Wow, the last few weeks at the multiplex could almost be summed up in a slight twist on the title of the signature tune of the movie’s most popular singing cowboy, “We’re Back in the 80s Again”. Who’d have thought that the “go-go” decade would be such fertile ground for current filmmakers? Now, there was music with SPINNING GOLD (though much of it covers the late 70s), and the toy/game trifecta of D&D, the Mario Bros., and TETRIS. Well, this new release concerns a big fashion item, though it has similar themes to that last film. Like that story, its main focus isn’t the “product”, but the hustling guy (like Henk) who will risk everything for a “piece of the pie” (as in that 80s TV sitcom). So, here’s an “inspired by true events” modern fable of an “average Joe” whose big dreams could, at any second, evaporate into thin AIR.
The “Joe” in question is actually nicknamed Sonny, Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon), who is the high school basketball scout for Nike in 1984. This was the era of the big athlete star endorsement “war” in the footwear industry. At that time Nike, headquartered in Washington state, was a force in running shoes, but lagged far behind Converse and Addidas in basketball shoes (barely in the double-digit market share). Back at “home base”, Sonny attends a frustrating strategy meeting led by frazzled marketing director Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman). With the top 4 NBA future stars scooped up, the remaining prospects are bleak. Late that evening at his modest pad, Sonny pops in several VHS tapes full of college highlights which convince him that the “star of tomorrow” is Michael Jordan. He’s in that elite four, but Rob insists that Addidas has him almost locked up. Sonny then goes to former Olympic basketball coach George Raveling (Marlon Wayans) for insight into MJ, then confers with co-worker exec Howard White (Chris Tucker) for further advice. Unfortunately Sonny’s boss, Nike head Phil Knight (Ben Affleck) doesn’t share his dream and refuses to increase his quarter-million dollar signing budget. Plus MJ’s cutthroat agent David Falk (Chris Messina) jeers at their meager offer and won’t grant Nike access to his client. But then Sonny does a “Hail Mary” and travels out to North Carolina, to the Jordan home for a brief face-to-face “sit-down” with the family matriarch, Michaels’s mama Deloris (Viola Davis). When word leaks out Sonny’s Nike pals and Falk are horrified at his hubris. But it works, and the Jordans agree to a meeting in only a few days. It’s “crunch time”, so Sonny, Rob, and design leader Peter Moore (Matthew Maher) make Nike HQ their weekend home to create a “sales pitch” and most importantly, come up with the shoe that will bear the superstar’s name, the Air Jordan. But will all their hours of sweat be for naught after the shoe giants meet with the family?
Add Sonny to the growing list of affable movie everymen played with charm and charisma by the dependable Damon. he gets us rooting for this underdog from the start, even as we watch his “lifeforce” leave his body during a soul-draining staff meeting. His Sonny formulates his goal and Damon, despite his extra “heft” will push through every obstacle, and we’re riding by his side. And how great is it having him back sharing scenes with his BFF and Oscar-winning screenwriting partner, Affleck? It may seem like he’s not putting much into playing Mr. Nike. but Ben conveys the mogul’s spacy, often detached, Zen mantra spewing “big boss”. Still, the passion explodes, showing that Affleck can be quite intimidating if you “poke the bear”, which Sonny frequently does. But he’s an ocean of calm compared to the manic “rageaholic” unleashed by Messina as the vitriolic furious Falk. He’s a take-no-prisoners ultra-caffeinated spin on Jeremy Piven’s Ari Gold on “Entourage”. Also solid is Bateman, who tweaks his usual snarky “attitude-dude” to make Rob a real partner to Sonny, though he doesn’t hesitate in putting his pal back on the right track. The film’s real MVP is Davis as the steely head of the Jordan household and financial future. She is surprisingly friendly to Sonny but is quick to silence him when she detects a hint of BS in his bravado. The scene late in the third act, in which she phones Sonny and tells him “how it will be” is almost a master class in acting (her FENCES Oscar could be getting a sister next year). Wayans scores in a wonderful scene with Damon, while Tucker shows us that his engaging motor-mouthed persona is missed (he’s been away for seven years).
In addition to his work as the Nike head “honcho”, Affleck makes a most welcome return to the director’s chair. Sure, we all know the outcome of all the wheeling and dealing, but he is still able to wring suspense from this modern-day shoe saga. Credit must also go to screenwriter Alex Convery’s witty, sharp script that really gives each great actor a moment or two to truly “shine”.Right from the superb 80s montage, Affleck takes us back nearly 40s years with authentic fashion, vehicles, and a splendid pop soundtrack. And what a smart move to keep the great Michael a peripheral character, much like Spielberg not showing us Bruce the shark until the JAWS hunt. But perhaps it was a “nod” to classic Hollywood films that would show the president (or the holy figures in religious films) only with shots from the back or closeups of his hands. It really adds to the drama and the mythic stature of MJ and the whole legend. As I said, we know the history, but Affleck and the cast make us really care about the people. And in the era of noisy franchise blockbusters, well it’s truly a breath of fresh AIR.
3.5 Out of 4
AIR is now playing in theatres everywhere and is streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video
