Affleck Hits Nothing But Net With AIR
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When I first heard that a movie was being made about the genesis of the most famous sneaker in the history of footwear, I shrugged. Even though my director from THE TOWN was directing/acting and his co-Oscar-winning best friend was producing/acting, I didn't have much desire to burn two hours watching how Air Jordans came to be. But given this extended dearth of new releases with solid pedigrees, not to mention a pair of well-loved locals heading a solid cast, my attitude did a 180 by the time AIR hit Amazon Prime last week. And I was damn glad it did because Ben Affleck takes a somewhat dry topic---the back-and-forth negotiations and numerous meetings surrounding the creation of a sneaker---and, thanks to the writing, directing, and acting, turns it into an entertaining and funny nail-biter that you already know the ending to but still stick around til the end.
AIR kicks off in 1984. The Celtics just beat the Lakers for their 15th title. Mary Lou Retton was stealing America's heart. Cabbage Patch Kids were all the rage. And Hulkamania was runnin' wild. Nike boss Phil Knight (Ben Affleck) tells basketball talent scout Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) that he needs to find new faces to rep their struggling basketball shoe division. After watching footage of various players, Vaccaro spies one who he thinks has something special: Michael Jordan. An Arthur Ashe commercial for his own tennis racket airs shortly thereafter and Vaccaro gets an idea that will eventually change history and pop culture.
From there we follow Vaccaro as he ventures to North Carolina in an attempt to woo MJ (he soon realizes Mike's mom Deloris is in charge), back to Oregon to argue with Knight, and various other pit stops. Damon brings a 'been there done that' everyman quality to his role while Affleck gets to be a bit of a prick in a bad wig as both do very solid work as the main Nike guys. But Viola Davis practically steals the picture with her quietly sublime performance as Jordan's protective and savvy mother, a role that should net her a fifth Oscar nomination.
Chris Tucker returns to the big screen for the first time in seven years to play Nike executive Howard White and he crushes it with arguably his career-best performance, one that should ensure he doesn't go seven years between films again. Jason Bateman does his reliably sardonic thing as marketing guy Rob Strasser. Go-to character actor Matthew Maher turns in yet another memorable performance as shoe designer Peter Moore, the guy who comes up with the name 'Air Jordan'. Be sure not to miss the late scene with just Damon and Davis, as she likely locks up a nomination with it.
The 115 minute running time might cause hesitation in some but it flies by and you never find your mind wandering. In the hands of less capable artists, AIR could've been a forgettable, paint-by-numbers flick that came and went without much fanfare. And there's the usual Hollywood salt and pepper thrown into this true story. But Affleck directing this highly capable cast with a sharp script elevates the film to something much more than you expect. It's still only May but Davis might not be the only one to garner a nomination when awards season rolls around. A-