If you told me that a movie about a shoe would be compelling, I would laugh in your face. ‘Air’ is about a sneaker. A shoe is just a shoe until someone steps into it. Ben Affleck directs it and his buddy Matt Damon stars in it. I was sold. It has all the necessary elements to make a good story. The cast is a dream team of talent. The script from Alex Convery is well-written. The story has a consistent tone. Even if you are not a basketball fan, Affleck will have you invested into the story. That’s the mark of a good filmmaker. ‘Air’ is one of those movies that reminds us that taking risks and trusting your gut can lead to greatness.
We all know the outcome of ‘Air.’ That’s okay. Remember, it is not the destination but the journey that matters in any struggle. That’s a key take away here. The time is 1984. Nike is the number three sports shoe behind Adidas and Converse. Sports Marketer Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) is convinced that 18-year-old Michael Jordan is the future of Nike’s basketball division. The story follows his dogged persistence to get Jordan to wear a pair of Nikes on the basketball court. Damon plays an out of shape, middle aged guy that we grow to care about in his quest. His character goes up against incredible odds. Sonny is up for the challenge. We are rooting for him.
Everyone at Nike thinks Sonny is crazy. Jordan is dead set on signing a deal with the cooler Adidas. This makes the stakes high. Sonny pulls every trick out of his game book to get a meeting with the young sports prodigy. Jordan’s foul-mouthed sports agent David Falk (Chris Messina) warns him to stay away from Jordan’s parents. It is a hilarious scene over a phone call as Falk crucifies Sonny with every profanity in his lexicon. Nike execs Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman) and Howard White (Chris Tucker) both tell Sonny to back off any hopes of a Jordan deal. Nike CEO Phil Knight (Ben Affleck) is not willing to risk more money for the bid since their basketball division is not very lucrative. Sonny will not take no for an answer.
Sonny does the unthinkable. He flies to North Carolina and goes to the Jordan’s home. Sonny knows this is a gamble. It’s gutsy. It could backfire. He could lose his job. It reminds us about the value of risk-taking. Sonny meets with Jordan’s mother Deloris (Viola Davis) and he states his case for her to consider Nike. It does not seal the deal but he plants a seed of hope that maybe, just maybe there is another company out there that will give her son the right opportunity for his future. Sonny flies back to the Oregon headquarters and tries to convince Nike that Jordan is the future for the company. It’s a bold move. Nobody knew Jordan was going to be the greatest basketball player of all time. Yet Sonny sees something special in him when he keeps rewinding the videotape where Jordan takes the game-winning shot in the 1982 NCAA national title game.
Why is ‘Air’ so enjoyable to watch? You don’t have to be a sports fan to admire it. That’s because it’s not just about a shoe. It’s about a process. ‘Air’ represents a work ethic. If you work hard, sometimes your efforts pay off with success. I’m not saying that is always the case but solid values go along way in the boardroom as well as on the court. The story has solid performances from the cast. Affleck tells the story in an entertaining way. ‘Air’ is a real crowd-pleaser.
