Today, Nike is a giant in the basketball shoe industry, as around two-thirds of NBA players wear their shoes. But in 1984, it was a completely different story. Nikes were only worn by approximately 17% of players, and they were mostly known as running shoes. The brand could not seem to establish itself in the basketball world, and the basketball division of the company was on the brink of shutting down. That was until they bet everything on one man: Michael Jordan.

Air, directed by Ben Affleck, tells the true story of how the head of the Nike basketball division, Sonny Vaccaro (played by Matt Damon), became an unlikely hero by seeing something in rookie Jordan and completely transforming the Nike brand. The film focuses on the people behind the scenes, like Sonny, Nike CEO Phil Knight (Affleck), and Jordan’s mother (Viola Davis), who worked to create the Michael Jordan brand. A compelling true story packed with punchy dialogue and stellar performances, Air is the biggest crowd pleaser of the year so far. 

Since the whole film builds up to a single event, Jordan meeting with Nike, the plot itself is minimal. However, the fast-paced script and the entertaining performances make up for this by making a slow storyline feel more dynamic. Affleck’s direction goes a long way as well, as his quick camera movements give the film its exciting energy. The 80s nostalgia is the cherry on top; fun ‘80s clothing and hit songs enhance the experience,  making Air that much more entertaining.

Even though everyone knows how the story ends, Air successfully draws the audience in. Damon’s performance is subtle but touching, as his urgency in making the deal with Jordan makes the audience feel the stakes are life or death. Jason Bateman’s performance as head of marketing, Rob Strasser, although a more minor character, also helps to illustrate the high stakes energy, shown when he challenges Sonny by explaining the stakes of their plan in an emotional scene. Davis delivers a moving portrayal of Jordan’s mother and gives the film more emotional depth. The actors carry the funny moments as well, and they succeed in making the movie emotional as well as amusing. There is a light energy to the film due to the ensemble quality of the cast and the delivery of lines by more comedic characters, such as Knight and Strasser.

Michael Jordan’s character is never shown in the film. This is an effective choice on the part of the filmmakers, because having Jordan in the film would have drawn attention away from the people behind the scenes, who are meant to be the focus of the film. Instead of focusing on Jordan as an individual, the film highlights his legendary status, which is what the film is all about —the making of a legend. 

Air delivers. Although the drama aspect of the film was mild at times due to the minimal storyline, it makes for an entertaining and uplifting watch that anyone can enjoy. For a movie about shoes, Air provides much more. As Sonny says in the film, “A shoe is just a shoe until someone great steps into them.”