RICHARD(CONTINUED)

17.CONTINUED:ORACENEWe can’t keep up this pace. Menursing all day. You working allnight. Coaching in between. Nowlook at your face.RICHARDI done already put this behind me.We just gotta stick to the plan.Got champions in the other room.ORACENERichard, we have done a great jobwith them. They are great butthey’re not going to Wimbledonlike this. Not hitting with youand me on those raggedy courts.(keeps rolling)-- They need better surfaces.They need -- better everything.And not playing with you with yourbusted up feet.RICHARDMy feets are fine, ok? Ok,actually, they was hurting outthere a little bit today.She laughs.They soften a little.ORACENERichard, you’re playing. I’mserious. I’m serious.You are right.RICHARDORACENEI know I’m right.RICHARDYou shoulda seen Venus out theretoday. Something clicked in hermind. She is so ready. Readyfor that next level.She’s ready.ORACENERICHARDSo you just got to trust me.I do.ORACENE(CONTINUED)

18.CONTINUED: (2)RICHARDI’m going to get us some help.Venus and Serena gon’ to shake upthis world. least they better,‘cause they not gon’ to make it assingers.The parents laugh, listening to Serena, singing at thetop of her lungs. She’s no Whitney Houston. Richardthen grabs the uniform -RICHARDI gotta get to work.-- and kisses her on the way to the bathroom, passing thegirls signing in their room -RICHARDYou gon’ shake up this world.INT. HOUSE (COMPTON) - GIRLS’ BEDROOM - LATERTalent show is over. The girls, in their pajamas, areplaying charades in their cramped, little bedroom, whenRichard -- showered and changed into his SECURITY UNIFORM-- appears in the door.RICHARD10 o’clock girls. Time for bed.The girls finish their game and file into their beds.RICHARDYou all wrote in your journals?Made your plans for tomorrow?Yes, Daddy.ALL THE GIRLSRICHARD‘Cause you gotta have a plan.Every day. Else what?ALL THE GIRLSYou fail to plan. You plan tofail.RICHARDThat’s right. And we not failing,are we?No, Daddy.ALL THE GIRLS(CONTINUED)

19.CONTINUED:RICHARDAll the way to the top.The girls nod, sorting out sleeping arrangements. Oneroom, four beds, five girls. Serena gets in with Venus.RICHARDOne day, not too long, someone’sgon’ hand you girls a check forone million dollars. You gon’ buyas many beds as you want.In one check?VENUSReally?RICHARDMaybe even a couple of ‘em. Wenot gon’ be like this forever.Ok?Ok.All right.ALL THE GIRLSRICHARDYou girls go to bed.ALL THE SISTERSGoodnight, Daddy.Richard shuts the lights off and leaves. We STAY amoment with the girls, the two sisters in bed and -EXT. SWAP MEET (COMPTON) - NIGHTIt’s late when Richard’s bus rumbles into a bleak Comptonstrip mall and parks outside a local swap meet where -INT. SWAP MEET (COMPTON) - AISLES/OFFICE - NIGHTRichard walks down the aisles as merchants close theirshops for the evening before he finally arrives at -A cluttered little office. Richard unlocks the deskdrawer, removing a PISTOL which he holsters on his belt.And then Richard sits down, exhausted.For a moment, it looks like he might fall asleep but hefights the urge. Instead, he turns on a light, takes outhis things, and gets down to work.Not billing or paperwork for his security job, buttennis. MAGAZINES. ORDER FORMS. Even the HOMEMADE, nowlegendary, 78-PAGE PLAN (we heard about earlier).(CONTINUED)

