Ben Affleck delivers a star-studded crowd-pleasing underdog story about the genesis of the Air Jordan. Affleck's direction plays heavily into the nostalgia from the get-go, opening with a full-on film-grain montage of 1984 member-berries, set to Dire Straits “Money for Nothing.” The needle drops continue throughout as Affleck has loaded the soundtrack with dozens of early-to-mid 80s hits. The director is effectively entering the Konami Code for dad-cinema. I'll be the first to admit that this approach really works, even when I know I'm being emotionally manipulated.

Apart from nostalgia and emotional manipulation, the success of “Air” depends on its captivating storyline and talented cast. Matt Damon plays the pivotal role of Sonny Vaccaro, a basketball scout tasked with seeking out players to endorse their basketball shoes. However, the standout performance comes from Viola Davis, who portrays Deloris Jordan, Michael Jordan's mother. Although Vaccaro and Nike's ultimate goal is to win over Michael, Deloris holds the key to their success. While Damon, Bateman, Chris Tucker, Chris Messina, and even Affleck provide consistent laughs, it is Viola's presence that ultimately grounds the drama. The only thing missing here is Michael Jordan himself. There are a few scenes where he is technically there, but they use creative blocking with the very obvious intention of never having Michael's face in the frame. Those few moments are a little clunky in execution, but understandably, Affleck managed as best he could. 

“Air” is a solid, crowd-pleasing (dad-pleasing) time at the movies. It is excellent seeing Damon and Affleck creating together again, and even more encouraging seeing Affleck back in the director's chair again. 

— 4 / 5 ⭐