Movies…with a little bit of obscure culture and sports mixed in
“Follows the history of sports marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro, and how he led Nike in its pursuit of the greatest athlete in the history of basketball, Michael Jordan.” Director: Ben […]
“Follows the history of sports marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro, and how he led Nike in its pursuit of the greatest athlete in the history of basketball, Michael Jordan.”
Director: Ben Affleck
Writer: Alex Covery
Staring: Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, Ben Affleck, Chris Messina, Viola Davis, Chris Tucker. Julius Tennon
Release Date: April 5, 2023
IMDB
If you clicked on this post, then you probably know what Air (2023) is about. For those who need a bit of nudging, the general gist is that this movie tells the story of Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) and his unrelenting journey to sign Michael Jordan to a shoe deal with Nike. Sonny works with his partner in crime, Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman), and talks often with his boss, Phil Knight (Ben Affleck). This trio at Nike works day and night to convince Jordan’s agent, David Falk (Chris Messina), and more importantly, Jordan’s mother, Deloris (Viola Davis), that Nike is the best landing spot for the Tar Heel superstar.
We know how the story ends, but Air is not about putting the pen to paper. It is about Nike in the 1980s needing a major shakeup. It is about Sonny being so convinced that MJ is the star they’ve been looking for that he’ll turn over mountains to sign. Air is about how the most lucrative shoe deal in history came to be made, and how one man, not wearing number 23, may have made a bigger impact in the sports world than the NBA’s greatest player.
The cast of Air is great, but the best character in the movie is its setting. The mid-1980s vibes that Affleck infuses as a director help you get immersed in the story, knowing that it’s telling the story through rose-tinted glasses. The moldy-looking tucked-in shirts of Sonny in the Nike office are a look I had no idea I wanted to see again. The music licensing by Reder & Feig Ashley Waldron deserves a ton of credit for curating a great soundtrack. The cinematographer, Robert Richardson, mixes poppy colors with dark shadows within the Nike studio. It all just works. The visual and audio vibes of Air are a character of their own, telling the story of a distinct time in sports fandom lives.
One of the biggest talking points about Air is that Michael Jordan is not in the movie. We see the back of his head and his large looming presence prior to and during the business meetings, but we never see his face.
This is an outstanding choice. If you put anyone in the shoes of trying to emulate Michael Jordan you are setting them up with a really hard task, especially if the movie itself is not about Jordan the person. This is about the start of Jordan the Brand. This is about Nike and Sonny taking a half court shot at the buzzer and praying it pays off.
And to Affleck and screenwriter Alex Convery’s credit, they replaced the MJ character with the fun aforementioned mid-1980s flare. Air is not too stodgy and that is due in some part to the lack of stress worrying about how MJ would be received. The lack of stress writing him as a character in the story frees up the rest of the script to be playful and embrace an easier pleasurable viewing experience.
In terms of performances in Air, there are the big three you need to touch on, and then there are the highlights.
Matt Damon as SOnny Vaccaro is very good. He can talk on the phone and make it exciting. His this shit again early mood is balanced with his fuck the rules attitude near the end. Damon bounces off his supporting characters well, differing to them when necessary but taking over a scene when mandatory.
Jason Bateman as Robert Strasser is perfect casting because Bateman just comes in with straight man comic relief. He is the avatar for the audience often reacting to the noise that is happening around him. He lets the ricochet shots of Sonny bounce off of him and when it becomes his time to shine, he does it in an awkward and beautiful fashion.
Ben Affleck takes the part of Phil Knight and has a ball with it. The shoe-hating wisdom dispensing leader of the company isn’t great going off the cuff in meetings but he is great and imbues his team with trust. Affleck didn’t take the lead in Air and he lets his friends carry it as far as it will go, and it serves him well, just like Phil let Sonny, Rob and company carry Nike to the everafter.
The standout performer is Chris Messina. He plays the part of David Falk, the agent for Michael Jordan, and the voice of Deloris Jordan (Viola Davis). Messina has the task of making phone calls with Matt Damon’s Sonny personna entertaining, and their banter is sublime. It is fast, insulting, vulgar and combative. Behind the veneer of distrust is an understanding, and Messina brings a perfect blend of cockiness and amusement to the part. I did not expect to be blown off my feet by his efforts, but I could kick my feet up on his mahogany desk and watch him wheel and deal with the best of them.
The part of Air that got the most immediate award buzz is the role of Deloris Jordan, played by one-time Oscar winner Viola Davis. Listen, she is great. She is really good. Davis puts on a great listening face when Sonny goes to visit her, and when she goes and visits the various shoe companies. Davis gets on the phone and talks to Sonny in a demanding monotone that seduces him into accepting seemingly unacceptable contract stipulations. All of it works. Davis gets it done. Personally speaking, I think she raises the floor of the Deloris character but never am I waiting to see what Viola will do as Deloris.
Is Air a movie that paints outside the lines when it comes to the truth? Probably. According to real life Sonny, the movie is about 80% accurate as to the way things went down. For instance there was no impulsive tip to Wilmington, NC to meet with the Jordan family. The speech that Sonny gives to Deloris about what Converse and Adidas will say never actually happened, which is a tad bit of a shame because that is my favorite part of Damon’s performance.
I say that to say this. Who cares? Air is not trying to tell the story of Michael Jordan’s signing with Nike and paint it in a biographical light. The movie’s slightly more lighthearted musical and visual tone allows for these stretches of the truth to be believable and acceptable. If you want to know how the real events transpired, there are plenty of books and articles out there that spell it out step-by-step. If you want to rock out and go on a ride where you know you’ll pull up to the exit sign happily, then lace up for Air.
The curious question is does Air open up an avenue for other stories like this? I am not talking about serious tones like Aaron Sorkin and David Fincher’s The Social Network (2010). I am talking about the fun type of history telling that would keep a high school class entertained while educating them with an umbrella level of knowledge. What other high profile signings, discoveries or partnerships can be brought to life in a fun and entertaining way like Air?
As of mid-July 2023, Air is streaming on Amaon Prime.
STANKO RATING: A-
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