Air Movie Review

Air (2023)

Rent Air on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Alex Convery
Directed by: Ben Affleck
Starring: Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, Ben Affleck, Chris Messina, Viola Davis, Chris Tucker, Jay Mohr, Marlon Wayans
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
Follows the history of shoe salesman Sonny Vaccaro, and how he led Nike in its pursuit of the greatest athlete in the history of basketball, Michael Jordan.

Verdict
It's a sports movie without a specific sport. Nike is an underdog, having to overcome all the obstacles to succeed. The thing is, we know they got Jordan and it worked out incredibly well for everyone. Signing Jordan was the single defining moment for Nike. With this we get to see the work that went into that. Each scene is pushing the plot forward, presenting a challenge and a solution. It's not easy to create a script that's based on marketing and office dynamics. This manages to provide history and entertainment as Nike takes a huge risk that paid off better than anyone could imagine.
Watch It.

Review
Michael Jordan and the Air Jordan shoe is the sole reason Nike is a sports apparel juggernaut. Most that watch this will know Jordan. At one time he was the most recognized athlete in the world. Almost as many know about the shoe that changed basketball, fashion, and the world. This is how we got there.

Matt Damon plays Sonny Vaccaro

This opens with an '80s pop culture montage of brands, commercials, people, and events. Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) sells shoes and scouts basketball players. Nike is third in shoe market share behind Adidas and Converse. Nike is a running shoe not a basketball shoe, and that's why they've been struggling in the basketball market. Sonny and his division are trying to pick which athletes they will offer contracts to in the upcoming NBA draft. They don't have enough money to chase the top five picks as their division is on the chopping block and funding has been reduced.

Ben Affleck plays Phil Knight

Sonny argues for more money to get a good player. That's the way to get noticed. He's told no by head of marketing Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman) and CEO Phil Knight (Ben Affleck). Sonny refuses to accept that. Sonny proclaims basketball is the future. Those are prophetic words knowing the future now. Nike is struggling, so Sonny proposes putting all the money into one player. He wants to create a unique shoe catered to Michael Jordan. Jordan won't just wear the shoe, he will be the shoe. At the other companies the shoes all look similar. The Jordan shoe will be a signature look.

The only problem is that Sonny can't only get a meeting with Jordan, Jordan refuses to even consider Nike. Sonny goes around Jordan's agent and contacts the parents directly. It's a risk as an agent's job is to shield the family and their client from things like this. Sonny is irritating everyone trying to make this happen, but he refuses to give up.

Throughout the movie we get title cards highlighting various Nike principles. The company was founded on ten. The main ones highlighted in the movie are their business is change, they don't stop until the job is done, never stop pressing, and if you do the right things you will make money. It's effective to highlight the founding principles and how Sonny is embodying that. He constantly rebukes Phil Knight for worrying more about the board than the product now that they're publicly traded.

The Air Jordan shoe

I like how the movie never shows Michael Jordan, other than game film. We get shots from behind and profiles because the actor and the character would distract.

Sonny and team create a show unlike anything seen. They know the NBA will fine Jordan for wearing a shoe with too much color, but they factor it into the pitch. They will pay the fine as it's a marketing expense. It's a great pitch and Sonny makes an impassioned speech to conclude.

It's a fun underdog story. Sonny does everything he can to win, and he also does the right thing. The shoe is nearly its own character in the movie. Nike does get Jordan which catapults them to the top of the apparel market. Jordan ends up being the greatest player in the NBA. It's all because Sonny focused on the result, broke the rules, and wouldn't quit. It's a story that's all the more interesting because it's true. Michael Jordan built Nike.

This does provide a final scene with Sonny and Knight talking about the name of the company and the logo. It's pure exposition for the viewer since we've gotten so much history about this company. It's not really necessary, nor is the movie's inclusion of so many 80s pop music hits. The movie really wants to make sure it gets all of them into one movie.