Air - Courting A Legend
Nike, Michael Jordan & Air Jordan shoes are now household names that have become synonymous with basketball. However, that hasn't always been the case - particularly in the 1980s, when Converse & Adidas ruled the basketball shoe space.
Air, directed by & starring Ben Affleck, tells the story of how Nike came to sign the greatest basketball player of all time despite being a distant third in the market at the time. Although the film focuses on the now dominant Nike this film is a true underdog tale with a young, scrappy company aiming to make its make.
In their quest to sign Michael Jordan, to what would ultimately become the most lucrative shoe contract to that point, we witness the inner working of Nike. We see employees & a company who are both desperate & determined to secure their guy & in doing so gamble everything on their plan. A gamble which, as we all know now, paid huge dividends & revolutionised the show industry.
Air assembles an all-star cast including Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Viola Davis, Chris Tucker, Jason Bateman & Marlon Wayans.
The film primarily centres around Matt Damon's character, Sonny Vaccaro, who was Nike's talent scout & the man who is steadfast in his belief that Nike should risk it all on Jordan rather than spreading their budget across a range of players. In this role, Damon is funny, charming & unflinching in one of his best performances to date.
Viola Davis is outstanding as always in her portrayal of Deloris Jordan, Michael's mother. Davis brings an air of confidence & belief that only a mother can have in their children.
Air is a compelling drama filled with nostalgia, insight into the inner workings of early Nike & plenty of humour. A slam dunk for basketball fans but a film that is also an easy layup for a general audience.
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