Movie Review: Air (2023)

As I was sitting in my screening of Air, Ben Affleck’s latest directorial effort about how Nike got Michael Jordan to sign with them, I was wearing a pair of Jordan shoes, specifically a pair of Jordan Retro 1s, which look exactly like the first pair of Nike Jordan’s, but mine were a different color. Since several other people in the theater and I were wearing Jordan shoes and Jordan apparel, it was safe to say we all knew how Air was going to end. But like all great sports movies, it isn’t the outcome that matters, but how we got there.

The year is 1984 and Nike isn’t the global juggernaut it is today. They are known for their running shoes and some apparel, but that’s really it. Nike’s basketball division, particularly, is struggling hard. They have a little-to-no budget, can’t get any major players signed, don’t have any “cool” shoes, and are being crushed by their main competitors, Converse and Adidas, in every aspect. Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) is a salesman for Nike basketball and somewhat of a basketball guru. He’s a risk taker, both on and off the court, and he’s always looking for a new and exciting opportunity to grow Nike basketball. With the stacked 1984 NBA draft looming, Vaccaro sees an opportunity: rather than sign three mediocre players for mediocre money, sign only one player and give them an exclusive contract. The player they want? The projected third overall pick in the draft, North Carolina guard Michael Jordan. They want to give him a contract that would not only make him part of the Nike brand but become a brand in itself. Vaccaro faces an uphill battle, however, as Jordan is set on going with Adidas or Converse, Nike can’t produce enough money, and nobody is willing to gamble on his vision. Vaccaro must do some crafty and passionate convincing in order to change Nike and the sports world forever.

Most sports movies are based on true events or real people. We do get the occasional fictional sports film, like the Rocky franchise, Bull Durham, or The Mighty Ducks, but an overwhelming majority are true stories. Because these are true stories, most of their stories can be found by doing a simple Google search. You could easily find out what happened to coach Herman Boone and the 1971 T.C. Williams High School football team, as it was portrayed in Remember the Titans or the story of basketball coach Ken Carter and his 1999 team at Richmond High School from the movie Coach Carter. But despite us knowing what was going to happen in these movies, or having the ability to find out, both of these examples are good movies despite us knowing what was going to happen. There are several sports movies where this is the case, and the reason they are all good or sometimes great movies is the journey these teams or these people take and how the filmmakers take us on that journey. 

Air is the latest true sports story that we already know the ending to, but it is also the latest great sports movie because Affleck knows exactly what makes these kinds of movies great: a gripping story and great performances by actors playing interesting characters. The screenplay from Alex Convery (his debut screenplay) is smart, informative, and sensational in every way. The story in Air is reminiscent of that of Bennett Miller’s Moneyball, one of the greatest sports films ever made. It is a movie about someone putting their career and reputation on the line for what they believe in and how that person uses their knowledge, passion, and creativity to succeed in getting what they want. Affleck’s direction brings Convery’s screenplay to life in brilliant fashion. This is part sports movie, part 80s time capsule, and part workplace movie and they all blend perfectly. It is loaded with energy, humor, and tension. Air marks Affleck’s first directorial effort in six years, but he shows he hasn’t lost a step.

With performances over the last few years in Ford v Ferrari, No Sudden Move, and now Air, Matt Damon is perfecting the role of “man who is good at his job”. These performances might seem simple on the surface but are far more complex than we think. They require an actor who exudes confidence and charisma while also having us rooting for them and their journey. Damon’s performance is one of the best of his career, full of charm, intelligence, and determination. He is the heart and soul of Air and the film would not have worked without this excellent performance. Damon is accompanied by a stellar supporting cast, including Jason Bateman, Chris Tucker, Chris Messina, Affleck, who plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight, and Viola Davis, who exudes strength and gravitas as Michael Jordan’s mother, Deloris Jordan.

Much like the film’s star athlete, Air is greatness on every level. It has a smart, gripping script, Affleck’s slick direction, and a slew of great performances. Air is one of the best movies of the year and one of the best sports movies in the last ten years.

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