Jonah Naplan   April 9, 2023

“Air” is just about as good as any modern-day “based on a true story” movie can get. It is brilliantly written, smart, well-acted, and also very funny.

I’ve found that the best movies are often the types of films I want to make myself when I’m older. “Air” is yet another. And by wanting to make a movie like “Air,” I mean a film that’s this intelligent, smartly written on the page and executed on the screen, and one with dialogue worthy of Aaron Sorkin. This movie falls nicely in line with the best biopics, becoming another one of those satisfying films about people good at their jobs. 

In “Air,” those people—or namely that person—is Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon), a former Nike executive who famously made the deal of a lifetime with Michael Jordan to create what is arguably the most recognizable shoe of all time: the Air Jordan. But if accomplishing that was easy, we wouldn’t have a movie. It took lots of convincing, persuasion, heavy negotiation, phone calls, conditions, camaraderie, and meetings before that deal was closed. But knowing the outcome—knowing that in the end, Jordan signed the contract with Nike—almost makes the film even more interesting to watch.

“Air” takes place in 1984. As the opening credits play over a montage of what could be considered the “greatest hits” collection, we become absorbed in the world of this movie almost instantly. We see the retro televisions, the Wheaties cereal boxes, and an address from Ronald Reagan. We hear the music. We can smell the aroma of thousands of people crammed into a basketball court arena. We are immersed and transported to a time different from our own. Back in 1984, Nike was not especially high in the market of sneakers, and certainly not in the world of basketball shoes. Adidas and Converse were always ahead, managing to sign game-changing deals with the biggest all-stars.

Vaccaro was a talent scout for Nike. He searched high and low, through high schools and colleges, to find remarkable players suitable for his company. Not only was this his duty, but it was also his undying passion. Sonny loved the game of basketball, and knew it, front to back, just as well as the players. Vaccaro was a heavy gambler, betting on the talent of young athletes, and when he discovered Michael Jordan, he decided to risk his job, career, and those belonging to others, all in favor of taking a big risk that he was so sure would be worth it. Not everyone was on board with his ideas.

Nike’s CEO, Phil Knight (Ben Affleck), is a showy but also experienced businessman who is comfortable within his livelihood; walking bare foot around his office, spewing Dalai Lama quotes, and wearing get-ups that make him stand out. Knight has a Porsche that he insists is grape colored, not purple. He is a man with confidence yet control. Affleck does some of his finest work here, both in front of and behind the camera. His performance as Knight is successfully able to both poke fun at and celebrate the Nike CEO. He’s great at doing serious things (his 2012 film, “Argo,” won Best Picture), but equally good at producing work that’s lighter. “Air” is the first film the Batman actor has directed in seven years, and is so different from his other pieces. “Air” is incredibly crowd-pleasing, and is exactly the type of film that your dad and uncle will love.

Much of the film’s success is due to the fine work committed by the entire ensemble. Damon is great in the movie, and, as I mentioned before, so is Affleck. Other standout performances include Jason Bateman as Vaccaro’s boss and head of Nike’s marketing, Rob Strasser. Chris Tucker returns to his roots of fast-talking comedic chops as Howard White. Viola Davis is incredibly powerful, yet versatile as Michael Jordan’s mother, Deloris. In “Air,” Davis does the talking. We don’t ever actually see the face of Jordan once in the film—only the back of his head and whatnot. It’s an interesting technical choice that makes the viewers anxious. But my favorite performance in the film is that of Chris Messina, who plays David Falk, Michael Jordan’s real-life agent.

The convos he has with Vaccaro on the telephone provide the film’s biggest laughs, and most impressive writing. The screenplay for “Air” was written by Alex Convery, in his debut feature. As he’s a novice, I’m blown away by his script’s natural integrity, and constant snappy dialogue. The witty words that come out of the characters’ mouths keep the plot moving along at an impressive break-neck pace. The movie’s title may be “Air,” but airy and dull this film is not.

Visually, “Air” is a masterclass of filmmaking. The cinematography was done by Robert Richardson, a frequent collaborator on the works of Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese. His visual choices make “Air” stand out as a piece that’s wholly different from the other movies you’ll see at the multiplex. As someone who’s not particular interested in basketball, or really any other sports for that matter, I loved that “Air” is a movie you don’t begin to feel confused by because you’re unaccustomed to the sports terms they use.

Yes, if you love the sport of basketball, you might appreciate this film even more than I do. But “Air” is not a film about basketball, rather it’s a movie about business, conflict, success, priorities, and value. Everyone knows the name Michael Jordan, whether they have an interest in him or not, and further, most people know of the Air Jordan. It can be reasonably assumed that the movie concludes with the deal being signed, and I mentioned before that knowing the ending makes the film even more interesting to watch. Because it’s not about the outcome. Much like “Ford v. Ferrari,” another excellent true-story-movie starring Matt Damon, it’s about the journey not the destination. We hear that a lot.

“Air” is a great film because of the small, individual moments inside offices, conference rooms, and even Michael Jordan’s North Carolina family home. At one point in the movie, Jordan finally agrees to sit in a meeting with the Nike executives once the first model for the Air Jordan has been completed by shoe designer Peter Moore (Matthew Maher). Reluctant to ever work with Nike, Jordan is finally convinced by a powerful speech from Vaccaro that does somewhat radiate jingoism in one sense or another, but I guess so does the movie as a whole. (Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” plays over the credits and the “Where are they now?” montage at the end).

In the film, the dwindling finances of Nike are often thrown around. We can’t afford that person. They’re too expensive. Adidas already has them. “Air” is a true underdog story about a group of people who are just as smart as any execs in the higher up corporations, but haven’t been so lucky in terms of business deals. In the decades since 1984, Vaccaro has been lauded as the “savior of Nike,” but he was ultimately fired from the company in 1991. Is he the company’s savior? I think so. In “Air” he’s portrayed as an unlikely hero, yet one we can resonate with effortlessly. The film is powered by performances like Damon’s, hoping that we can, in some way, create ties to things happening in today’s grounded world.

“Air” is incredibly powerful, but not heavy. I would watch it again, not for expository purposes, but for entertainment. It’s the rare film that can be both serious and breezy simultaneously. You leave the movie in good spirits, and with a bounce in your step. It’s almost as if you have Jordans on.

Now playing in theaters.