The biopic. A genre of film that chronicles the life or events surrounding a particular person – hence the name “biopic.” There have been a plethora of films that fall under this genre that were derided as Oscar bait – films that seem to exist for the sole purpose of winning the coveted award, or at least a couple of nominations at the ceremony.
This is evident as some of the Best Picture winners over the past eight decades– for better or worse, depending on the film – have been biopics, going back to 1936 with “The Great Ziegfeld.” With the consideration of these factors, whenever there is a new biopic being released, there is a reservation before viewing it, because of the possible quality of it. However, the recent release of “Air” showcases that, with the right cast and crew, a biopic can be a great film.
The year is 1984. Adidas and Converse are the two biggest shoe wear corporations in the country, with both occupying the largest percentage of sales. Contrarily, Nike is on the verge of bankruptcy with sales going down and being a lot smaller, compared to the other two footwear brands. The footwear brand is in dire need of a partnership with an up-and-coming basketball player to survive another year.
Matt Damon portrays Sonny Vaccaro, an employee who is tasked with this very job. The basketball talent scout for Nike — who becomes drawn to one particular player for a partnership that might save the shoewear brand: Michael Jordan. Damon’s performance as Vaccaro is truly great, with moments such as the moving monologue that he delivers in the third act of the film, making him a possible contender for nominations in next year’s award season.
Ben Affleck, who directs the biopic, also stars as Phil Knight, the eccentric CEO and co-founder of Nike.
Viola Davis’s supporting performance as Deloris Jordan, the mother of Michael Jordan, is an excellent one, with the sequence with her and Sonny at her residence being a showcase of this.
With the direction of the film, Ben Affleck crafts a film that stands out from some of the recent works in the genre. In his first directorial effort since 2016’s “Live by Night,” Affleck captures a biopic that balances dramatical elements with a heavy dosage of humor from his direction of the actors, such as a particularly hilarious scene involving an angry phone call from David Falk (Chris Messina) to Sonny, in the aftermath of him going to the Jordans’ residence.
This scene also showcases the quick-witted dialogue of Alex Convery’s script (made even more impressive by the fact that it is his debut screenplay). Convery produces a screenplay that blends drama with a creative comic tone that permeates certain moments in the film, such as the previously mentioned phone call scene, resulting in a unique biopic.
There is also the sleek editing work of William Goldenberg in the opening montage comprising archival footage from that very year, immersing the viewer in the period.
In terms of the soundtrack, there are some great cues, such as Big Country’s song In A Big Country – which is featured during an aerial shot of Sonny traveling to North Carolina to meet Michael’s parents. There is also Dan Hartman’s biggest solo hit, “I Can Dream About You,” being chosen as the background music in a dunk video that Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman) presents to the Jordans. The Alan Parsons Project’s instrumental “Sirius” is also featured (which has cemented its legacy from its frequent usage at Chicago Bulls basketball games – the team that Jordan would famously play for).
“Air” is the textbook definition of a crowd-pleaser, with moments that fill the viewer with inspiration, along with great performances from the ensemble cast. It is a film that showcases nostalgic elements and an underdog story, under the guise of the biopic genre. “Air” proves that dad movies are still alive and kicking, even in the age of franchise films.
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