“A shoe is just a shoe until someone steps into it.”
This is where the film “Air” originates, dramatizing the historic events leading up to the iconic Air Jordan shoe line as we know it today. The film follows Matt Damon, a Nike employee, who is looking to make a business deal with rookie basketball player, Michael Jordan.
“Air” opened with an astonishing Rotten Tomato score of 92% and an audience score of 98%. This is no surprise as there is an impressive cast for the film. Produced by Ben Affleck, the sports drama stars actors including Affleck himself, Matt Damon, Jason Batemen, Viola Davis and many other well known actors and actresses.
Overall, the acting lived up to the expectations created by the hype around the cast. Affleck and Damon worked very well together, portraying a very unique boss and employee relationship. Damon also worked very well with Batemen as coworkers. They experienced frustration, sleepless nights and heartfelt moments together throughout the film.
Davis’s role as Mrs. Jordan was an audience favorite, as we could see her strong influence on the decisions that Jordan made in the shoe deal. Despite the cast’s portrayals, Chris Tucker’s acting for Howard White wasn’t particularly stellar. The character had its important moments, but overall, he seemed too energetic and didn’t match the film’s mood.
Beyond the film’s cast, “Air” drew viewers into the world of Jordan through the tangible atmosphere it created. One of the main points of the film was to capture the feel of the 80’s, and it did just that. From the costumes to the music, and even the toys shown, “Air” allowed audiences to completely relive that time period. “The music and outfits the characters wore made it feel like the movie took place in a different time,” said senior Matt Douglas. “I could tell my parents especially loved it because it reminded them of the 80’s.”
The film featured 80’s style clothing with vibrant colors and a soundtrack full of popular songs such as “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper and “Blister in the Sun” by Violent Femmes. The soundtrack is sure to make everybody bop their heads— even if they weren’t alive during the 80’s.
“Air” takes a very unique approach to a renowned story. There have been many stories on Jordan, but “Air” actually has little to do with Jordan himself. In fact, we never see the face of the character. Some people did not enjoy this part of the film, but an overwhelming majority will agree that it was executed to perfection.
“Air” gives representation to Jordan in many different video clips throughout the film, but there is no actual face actor portraying Jordan.“Air” focuses more on the shoe deal and how the shoe represents Jordan as a person rather than him promoting a shoe. If “Air” had an actor playing Jordan, it would take away from the athlete’s real life image.
Throughout the film, Damon’s character constantly reminds Affleck that the company was built on his risks taken and they need to take risks to make the basketball department thrive. The film also taps at many of the viewer’s emotions, making you cry, laugh and watch from the edge of your seat. Senior Holden Willett viewed “Air” and it exceeded his expectations. “After I saw the movie I walked out and it was the only thing I could talk about,” said Willett.
All together, “Air” had the cast, 80’s feel and unique plot to become a potential sports movie classic. Any sports fan should rush to the theater, grab some popcorn and stay glued to the screen for the next 2 hours.
