AIR

US, 2023, 111 minutes, Colour.

Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, Ben Affleck, Chris Messina, Viola Davis, Julius Tennant, Damien Jung, Chris Tucker, Matthew Maher, Gustaf's cask guard, barbarous or colour, Jane Moore, Joel Grech, Marlon Wayans.

Directed by Ben Affleck.

A very American entertainment. And, the response in the United States has been overwhelmingly positive. The film will travel but it cannot evoke the same kind of response beyond the United States because of its subject, the National Basketball Association, players and contracts, promotion, sponsorships, and a special focus on the shoes that the basketball players wear. The focus is very American.

And, the year is 1984, with an initial collage evoking memories (but, anyone who was 10 at the time is now 50 – which means that for younger audiences there is a touch of if not ancient history, old history). We see and hear president Reagan, see Eddie Murphy the Beverly Hill Cop, the Ghostbusters…

This is a true story, actual characters are named and portrayed, strengths and weaknesses, and, at the end, interesting information about their subsequent careers. And the setting is the shoe company, Nike, running third in 1984 to shoes made by Converse and I the ever-growing Adidas. At Nike, there is a talent scout, Sonny Vaccaro, an excellent solid performance by the always reliable Matt Damon. For 20 years he has scouted, has searched for the ideal player, studied games, moves, manoeuvres, tactics and sees a future for the 18-year-old Michael Jordan. For American audiences, Michael Jordan is one of the greatest athletes of all time – perhaps well known outside the US but, maybe not so well-known.

In the film, Michael Jordan himself appears in video clips, in the background when Sonny Vaccaro visits the Jordan home in North Carolina, in the background at a family meeting with Nike executives. Which means that the film is not about actual basketball playing, only some glimpses.

Which also means that this is a film about American capitalism, the world of business, the world of profit, deals, manoeuvres, pressures (and the touch of what might be called blackmail). This is a film about the American dream, the dreams of individuals being true to themselves, that success is the goal of life, perhaps a touch of the Protestant/Calvinist influence in the early centuries of US development, that God blesses those who are successful.

The film has a very strong cast. There is Jason Bateman as an executive of Nike, careful, but eager, getting older, visitation rights to his daughter a couple of hours every Sunday. Actually, this is in rather marked contrast with the other central characters who don’t seem to have any relationships or any life outside their work. Ben Affleck, who effectively directs the film, appears as Philip Knight, the CEO of Nike, Chris Tucker as an executive, smooth talking promoter, a cameo by Marlon Wayans as sports coach, George Haverling who has a speech about Martin Luther King’s I have a dream speech as an inspiration for fighting for dreams. And, there is a powerful performance by Viola Davis as Michael Jordan’s mother, shrewd, business savvy, and making contract demands for her son to receive a percentage of every shoe sold with his name, Air Jordan. (Later information indicates that this was a cause that Sonny Vaccaro took up in later decades, and won.)

There is excitement all the time, Sonny and his plans, support, opposition, some hilariously crass interchanges with Jordan’s agent, David Falk (Chris Messina), suspense concerning Jordan’s choice of Adidas or Nike, waiting at the telephone…

And, there is a collage of Jordan’s later life, sport success, personal messiness in his life, yet his being considered one of the greatest American sports athletes.

1. A film for American audiences? Basketball? Michael Jordan? Nike?
2. The 1980s, the collage of memories of the period, politics and Reagan, music, movies and Eddie Murphy and Ghostbusters? The Olympics?
3. The film based on actual events, actual characters? The information at the end about their subsequent careers, philanthropy, social justice activities? Michael Jordan and his status as an athlete?
4. The Nike headquarters, offices, meeting places? Exteriors? The comparison with Converse, with Adidas?
5. Atmosphere, the musical background, the songs of the time, lyrics, applications to characters and events?
6. The role of Sonny Vaccaro, Matt Damon’s presence and performance, age, 20 years’ experience, a scout for the company, his detailed knowledge, expertise, going to games, observing, the trips to Las Vegas and some gambling, no indication of personal life?
7. The company, shoes, sports, basketball, third to Converse in Adidas? Ambitions? Budget? Philip Knight, the CEO, the board? Knight and his personality, running, meditation, management risks, caution? Interactions with Sonny? His saying no, hesitations, running, change of heart, supporting Sonny, the tactics for the final meeting, to arrive late, his labouring explanations, quiet, the video? Support, the contract, percentages for players?
8. Rob Stressor, his role in the company, friendship with Sonny, the discussions, the risks, budget? Home life, divorce, visitation rights? Under stress, his birthday? The discussions with Sonny, spending the time, the plans, supporting Sonny?
9. David Falk, agent, the telephone conversations, his exasperation with Sonny, agent for Jordan, the family, adaptable, the meetings, the aftermath, selling his company, eating alone…?
10. Sonny, strategies, his being convinced, the video of the game, pinpointing Michael Jordan’s talent, explaining his tactics with the team? The decision to visit the family home, North Carolina, the friendliness of the father, the business sense of Deloris, the discussions, her listening, the meetings with Adidas? The discussions of the contract, the fact that Sonny visited? The family coming to the Nike headquarters, the meeting, the strategy, Philip Knight late, Howard, Rob, the shoe designer, the discussions? Waiting for the decision?
11. Howard, his role in the company, interactions with Sonny, listening to him, suggestions, support? His later career with Nike?
12. Sonny’s visit to George Raveling, their discussions, his talent, career, the talk about Martin Luther King, the March on Washington, the I Have a Dream speech, Martin Luther King and his audience, creating the second part, giving the text to George, (and his never selling it), the influence of the American dream?
13. The visit to the Adidas company, the board meeting, the widow? The meeting going as Sonny predicted, clothes, ties, watch?
14. The phone call, Sonny and his excitement, Deloris and her shrewdness, the $250,000, the car, and the contract with benefits for the player? Sonny and his hesitation, the discussions with Philip Knight, the agreement?
15. The presence of Michael Jordan in the film, background, videos of his play, glimpses at home, in the background of the meeting, Sonny and his phone call to him? The collage of media and his subsequent career, difficulties, talent, recognition?
16. The film not about basketball, but about big business, success, capitalism, advertising and sponsorship?
17. A version of the American dream, self-confidence, despite odds, and the personal, individual, drive, and the Protestant American tradition of God/Providence blessing those who succeeded?