About the film (courtesy of Amazon Studios):
This moving story follows the career-defining gamble of an unconventional team with everything on the line, the uncompromising vision of a mother who knows the worth of her son’s immense talent, and the basketball phenom who would become the greatest of all time.
Best buds, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, are collaborating once again in another new feature, Air. This time it’s the unlikely story of one company trying to get a foot up in the ultracompetitive shoe industry. In order to beat the odds, they’re going to need some unconventional thinking from an unlikely source. And that source is shoe salesman Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon).
Vaccaro is a close friend of Nike co-founder Phil Knight (Ben Affleck), who is currently feeling pressure from the board regarding the underwhelming return on investment that the Nike basketball division has been bringing in. It’s now up to Vaccaro to convince the likes of some key associates such as Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman) and Howard White (Chris Tucker) along with the most important person on this list list in Phil Knight, to take a giant leap of faith with Sonny as he chases his white whale, Michael Jordan.
Affleck does an excellent job in his dual role directing and acting in Air, and he brings the story of Vaccaro to life. Damon is also great as Vaccaro, and he captures the character’s charisma and determination. The supporting cast is also strong, the aforementioned Bateman and Tucker along with Viola Davis, Chris Messina, and Marlon Wayans all giving memorable performances.
Depending on your age, some will appreciate Air more than others. I say that because those of us who lived through this transformative time had no way of knowing what this would bring to the future of sports, both good and bad. The music, the clothes, the settings – all of it felt 100% authentic like you warped back almost four decades…yikes! Anyway, no shortcuts were taken and no obvious oversights were made in creating the authentic feel of this film.
Air is a well-made and entertaining film that is sure to please fans of sports movies and biopics. It is also a fascinating look at the early days of the sportswear industry. Regardless of whether you’re a fan of NBA legend, Michael Jordan or not (I happen to be a Detroit Pistons Bad Boys life-long fan), there’s no reason NOT to be sucked into this industry changing story.
The ripple effects of what transpired over the duration of this film are still felt today in sports. Affleck does a admirable job of capturing a moment in history and reassembling it for mainstream entertainment consumption. You don’t even need to understand the game of basketball to enjoy this film. Check Air out in theaters everywhere starting Wednesday, April 5th.