20.CONTINUED:Richard combs through his research, and opens a copy of:WORLD TENNIS MAGAZINE. AN INSTRUCTIONAL ARTICLE. A PHOTO.VIC BRADEN -- the legendary, portly tennis coach smilingon the pages. The title: “THE MAN WHO MADE TENNIS FUN.”Richard studies the pages and writes down Vic’s name as -RICHARD (PRE-LAP)-- as you notice, Vic, uhh -INT. L.A. COUNTRY CLUB - VIC BRADEN’S OFFICE - DAYWe’re close on a SMALL TV playing a HOMEMADE VIDEO: Venusand Serena, wearing jeans, hit on the ratty court asRichard narrates O.S.RICHARD (O.S.)-- hopefully they have very goodform. And, uhhh, and you can seethat the serve looks very good,hopefully.Abruptly, the video cuts to find Venus wearing a long furcoat in the middle of spring.RICHARD (O.S.)Raise you hand, Serena.Serena waves.RICHARD (O.S.)Venus Williams.Venus waves.The tape FREEZES over a moment.RICHARD (O.S.)Uhh, we have your tape, ‘TennisOur Way’ and we’ve been viewin’it. However, the tape says you’llbe good by Friday. Guess what,Vic, we got good by Tuesday.That’s how good your tape is.Pull out to reveal we’re watching this in -VIC BRADEN’S OFFICE.Behind his desk, VIC BRADEN (60s), watches dumbfounded,in awe, completely speechless as Richard, standing in hisoffice before him, mouths along with the tape.(CONTINUED)

21.CONTINUED:RICHARD (ON THE VIDEO)These girls is looking for somecoaching and we think you’d begreat so you want to relax, takeit easy, and get a chance to seesome real good tennis players.Ok. That’s it.RICHARDThe video ends. Vic takes a beat to digest what he saw.VICI guess you made this yourself?RICHARDYes, I did, yes. When the girlswere young, I had bought me acamcorder. And I would filmmyself in the mirror askingquestions and doing things likethat. And then when they gotolder, I did it with them. I callthat their media training.VICOh, I see. That’s veryindustrious.RICHARDWell, I’m a businessman, Vic.Vic nods, looking for the softest way to explain this -VICThis deal that you’re asking for,all this for free, Richard, noone’s taking that bet. Tennis is atechnical sport. Probably themost and if you haven’t grown uparound the game, then -(taking Richard in)It’s like the violin. It takeshours and hours a day, year afteryear of expensive, expertinstruction just to hold the thingright. And even then, even for afamily with unlimited financialresources, the chances ofachieving the kind of mastery andsuccess you’re talking about -with one kid, let alone two -well, that’s like asking someoneto believe you got the next twoMozarts in your house.(MORE)(CONTINUED)

22.CONTINUED: (2)VIC (CONT'D)It’s just very, very unlikely.I’m sorry. That’s just my twocents. Maybe you’ll prove mewrong.Vic offers his hand.Richard takes it, just gutted and --EXT. EAST COMPTON PARK - TENNIS COURTS - LATE AFTERNOONWith nowhere else to turn, they are back on the courts.Venus and Serena hitting in the glow of the streetlightsas Richard looks on, for once, saying nothing, lookingvery wrung out. We PUSH IN ON him, simmering as we hear RICHARD (PRE-LAP)Dear Heavenly Father. JehovahGod. We thank you for this food.EXT./INT. FAST FOOD RESTAURANT - MAGIC HOURAs seen THROUGH the window, the entire Williams clan,five girls, two parents, sit at a booth, praying beforetheir meal.RICHARDWe ask you to bless the hands ofthe people who prepared this food.Thank you for this opportunity asa family to come together. And weask you to please, please don’tlet nobody get fat from eating allthis food. In Jesus name we pray.Amen.Amen.THE WHOLE FAMILYAnd they dig in, chatting animatedly as they go, exceptfor Richard. His thoughts far away. Oracene clocks him.ORACENEYou’re not eating?RICHARDActually, I got some - uh - gotsome work I got to do so -- youall ride home with your mother.Everything ok?ORACENEYou all right?(CONTINUED)

