Air is directed by Ben Affleck. Written by Alex Convery. Produced by David Ellison, Jesse Sisgold, Jon Weinbach, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Madison Ainley, Jeff Robinov, Peter Guber, and Jason Michael Berman.
In the world of basketball clothing, Adidas and Converse were two of the hotter brands back in 1984. Converse, in particular, meant basketball. Nike, on the other hand, was considered a brand for joggers. What Adidas and Converse had is that they appealed to rappers and Black people in general, two influential sectors in the basketball scene.
Air is a movie that captures the period when Phil Knight (Ben Affleck) and his team wanted to change the status quo and turn Nike around to start appealing to the basketball fans. At the center of this exciting times was Michael Jordan (Damian Delano Young), the young player seen as the potential biggest star in the history of basketball. For Knight and his team, signing Michael Jordan was a bold and expensive move that would allow Nike to become the hottest sports brand in existence.
Air centers around the extraordinary effort by Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon), Nike’s basketball talent scout, to convince Jordan to sign with Nike over its competitors Adidas and Converse. It is during the pitch meeting that Vaccaro delivers an emotional and inspiring speech that serves as the pivotal moment in the story. The pitch is so moving that Jordan’s parents, Deloris (Viola Davis) and James (Julius Tennon), see their dreams reflected in those words.
The film features a stellar cast that can make it a serious contender in the race to the Oscars. As an actor, director, and producer, Affleck shows his versatility and experience as an artist. It’s no surprise that he is one of the most active entertainers in the industry, having received several awards and nominations. His screen magnetism is evident throughout the film, and the same goes to the rest of the main actors. Damon’s portrayal of Vaccaro, in particular, is both convincing and inspiring. His performance carries a lot of the weight of this film. It won’t be a surprise if he gets another Academy nomination.
The soundtrack, compiled by Affleck and Music Supervisor Andrea von Foerster, is a fascinating collection of some of the most popular 80s songs. “Money for Nothing”, “Ain’t Nobody”, “My Adidas”, and “Born in the U.S.A.”—with a brief explanation about its meaning—are some of the titles included in the film that become a special touch to enhance the compelling message of the story.
The story of Nike as a corporation is not just a story about a successful conglomerate. It features the special relationship between corporations and the stars that make sports the exciting arena that inspires and, at times, make some dreams come true. The film shows Michael Jordan as a sports star born in the basketball court, but also a financial star born in Nike’s corporate office. Air Jordan brought in $162 million the first year. Michael Jordan makes approximately $400 million a year in passive income. Deloris Jordan made made that relationship very clear in the film: “A shoe is just a shoe until someone steps into it”.
Air
Directed by by Ben Affleck. Written by Alex Convery. Produced by David Ellison, Jesse Sisgold, Jon Weinbach, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Madison Ainley, Jeff Robinov, Peter Guber, and Jason Michael Berman.
Production companies: Amazon Studios, Skydance Sports, Artists Equity, and Mandalay Pictures.
Distributed by: Amazon Studios (United States) and Warner Bros. Pictures (International).
Starring: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Marlon Wayans, Chris Messina, Chris Tucker, and Viola Davis.
Creative team: Cinematography by Robert Richardson. Edited by William Goldenberg. Music by Andrea von Foerster.
