Air

Starring: Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, Ben Affleck, Chris Messina, Viola Davis, Julius Tennon, Damian Delano Young, Chris Tucker, Matthew Maher, Barbara Sukowa, Gustaf Skarsgard, Jay Mohr, Marlon Wayans, Al Madrigal
Directed by: Ben Affleck
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
2023

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) risks his career by pushing Nike to go all-in on trying to sign NBA rookie Michael Jordan.

Review:

Tim: Air is the first great movie I saw in 2023. It's a perfect example of a winning formula- it's a film based on an interesting true story. It's a bit of an underdog tale (which is humorous, to see Nike as the underdog). But, what makes it great is that it starts with a strong script and is guided by director Ben Affleck into a great film. Make no mistake about it, Affleck is a talented, impressive director. While he's not without his missteps, his directorial career has been shockingly impressive. Air isn't as effective as Argo, The Town, or Gone Baby Gone, but it's a film that easily could have been limited. Affleck's confident and competent direction is what elevates the movie to greatness.

Argo is a great parallel for this film. In both movies, there's a fairly large cast, it's based on a true story, the movie feels authentic, even when it fictionalizes aspects of the story. They are inspiring crowd-pleasers. This kind movie leverages Affleck's strengths. He's really good at shepherding these kinds of movies. This is a film that Affleck masterfully directs, building momentum, balancing drama with comedy. It shows us interesting, humorous characters and pits them against big odds. We're invested in them and we want them to succeed. This is the kind of film that doesn't take big chances, but it follows the most logical path to greatness. Some great movies are great because of the risks they take. This film plays it safe, but Affleck executes the story to absolute perfection. That's why this movie is so great.

Despite much of the bad press Nike has received over the years, I'm a big fan of the company and its products. If I'm looking for a pair of shoes, Nike is my first thought. It was fascinating to get this behind-the-scenes look at the earlier days of the company. It was trailing far behind Adidas and Converse. It wasn't yet the athletic juggernaut that I knew growing up. It was so entertaining to see a company at an inflection point. It took big risks early in its history, but it was more established now and becoming more "corporate". Much of the film is about the soul of the company, the kind of decisions it would make. It's about calculation vs. intuition. Playing it safe, verses risking it all. That's fun to see depicted on screen. It helps that it's telling a story that most people know how it ends. We know that Michael Jordan eventually signs with Nike and the partnership was beyond lucrative for both parties. But, how did they end up there? The film does an outstanding job of putting up so many major roadblocks. The film basically tells you repeatedly- "There's no way Jordan signs with Nike!" And yet, we know he does. So, the movie's entertainment factor comes not in how it ends, but the journey to get there. That's what holds our attention. Affleck's pacing of the film is outstanding. It's always barreling forward. The film isn't long at 1 hour, 51 minutes, but it just flies by. Affleck's film builds growing momentum as it progresses. The story is a fascinating one and Affleck keeps it moving.

The cast is very well assembled. Matt Damon is always excellent in the lead role. I really enjoyed his performance as Sonny Vaccaro. He's likeable and believable in the role. I just enjoyed the heck out of his performance. He's obviously having fun with the role, mugging a bit in his acting. It's the right tone for this role. It's fun to see Damon play this slightly larger-than-life character. Jason Bateman is more grounded, which is what the film needed from him. He plays off Damon well and it was genuinely enjoyable seeing these two men interact. They have some truly great exchanges throughout the film. Ben Affleck was great as Phil Knight. He's definitely a legendary figure in business and I like that Affleck embraced the sillier side of his character, too. They don't treat Knight with reverence. He's complex, interesting, a bit clownish at times. Affleck brings all this into his performance. Chris Messina has fun chewing scenery. Nearly everything he does is over-the-top and he brings great energy to the film. Viola Davis delivers a grounded and powerful story. It's one of those performances that she could have dialed in. Instead, Davis gives it everything she has and elevates the role beyond what was written on the page. It's an impressive performance. It was fun seeing Chris Tucker in a smaller supporting role. He has a few really nice moments throughout the film. Matthew Maher gives a stunningly good supporting performance. He's funny, interesting, and memorable in his work. Marlon Wayans and Jay Mohr are limited, but solid in their performances. All the actors were thoughtfully cast and give strong performances.

These kinds of movies are so fun to watch. It gives you an inside look at a history making deal. It gives some insight into a company we all know and it helps us to understand the decisions that led to its eventually ascension atop the athletic apparel industry. It gives you a different perspective on Michael Jordan and the early days of his career. I thought it was a good call that it doesn't actually show Jordan on screen. This movie features him, but it's not about him- it's about those around his orbit. That was a wise decision. There will someday be a really good movie about Jordan made, but this film isn't trying to do that. There's enough substance in this story to tell it, with Jordan staying on the sidelines. The script is so intelligent in that way and Affleck gets credit for how he tells this story.

Air isn't a revolutionary movie, but it's an eminently enjoyable one. It's a film that benefits from an experienced, confident director who knows exactly what he's doing. This is an expertly crafted film and a great movie.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Argo, The Town, Gone Baby Gone