Air
Overview
Air is a 2023 biographical sports drama film directed by Ben Affleck, based on the true story of how Nike signed Michael Jordan to an endorsement deal. The film stars Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro, a Nike executive who is convinced that Michael Jordan is the future of basketball; Ben Affleck as Phil Knight, the co-founder of Nike; and Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, another Nike executive. The film is set in 1984. Nike is a struggling running shoe company, far behind Adidas and Converse in the basketball market. Sonny Vaccaro believes that signing Michael Jordan, a rookie out of the University of North Carolina, is the key to Nike's success. He must convince Jordan, his mother, Deloris (Viola Davis), and his agent to sign with Nike. The film is a smart, funny, and entertaining look at the business of sports. It features a memorable performance by Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan, who negotiated a unique contract that gives Jordan a percentage of every shoe sold. Air was a critical and commercial success, earning over $90 million on a $70 million budget.
