Directed by Ben Affleck, Air follows the true events of shoe salesman Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) and the company of Nike in 1984 where they pursue basketball rookie Michael Jordan, creating a partnership that revolutionizes the world of sports and contemporary culture.
When it comes to Sports Dramas, specifically ones based on real events, I rarely find them to be that investing as I feel the ones I see don’t stand out as much as they could. They either feel like big-budget dragged-on ads for sports fans or repetitive rookie biopics that lack any sort of passion and style behind them. I needed something new and fresh brought to the table and that’s exactly what Ben Affleck delivers with this special underdog story energized by magnetic performances, sharp writing, and 80s-infused direction that had me all in from start to end.
Unlike most true event sports dramas I’ve seen this film focuses on a completely different but crucial realm of the sports industry that’s not often discussed. Yes, the film is largely tied to basketball as well as one of the world’s best players of basketball but it’s not necessarily about that. Instead, it’s about the team of talented and passionate individuals within Nike who at their lowest point in the company created an incredible idea that broke down boundaries in the business and sports world.
It was fascinating to learn of how the Air Jordan line was made through a complex and competitive journey that felt so damn investing, largely in part because of Affleck’s direction and the story he’s crafted with a greatly chosen cast and crew. It’s also a surprisingly funny film getting a lot more laughs out of me than I was expecting largely due to the various personalities involved in this story and the cast that plays them.
Matt Damon is brilliant as the risk-taking and tenacious Sonny Vaccaro. He plays wonderfully as a very passionate individual who thinks beyond money and business ethics but instead wants to make something masterful as well as unique that will not only save Nike’s basketball division but make a special mark on the world that will reach people on a deeper level. He’s an artist that is passionate about his craft and doesn’t want Nike to be as corporate or generic as their rivals, which is what leads him to betting everything on rising rookie star at the time Michael Jordan. The journey he takes is stressful with so many hurdles to achieve his goals and he brings many others with him who all try to believe in him as he goes for this risky play.
Among them is Jason Bateman as Nike’s marketing VP Rob Strasser. Bateman delivers a humorous and enjoyable performance as this smart but skeptical individual that is a great pairing to Damon’s risk-taking Sonny, making for a partnership that really goes to great lengths to create one of the greatest shoes in the world.
Then there is Nike’s CEO Phil Knight played by Ben Affleck himself who has the most to lose from all of this and puts lots of pressure on Sonny to deliver what he promised. He’s a man that clearly has played safe for too long when running this company and is unsure of all the rule-breaking that Sonny is doing, causing frequent arguments between them about what’s best for the company and the lives of everyone involved. He is by no means played off as some uptight CEO but instead, Affleck gives Phil Knight a vibrant personality and shows how the idea of being more creative and risky grows on him as the benefits seem to be worth more than the risks.
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s real-life chemistry together is reflected hugely as these two individuals and they are perfect as a duo together.
Rounding out the Nike crew was the biggest surprise performance for me which was Chris Tucker as Howard White. It has been about 11 years since I’ve seen Chris Tucker in anything so I was shocked to hear that he was even cast in this film, but I have to say he was an absolute riot in this. Tucker brings his comedic talent in perfect amounts, making for a truly enjoyable character to watch every time he was onscreen. He never felt over the top or out of place. He brings such a warm energy to the room and he definitely got the most laughs out of me for sure.
There is also the always magnificent Viola Davis as Michael Jordan’s mother, Deloris, who once again brings a strong presence with her every time she is on screen. I really liked that this film focused on Jordan’s parents and just how influential they were, not only to their son’s life but also their influence on the sports shoe industry that wanted to have him represent their products.
And as for Michael Jordan himself, while he is in the film the way he is treated is not the way you would expect. Michael’s face is never shown in the entire film and he barely speaks, which may sound like an odd choice but there’s a clear reason why the filmmakers went this route. They were trying to make him feel more like a mythical figure and icon than just a person that can be played by someone in a traditional biopic fashion. Everyone knows who Michael Jordan is and most people know his story through many other projects and documentaries like The Last Dance. But no one really knows about the guys who helped him be the star he is today so the focus is largely on them and how they created the shoe line in his name that revolutionizes the industry. However, he is still treated as a key figure in these events and his history shown clearly demonstrates that everyone involved in making this film did their research on everyone involved in these events.
The film is written very cleverly with sharp dialogue that can be both really funny and really investing even when it is something as simple as business or sports discussions. It was never boring listening to and learning the inner workings of the sports shoe industry, which is something that is always a risk when it comes to dramas like these. The film feels small in terms of scale, which is ironic considering the stakes of the story based on these events, but that is in no way a negative towards the film. In fact, it’s a big positive as this film looks outstanding on a technical level both in terms of style, camera work, and especially the set pieces.
From the very opening of this film, it perfectly sets the time and tone, not just in the writing but everything that surrounds it. The Nike office looks and sounds like an 80s office right down to the stacks of VHS tapes, old computers, and the clothes people wear. It was a blast from the past and it all looks extremely well done, so serious props to the set and costume designers.
The cinematography and editing are stellar, featuring lots of great one-takes that keep the pace of the film feeling seamless and never jumpy as some films set in the 80s like to do these days.
I will admit though there was one weird choice this film made that I felt it could have done without. There are several times when various retro products of the 80s that are not sports shoes get these absurdly close closeups showing them off as if to show how 80s this film is. It felt very goofy and forced but it did very little to stifle my enjoyment of the film.
The 80s soundtrack for the film is solid and used appropriately, as does the 80s-like score, adding to the tone and style.
I did not expect this film to be as interesting and investing as it was but I really enjoyed it and I can definitely see why it’s getting so much high praise and early award buzz from various people. Do I think this is a film that will become a favorite of all time for me as it has for some? Probably not, but this is easily one of my favorite films of this year. It is incredibly well made and I can definitely recommend people check it out. I’m giving Air an A = 97.
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