#REVIEW: “AIR”

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Air brings to the big screen the true story of the Michael Jordan-Nike partnership that revolutionized the world of sports and contemporary culture.

It’s 1984 and Nike is struggling to compete against Converse and Adidas. Known as the running shoe company, Nike must reinvent its image to stay relevant. That’s where Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) comes in. He’s got an eye for basketball talent and Nike has asked him to find a player they can partner with. Sonny has only one person in mind: rookie Michael Jordan.

They simply don’t make them like this anymore. Air reminds us of the powerful impact a film has when a star-studded Ensemble and feel-good underdog story collide. It’s movie magic. We’ve seen underdog stories before, but not quite like this. Rather than focus on Jordan, the spotlight shines on the office workers and shoe designers. Impressively, even though we know how the deal works out we are still gripped the whole way through. This is successfully achieved by Director Ben Affleck who is —finally— back behind the camera.

Not only is he a strong Director, but he also brings the best out of his Cast. Damon gives one of his greatest performances. His charisma shines through as the confident Sonny. Chris Messina is riotous as Jordan’s vulgar, money-hungry agent David Falk. He delivers an unbelievable monologue that will have you in stitches. Affleck himself delivers an unforgettable performance as Nike CEO Phil Knight. Then there’s Jason Bateman, Chris Tucker and Matthew Maher who all deliver a slum-dunk as far as performances go, as the men who helped land the Michael Jordon-Nike deal.

As much as Air tells the story of those working behind the Nike name, it’s equally about the people who raised Jordan. Screenwriter Alex Convery pays respect to Jordan’s parents, primarily his mother Delores played by the incomparable Viola Davis. Her performance is filled with a subtle restraint. She commands our attention as a mother knowing the talent her son possesses and the price they should pay for it.

To top it all off, the production design is outstanding. It transports us back to the ’80s. The 7-Eleven is loaded with the period’s snacks, the cars are all models from the decade, and the interior office shop screams the ’80s. Then there’s the archival footage and videotapes of the games that Sonny watches. All of them come together in something nostalgic and magical.

Warner Bros. Pictures Canada release AIR on Wednesday, April 3, 2023.