Get laced up and find out how Michael Jordan’s name and likeness ended up on zillions of feet. This is a basketball sports movie, but it shows precious little of of Jordan’s uncanny skills on the court. Affleck knows there isn’t an actor alive who could favorably compare to the GOAT on camera. Instead, the Michael character is never seen from the front nor do we ever see an actor playing basketball. Wise decision since this film isn’t about the game of basketball, it’s about scoring in business.
Affleck, along with screenwriter Alex Convery do a more than respectable job setting the mid-80’s timeframe. The opening montage of video clips from news, to pop culture and TV/Film instantly transports the audience back to “Where’s the beef?” Having covered the Bulls as a Chicago sportscaster, I remember Michael’s incredible plays in those amazing championship runs. And Affleck uses the Bulls’ intro theme from The Alan Parsons Project, still being used to usher the Bulls onto the court today.
Affleck’s best directorial decision was to let Damon carry the film playing the brilliant basketball scout who can just “feel” talent. The somewhat dumpy, overweight Sonny (Damon with a tummy prosthetic) is fearless at casino tables, not afraid to go “all in” which plays an important part in the film. Damon is absolutely the most watchable actor working in film today. He’s on camera almost every frame, but we never got tired of the passion, guile and the frustration he shows in pursuing the seemingly unreachable goal: signing Michael Jordan to Nike instead of Converse, or Adidas.
Chris Messina and Viola Davis come in a close second. Messina, as Jordan’s cocky agent, David Falk, is the essence of how most of us perceive sports agents. He’s loud, profane and money-hungry. Falk and Sonny have history and love to play against each other, but if Falk had allowed himself to have feelings they might have been friends. The movie makes the point, however, that Falk really has no friends, other than money.
Viola Davis is the centerpiece around which everything else revolves. As Michael’s mother, she not only recognizes her son’s evolving greatness, but is the best negotiator and dealmaker of them all. Davis portrays Doris’ savvy and steadfast business acumen and it shows that her vision is what changed the world of marketing athletes.
Davis and Damon’s scenes together are quiet, intense and captivating. Once Sonny shows he believes in Michael’s talent as much as Deloris, they forge a tenuous alliance. Affleck has told the story many times that Michael Jordan wouldn’t agree to have this movie made unless Viola Davis played his mother. His casting decisions spot on. Davis’s acting soars as any of Michael’s airborne moves.
Jason Bateman as the Nike Basketball Division boss Rob Strasser, is the likable, perpetually dismayed executive trying to keep up with Sonny’s plan which he supports with reservations. Bateman as Strasser is the most human of the Nike crew, even though he has the most to lose if Sonny fails. Bateman makes the story of his divorce and wanting to stay in his daughter’s life realistic but poignant without being sappy.
Chris Tucker plays the exuberant Howard White, still a marketing executive for Nike. He brings personality to the role and some authenticity since Tucker has been friends with White for years. Tucker says he helped craft the character writing some of the lines in the script.
Affleck’s portrayal of Nike CEO Phil Knight is the most in need of direction. His characterization of the Nike founder is uneven. Knight is caught between two worlds, forgetting his meager start building Nike. He was a meditating, spiritual kind of hippie who started a little company that became they world’s favorite running shoe. Instead of pausing to smell the flowers, he becomes a suit-wearing CEO with a Board of Directors. Affleck seems to pivot his character too quickly from CEO to good guy ally to Damon’s Sonny. Some of Affleck’s scenes with Damon seem a bit “off.” Although they haven’t worked on a film together in 20 years, their on-screen chemistry built on their life-long friendship, still comes through.
Sometimes Best Supporting Oscars are given to actors who get little screen time. Such might be the case with Matt Maher (Hello, Tomorrow! TV, Captain Marvel), who plays Nike’s shoe designer, the late Peter Moore. Maher stands out acting as the brains behind the design of the Air Jordan. Sadly, the real Peter Moore who designed iconic logos for Adidas as well as those for the Air Jordans died about a month before shooting began on this film.
Affleck put together a winning team of front line actors to get this film off the ground. The post script credits give you the score on what happened with the characters, the shoe and the brand. Good to see Damon and Affleck together again with a great ensemble playing this high stakes game of sports and business. If you’re keeping score, Air soars!
Warner Bros./Amazon Studios 1 hour 52 minutes R
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