★★★★
Ben Affleck directs and stars in Air, based on the script by first-time writer Alex Convery. It would have been easy to make the script about Michael Jordan. But instead of focusing on the player, he focuses on the play that won him over, much to the audience’s benefit.
Shoe company Nike is on the brink of their basketball shoe line failing. Their inability to compete with Converse and Adidas is preventing them from succeeding. They need something to make them stand out and fast. Chairman Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman) and co-founder of Nike Phil Knight (Ben Affleck) tap salesman Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) to find a solution. His determination leads him to search for a spokesperson that will put the company on the map, tying that person directly to a shoe line. While his bosses are initially reluctant to accept Vaccaro’s faith in a rookie, his plan leads to the creation of one of the most recognizable brands in history – the Air Jordan.
The subject could have been boring for anyone but the most dedicated basketball shoe lover, but Convery’s script keeps the viewer interested. Not wanting to go the predictable route and focus on the player to keep the audience’s attention, he instead aims directly at the people involved in the decisions that led to Nike getting the lucrative contract. He doesn’t leave anyone out, which is notable because most memoirs focus solely on the big shots. Convery wants moviegoers to know there’s more than just number crunching and profiteering. And instead of perfection, Affleck directs the actors to be human in their performance. Damon, Bateman, and Chris Tucker (as Howard White) each deliver a powerful monologue. And, as usual, Viola Davis, as Michael’s mother, becomes the character rather than playing it.
From the opening scene, viewers are put squarely in 1984, with reminders of the good, the bad, and the trendy from that era. The sets and props continue this theme throughout the film, never letting the audience forget that it was a different time – a moment when so many things we take for granted today were just beginning to come into their own. Interspersed throughout are songs that remain just as memorable today as the legendary player himself.
Air isn’t a film for everyone, but it does travel further than an average memoir. Many may think that a movie based on a sneaker might be no more than a bit of soft-shoe, but this one flies to new heights from the opening scene.