23.CONTINUED:RICHARDEverything great. Yeah, it’sfine. Y’all bring my food homewhen you come.Richard gets up from the table and heads for the door.ALL THE GIRLSGoodbye, daddy.Goodbye.RICHARDRichard goes. The girls, joking about who’s going to eathis food, while Oracene watches him, concerned and -EXT. EAST COMPTON PARK - TENNIS COURTS - NIGHTStanding alone on the dark, empty courts, Richard swatsballs with a racket, taking stock of his life. Hisdreams, utterly unreachable, and at that very moment -ROCHey, where’s Tunde at homes?Richard’s aware of Roc, TD, and TWO OTHER GANG MEMBERS,getting out of their LOWRIDER and approaching the courts.ROCDid I stutter, nigga?Richard hopes to avoid this.So does TD, Roc’s friend.TDRoc, yo. Let’s roll. That chumpChauncey’s at Swap. We bouncenow, we can smoke him. Leave thisold dude alone.But Roc doesn’t budge.Steps into Richard’s space.ROCKnow what my daddy taught me? Howto smoke a blunt and how to smokea bitch nigga too. I’m real goodat both.Then Roc pumps like he’s gonna hit Richard, who naturallyflinches. He tries to walk away.ROCScared, homie, huh? Tell Tunde meand the homies might come by laterand run on a train on her.(CONTINUED)

24.CONTINUED:BAM! -- that’s the last straw. Richard hits him with theracket and Roc goes down as Richard wails him again.CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! A few more shots before -TD jumps in, throwing Richard to the ground and -- WHAM!The guys all surround him, stomping the absolute shit outof him until -ROCGet the fuck out the way.The flurry of kicks stops and Richard peers up from theground to see -Roc, looming above him, a GUN in his hand.Richard’s temple.He puts it toGANG MEMBER #3Smoke that fool, dawg. Smoke him,homie. He came to disrespect youin our hood?Roc stills the gun.The muzzle right above Richard and --ROCDon’t nobody give a damn aboutyou, homeboy. Nobody.And then Roc pulls the gun away. The misery seeminglyover until -BOOM! Roc rears back and hits Richard with the gun.LIGHTS OUT. Richard’s unconscious on the ground as -Roc and his boys trash his shit. Smash his cart,scattering his ball on the court that roll by Richard’smotionless body like waves on the shore as we -FADE OUT.FADE IN ON:INT./EXT. RICHARD'S VW BUS (MOVING) - NIGHTBack at the wheel, Richard cruises through Compton,busted up and bleeding, searching for the gang as we see THE GUN (from his office drawer) on the passenger’s seat.Richard drives on, hunting, only there’s no sign of theboys. Richard broils, about to give up, until at last -He spots them: Roc and crew in the windows of D&K DONUTS.(CONTINUED)

25.CONTINUED:Richard puts on the brakes. Pulls into an alley and getsout of his car, walking back toward the shop to see -EXT. D&K DONUTS - NIGHTRoc and his crew exit the shop.Richard waits across the street behind a car, gun in hishand as -Roc has a last word with TD, before splitting up with therest of his crew. The other guys heading off toward theparking lot, while Roc heads off alone in the otherdirection.Richard seizes his moment. With the gun in his hand, hestarts crossing the street when suddenly -PTPTPTPTP! A MACHINE GUN suddenly erupts, exploding likefireworks, SHATTERING THE DONUT SHOP WINDOW.Richard jolts back in horror only he hasn’t fired. It isa DRIVE-BY tearing past, AK firing out the window, theCAR tearing past him and driving off down the street.IN THE MAIN PARKING LOT, Roc’s boys hear the shots andcome running, discovering their friend’s body.TDCall an ambulance!ambulance. Fuck!Call anThey search around for the shooters as -Richard, frozen there

Rich WHITE PEOPLE living the life. INT. PALOS VERDES COUNTRY CLUB - MORNING . and self-help like RICH DAD, POOR DAD, along with a ridiculous accoutrement of tennis shit. Drill cones.