Jordan returns to the big screen with Air, directed by Matt Damon

air tells the story of one of the biggest business successes in the world of sports

In 1984, the American brand Nike barely had representation in one of the major North American sporting competitions such as the NBA. Converse and Adidas practically monopolized the market and visible faces of the league, while Nike was relegated to a very secondary level.

In the offices of the American giant, Sonny Vaccaro, manager of the brand's basketball division, sees his position threatened when the shareholders' meeting begins to evaluate the possibility of closing his division as it is unprofitable. With his position and that of his peers at stake, and opposition from his superiors, Sonny decides to bet everything on the endorsement of a single name: Michael Jordan.

A great cast at the helm of a tall story

From this premise Air, film directed by Ben Affleck and starring Matt Damon, who plays Sonny on a desperate mission. Unlike many of his films, Damon this time takes on the role of a person over 50, completely out of shape, without much commercial credibility and with his reputation as a guru of basketball as the only justification for his position. And the truth is that in this less common role for him, Matt Damon stands out in a character who is full of charisma, who manages to connect with the public and make them join his cause.

Ben Affleck, in turn, not only directs the film, but also appears as Phil Knight, the company's mogul at the time and responsible for making the final decision about the business. Jason Bateman completes the trio of main characters as Rob Strasser, a Nike executive and Sonny Vaccaro's battle buddy. Special mention also goes to Viola Davis, who plays Michael Jordan's mother, a key person in the deal negotiations, and who with less screen time makes every scene in which she appears her own.

Straight as a quick break, exciting as a slam dunk

Let us not deceive ourselves. This film is practically a nearly two-hour advertisement for Nike and its Air Jordan brand. But it's a very well-written, very fun promotion, with tense moments and also moments of laughter. Here it is worth highlighting Alex Convery's script. In what is his first experience on the big screen, he presents a super light script, very easy to follow and extremely interesting in an almost 100% film built on dialogue.

The film gets straight to the point. Without subplots or major character introductions (we get to know them throughout the story), as soon as we start it puts us in the Sketch from the NBA since 1984 where Nike has been looking for a star to boost it in the sports market. In this sense, the film is a gift for basketball lovers, more specifically from the universe NBA. The setting, the soundtrack and the constant references, especially during the first half of the film, are a trip to the past for those who didn't live through the 80s, and a good memory, a loving look for those who liked it. Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and company.

On the business side, he doesn't get distracted by getting into big mud or technicalities. If you're looking for a film that shows in depth how these companies behave in these types of situations, it may not be your film, but it does a good job of explaining why decisions are made, what risks are involved, and why the deal between Nike and Jordan was a watershed in negotiations between athletes and brands.

Air, One of Jordan's best-told stories

In short, we are talking about a simple, direct, moving film that lovingly shows a story that deserved to be told, although at times it reminds us too much of its status as a product placement. Great for basketball fans, the brand and true stories of business drivers and an easy to watch and very entertaining film for general audiences.

The film hits theaters on Wednesday, April 5th.

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