To direct the critically acclaimed new film Air, Ben Affleck has once again proven his mettle. The screenplay, based on real events, was written by Alex Convery and tells the story of how Nike and NBA legend Michael Jordan came together to create the groundbreaking Air Jordan shoeline. In addition to Affleck and Damon, the film also features Jason Bateman, Marlon Wayans, Chris Tucker, and Viola Davis in lead roles.
Air World Premiere
Air had its world premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW), where critics were able to see it before its April release to a wider audience. The majority of early critics have praised the film, and Rotten Tomatoes has given it a perfect score of 100 percent approval. Although the film’s score may drop slightly once more reviews appear next month, the fact that it received unanimous praise from SXSW critics is a strong indicator of how well it will be received overall.
According to Marisa Mirabal, a critic for IndieWire, Air is an instant classic and “a slam dunk” as one of the best sports movies ever made. “Affleck captures the warm and funny marketing journey of Nike while paying proper tribute to all those involved. The film Air is a fantastic tale of the underdog, populated by likable protagonists.
Roger Friedman, writing for Showbiz 411, calls Air “the movie everyone wanted this Oscar season and couldn’t find” and predicts that it will win multiple awards. Since their first appearance in Good Will Hunting in 1997, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have been absent from the big screen until now, with their film Air. It’s also the season’s first serious contender for Best Picture.
According to Slashfilm’s Ryan Scott, Air is an “unconventional sports drama” that succeeds thanks to its emphasis on events away from the court. Because the drama surrounding Air Jordan is interesting enough to watch on its own, this may make the film more appealing to audiences who aren’t huge basketball fans.
Scott gives high marks to the actors
Scott praises the cast, singling out Damon for his “quiet, charming best here” and Viola Davis for “perhaps the finest actor walking the planet” for “lending her talents” for a “wildly important supporting role” as Deloris Jordan, Michael Jordan’s mom. “That’s just the beginning because we also get great performances from people like Jason Bateman, Chris Messina, and, rather surprisingly, Chris Tucker. Affleck is also a lot of fun to watch as Nike co-founder Phil Knight.
Affleck’s direction of the film has also garnered high praise.
The film is a success thanks to “Affleck’s choices, from cast and direction to writing, all of which work perfectly together to bring to life a biopic that captures the importance of a legend as much as a sum of events,” as Kate Sánchez of But Why Tho? puts it.
