Air

Air
Starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Viola Davis
Directed by Ben Affleck

Coming from someone who has absolutely no knowledge of the sports world whatsoever, even I know the name Michael Jordan, and how he is (some would argue possibly) the G.O.A.T. of the basketball world, and even of the sports world in general. His name is synonymous with not just basketball, but product placement as well, with his long-running connection with the Nike corporation and his own unique shoe, the Air Jordan. Never did I once wish to see a film about how this magical connection took place, and never did I think I would actually enjoy myself watching it - but it only proves that sometimes a film can be so wonderfully done that it turns a complete sports novice into a believer.

In 1984, the Nike corporation is on the verge of bankruptcy, competing against juggernauts like Adidas and Converse, finding themselves in a distant third place. Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) is the company's basketball talent scout, a middle-aged pudgy man who has a knack for finding talent, and thinks he's gained the golden ticket with one rookie that everyone is hunting for - Michael Jordan. He talks to Marketing VP Rob Strasser about wanting to get Jordan, and Strasser thinks it's impossible because he's asking for too much money. Co-founder and CEO Phil Knight (Ben Affleck) agrees, but Sonny maintains that, if they can form a shoe after Jordan, they could get him to come to their company and revive their dying brand. He goes to great lengths, including visiting Jordan's parents Deloris (Viola Davis) and James (Julius Tennon), proving that the underdog can sometimes come out on top.

The Good:
Ben Affleck has proven himself to be an award-winning actor, writer, and director, and here he showcases his acting and directing chops in "Air." As a director he allows his star-studded cast to shine, like he did in his other works including "Gone Baby Gone," "The Town," and his Oscar-winning film "Argo." The production design really takes you back to the 80s not just with the quick vignettes of Princess Diana and "Where's the Beef," but also with the set designs and costumes, transporting us to the era where dreams could still come true.

The cast of A-list talent are all given their time to shine, and they deliver the goods. Matt Damon is our anchor, Sonny Vaccaro, who doesn't give up on his passion to get Jordan to their company, surpassing insurmountable odds to get the future-famous basketball player to join their company even though he said he'd never do it. His tenacity, bravery, intelligence, and never-say-no attitude is inspiring.

His longtime collaborator, fellow Oscar-winner, and best friend Ben Affleck also delivers in front of the camera as the CEO of Nike, a man who's equal parts Zen master and corporate junkie who battles with Vaccaro about spending their whole budget on Jordan when they could hedge their bets on different players, and seeing these two friends act against one another is as refreshing as when they did it in their Oscar-winning film "Good Will Hunting."

Jason Bateman is a master at the dry witty banter, and uses his strength as Rob Strasser, delivering pitch-perfect timing as always. Chris Tucker's fast-talking persona comes in handy as Nike executive Howard White. Chris Messina steals the show as Jordan's agent, and Viola Davis gives a thoughtful, intelligent, Oscar-worthy performance as Jordan's mother, Deloris (it doesn't hurt that Julius Tennon, playing Jordan's father, is Davis's real-life husband).

Affleck and writer Alex Convery managed to turn what - on paper, probably - seemed like a dull, dry film about corporate synergy and boardroom antics into something profound, powerful, and punctuated with pitch-perfect dry humor to keep you invested in the nearly two-hour runtime which, even for a Jordan fanatic, would probably feel is too long. Other films like this fail to keep your interest (looking your way "Tetris"), but "Air" is a breath of fresh air in this regard, never feeling boring but maintaining its sense of wonder throughout.

The Bad:
Honestly the only bad thing about this film is the viewer's desire to see it. Even though it keeps your attention, if you're not in the mood for something like this, you could find yourself getting bored by the subject material, so be sure you're in the right frame of mind watching a nearly two-hour film about a basketball legend with no basketball being played.

The Verdict:
Combining a true underdog story with a dream cast of A-list actors and a solid script, "Air" is a rare film that balances everything perfectly, providing a strong, memorable, and powerful film that - even though we knew the outcome already - kept us on the edge of our seats wondering how it would all turn out.

The Score: A+