#air review- a surprisingly gripping film for a movie about michael jordan wearing nike | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

agentnico · 1 year

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Air (2023) Review

So for what it’s worth this movie has taught me one thing - the original founder of the company Adidas was a chap named Adolf Dassler and no, his first name wasn’t a coincidence as he was indeed a member of the Nazi Party. So yes, Adidas was created by a Nazi. Go figure.

Plot: Sonny Vaccaro and Nike pursue basketball rookie Michael Jordan, creating a partnership that revolutionizes the world of sports and contemporary culture.

What is it with recent historical films that are set in the 80′s where they have to open up with a montage of various pop culture 80s stuff whilst some famous pop song plays in the background? Like we get it, the movie is set in the 80′s, no need to bash us over the head with it. Regardless, after that generic opening crawl we are then treated to a movie about a shoe. In essence that’s what it is - the origin of the Air Jordan line of basketball footwear. Talk about Hollywood really stretching for ideas. That being said, the film Air is actually a fairly delightful, if a bit by-the-numbers sports film. This is what I’d call a proper Dad Movie. And yes, it can be continuously and endlessly debated how one would define what the Dad Movie genre is, however basically I’d say it’s those types of movies that appeal to middle-aged men and have that comradely feel to them, and feature an individual or a group of people coming together to achieve something great. An easy watch so to speak. Look, there’s no way of describing what a Dad Movie should be, but it’s really more so a vibe. A Dad Movie vibe. And Air is simply dripping with the swagger of a Dad Movie. There’s Dad Movie magic all over this thing, and it sure may be due to the American sports subject, but regardless, dads of the world assemble and go watch this film!

However not just dads, but everyone can find enjoyment in Air. It’s a surprisingly gripping film for a movie about Michael-Jordan-wearing Nike, and that’s due to the focused direction of Ben Affleck, and a stellar cast that make for a very engaging viewing. When it comes to the narrative, it's a very simple story about a man who knows the potential of something, while everyone around him thinks what he wants to accomplish is impossible. It's an underdog story that's not even directly about an athlete and it's done incredibly well. Again, I cannot reiterate the strangeness of the movie managing to make us care about the bloody origins of a shoe! In my case a shoe I’ve never worn nor ever had interest in wearing. Yet here I am - giving a crap! On that note, I’m not a particular fan of sports film either. The one major sports film I like previously was Foxcatcher and that was only cause it was a drama involving murdaaaaa, but otherwise the sports genre ain’t for me. Yet again, here I am - giving a crap.

What a cast is assembled here. Matt Damon leads the pack as Sonny Vaccaro, and look, there honestly isn’t anyone in Hollywood that has more of that likeable every-day American guy factor than Matt Damon. You simply can’t help but want to root for the chap. Of course Viola Davis... Michael Jordan's only wish for this movie was Viola Davis playing his mother. And Viola Davis did something special here. Incredibly realistic mother portrayal with a strong reserved womanly presence - Viola Davis does great work. Ben Affleck is delightfully sarcastic as Nike CEO Phil Knight, with Chris Tucker and Matthew Maher bringing their personal touches to their roles also. Jason Bateman - look, I’ve really enjoyed watching this guy in everything since seeing his shenanigans in Horrible Bosses, and in recent years his more serious work in the likes of The Gift (a fantastic thriller by the way, if you haven’t seen it do yourself a favour) and Netflix’s Ozark series, Bateman is a man of many talents... and bates. In Air even though he’s but a side character, I believe he is the true heart of the movie, as Damon’s Sonny risking it all to make Nike going for this reckless move to bet all odds on newcomer Michael Jordan, it’s the little people who have the most to lose. A scene with Bateman’s Rob Strasser explaining how the reason he works for Nike is so that he can every Sunday gift his daughter a pair of shoes during the one-time-a-week he sees her, and as such those Nike shoes is the only thing he can share with his family. Again, Bateman also has his usual dry wit about him, but also that dramatic heft that he can handle so well.

I must give Ben Affleck and the crew props for managing to take a very non-cinematic subject matter and make it such a riveting and captivating watch. Reminds me of a movie written by Aaron Sorkin such as Social Network or Molly’s Game - where the writing and characters really drive the entertainment factor. So check out Air, it’s on Prime Video now and is worth your time.

Overall score: 7/10

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