I am not a sports fan, but there are some athletes who transcend the court or field. Sometimes when they do that, another story connected with their journey can become a fascinating tale on its own. That’s what Air is all about. It’s a film of genuine heart and spirit that delivers well-executed writing, directing, and acting.
Ben Affleck began his career as an actor. But in 1997, he teamed up with his best friend and fellow actor Matt Damon to write the screenplay for Good Will Hunting. The two also starred in the film and became critical darlings. Many acting roles of varying success followed, then in 2007, Affleck took his next big step and directed his first feature film. Now, Air is the fifth movie he’s directed. He’s brought Damon along with him in the lead role, while Affleck takes a small supporting one. They leave the writing duties this time to Alex Convery, a first-time screenwriter. If you could say beginner’s luck struck Affleck and Damon on their first screenplay, then the same luck struck Convery as well. At least in terms of quality. (Financially, only time will tell.)
Because of that good script, Air has a solid foundation on which the direction and performances build a crowd-pleasing experience. It’s a story that shows the true legacy of a great athlete has to be measured in more than money.
“We’re on offense. All the time.”
In 1984, Michael Jordan was a North Carolina college student who was the number three pick in the NBA draft. (Number three!) The major shoe companies all compete to sign these future professional sportsmen to endorsement deals. Nike is in third place, behind Adidas and Converse, and they need a successful partnership. It is Sonny Vaccaro (Damon) who must find that partnership. At first, Sonny tries to convince CEO Phil Knight (Affleck) to increase the budget. That doesn’t work and Sonny is grasping for a solution. Then Sonny’s knowledge of the game kicks in while rewatching Jordan in a game from his freshman year and he knows what he must do.
Sonny knows that Jordan is going to exceed everyone’s expectations and he wants to spend the whole budget to pursue him. The problem is that Michael has always been a vocal fan of Adidas shoes and Nike can’t even get a meeting. Sonny is a gambling man by nature, though, and he knows this payoff could be worth the risk. And the entire basketball division of Nike could be at stake, so he is willing to give this one chance all he has.
“It’s just a shoe until someone steps into it.”
So Sonny takes a chance and goes to see Jordan’s parents in person. Michael’s mother Deloris (Viola Davis) is the decision-maker, and Sonny manages to get her attention by telling her what to expect during their meetings with Adidas and Converse. He is also sincere about his faith in Michael’s talent. This sequence highlights a smart choice by the filmmakers to not show young Michael. An actor is portraying him in the scenes, but the audience never sees his face or hears him speak. I think attempting to actually dramatize Michael himself would be a job for an actual biopic so this is a wise path. It keeps the focus on Deloris and her stewardship of her son’s abilities.
Sonny was right about the other meetings, so Nike now has a shot. They have one meeting with Michael to persuade him to sign with them. Now is the time for Nike’s shoe designer to take over. Lo and behold, the Air Jordan is born. Many of us will hardly remember a time without this iconic shoe. Nike even throws the NBA’s rules about shoe color out the window and offers to pay those fines for Michael. That’s how much they are going to tailor the shoe to him. What clearly matters most, though, is Sonny’s heartfelt declaration that Michael will give meaning to the shoe, not the other way around. Damon truly sells this speech.
“You’re remembered for the rules you break.”
Davis does her own outstanding work shortly after this in the scene where Deloris tells Sonny that Michael wants a percentage of the shoe’s sales to be part of his deal. This unprecedented arrangement is about more than the greatest basketball player of all time knowing their worth. It’s also about quantifying the value of an icon for decades to come. While Nike is celebrating the deal, you can’t help but think that even though capitalism does come into play, talent means more.
Speaking of which, Affleck crafts this film well from behind the camera. Smooth tracking shots, fantastic music cues, dynamic staging, it’s all cohesive. And it all complements the strong script well. You’ll remember a lot of details in this dialogue. Did you know where Nike’s slogan “Just Do It” comes from? You will if you watch this film, and you won’t forget. You also won’t look at Adidas the same way either. Or Nike, for that matter. That may be what is distinct about Air: it is mainstream Hollywood filmmaking, but it knows the value of striving to fly.
Air is now playing in theaters.
I wasn’t sure about seeing this movie… but this review has me interested enough to see it.