The willingness to take creative risks often defines companies’ success. We’ve seen iconic characters such as Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) from “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013) and Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) from “The Social Network” (2010) who are not afraid of doing everything they can to take their companies to new heights. Biopics based on business tycoons often inspire moviegoers to chase their dreams. These movies serve as food for thought, motivating viewers to take risks and embrace the changes in their environment.
Ben Affleck’s “Air” will hit the theaters on April 5, and it is arguably one of the best sports movies in recent years. Since Michael Jordan’s rise to basketball greatness, Nike’s Air Jordan line of basketball shoes has become a worldwide fashion icon. People of all ages covet the shoes and pay exorbitant amounts of money to acquire them. To answer an unfamiliar customer’s question about the specialness of the shoes, the movie tells a beautiful story of Nike’s rise to shoe domination.
It is only right that legends play the underdog story of a worldwide corporation. The cast, including Matt Damon, Affleck, Jason Bateman and Viola Davis, convincingly takes us back to the ’80s. Each member of the cast delivers an incredibly strong and memorable performance. Davis and Damon stand out with their respective roles as Deloris Jordan, Michael Jordan’s mother, and Sonny Vaccaro, a man tasked with saving Nike’s basketball division. Damon conveys a sense of urgency and hope, showing that his character is not afraid of taking risks. Meanwhile, Davis’ character knows her son’s worth with prescient motherly wisdom and business savvy.
However, the dynamite cast could only perform well because of a strong vision and a clever script. Affleck exceeds all expectations, writing the best movie of the year so far with “Air.” He is obviously passionate about Nike’s partnership with Michael Jordan and masterfully balances the comedic melodrama and the accuracy of the historic events. The movie focuses on “The 10 Principles at Nike,” which dictate the ethos of creativity and risk-taking culture in the company. Their third rule, “Perfect results count — not a perfect process. Break the rules: fight the law,” is reflected when Sonny gambles with high stakes: landing a partnership with Michael Jordan or losing his job.
Sonny hustles to acquire Michael Jordan and saves the basketball division. The seriousness of his situation allows the movie to feel goal-oriented and related to Nike’s fate. In contrast, “Air” has a breezy, feel-good tone with hilarious jokes. Banter loads the movie, including a play on their tagline, “Just Do It.” There are some inspirational moments that aren’t as effectively emotional because of mundane jokes, but the social message behind the plot still comes across skillfully.
“Air” is optimistically inspiring, with an abundance of industry-changing moments, like Peter Moore (Matthew Maher) designing the first Air Jordan, Phil Knight (Affleck) leading Nike to global dominance and Sonny realizing the potential of NBA’s biggest star, Michael Jordan. I expected the movie to be centered around Michael Jordan, but his character is almost inconsequential in the larger plot. Instead, the movie expresses the genius behind the marketing revolution brought about by Nike. “Air” emphasizes Nike’s marketing slogan line, “A shoe is just a shoe until someone steps into it” throughout, as we look into the rebranding of a sports shoe around a sportsman. After watching the movie, one cannot help but dive deeper into the significance and work behind the success of the Air Jordan brand. “Air” is sure to leave a mark on the film industry, soaring to heights only Michael Jordan himself could reach.
