‘Air’ soars with critics: Ben Affleck’s film starring Matt Damon and Viola Davis ‘defies gravity and expectations’

Ronald Meyer
·4 min read
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It’ll have been less than a month since the 95th Academy Awards when Ben Affleck’s “Air” hits theaters, but strong reviews suggest the time to begin predicting next year’s Oscars is already here.

Matt Damon heads the ‘80s-set workplace dramedy’s stellar ensemble as Sonny Vaccaro, a maverick talent scout for an apparel company that once celebrated unconventional thinking but, after going public, has increasingly frozen him out, focusing more on balance sheets than upending the status quo. Basketball players, Sonny is told over and over again, would much rather wear Converse and Adidas than Nike. Why doesn’t the company, based in Beaverton, OR, have offices on the east coast? What’s the use in a shoe that’s only good for a single activity? You can wear a running shoe for anything, even a trip to the grocery store. And what the hell is a Nike, anyway? A gambler who steadfastly follows his instinct, Sonny decides to change the rules of the game when he pursues a young phenom out of Wilmington, NC — Michael Jordan. “Air” exhilaratingly lays out various reasons the branding deal that conceived the Air Jordan was precedent-setting for both corporate America and professional athletics. 

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SEE Ben Affleck explains how Michael Jordan helped cast Viola Davis in ‘Air’

Prior to the movie’s premiere at the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival on March 18, most of the buzz was about Viola Davis’ performance as MJ’s mother, Deloris. Now that people are actually seeing it, many are also affording praise to Alex Convery’s punchy script, William Goldenberg’s editing (which during one sequence evokes as much emotion as the acting), and other cast members’ performances. Gold Derby’s Joyce Eng and Christopher Rosen call Matt Damon “amazing,” rave about Chris Messina’s “unhinged” phone acting, and highlight a touching moment commanded by Jason Bateman, saying that every actor “had a chance to shine.” Affleck, whose wonderfully hammy turn in “The Last Duel” sadly went un-nominated by the academy, is equally fun here as Nike co-founder and CEO Phil Knight. Lovia Gyarkye (The Hollywood Reporter) writes that the actor-director “plays Phil’s contradictions — the man’s simultaneous slavish devotion to the bottom line and obsession with Buddhism — as one of the film’s running jokes.” Thankfully, this one’s got more steam than “Argo f**k yourself.” 

SEE Viola Davis drums up early Oscar buzz for ‘Air’: Ben Affleck calls her ‘the best actor I’ve ever seen’

Several reviewers have compared “Air” to “Moneyball,” “Ford v Ferrari,” and “Jerry Maguire.” Robbie Collin (The Telegraph) writes, “Alex Convery’s script frames the story half as a ‘Moneyball’-like cracking of the sports world’s cosmic code, half as a ‘Jerry Maguire’-style triumph against the corporate odds.” By demonstrating how the effect of Nike’s contract with Jordan eventually encompassed collegiate sports, “Air” would also make an interesting double-feature with another talky corporate drama about profit equity — 2021’s criminally underrated “National Champions.” 

In a five-star review, David Gonzalez (The Cinematic Reel) writes, “Like Michael Jordan, ‘Air’ defies gravity and expectations in a film rich with hope, affection, inspiration, and a jumpman — it’s an impeccable and memorable way to iconize the greatest sneaker and athlete ever,” and Marisa Mirabal (IndieWire) calls it “a film about legends made by legends.” 

The film currently holds a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Amazon is giving it an extended theatrical run beginning April 5. 

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