The new movie, AIR, is not just for sneakerheads. I was so excited to attend a VIP screening to watch the movie AIR this week. It is finally released and you won’t want to miss it. My husband who is a sneakerhead and I both attended the screening.
AIR is the story about Nike and how they landed Michal Jordan to create Air Jordans to forever change their brand and the business of spokespersons and brands. Starring Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro and Viola Davis as Michael Jordan’s mom the movie has many themes and of course, is based on a true story.
As an Oregon Duck fan, it is impossible not to be a Nike fan, the culture of both are intertwined. If you’ve read Shoe Dawg, you know Phil Knight the Nike founder considers them “his Ducks.” Phil or Buck was a runner for legendary track coach Bill Bowerman and together they made Blue Ribbon Sports, a running shoe company that dabbled in other sports.
The basketball division on its last legs was looking to lure a few lower-level players in the ‘85 draft. Humorously two of the players, John Stockton and Charles Barkley went on to be Hall of Famers and members of the original Dream Team themselves.
The movie details and in my husband’s opinion captures the spirit of early Nike, but after it went public. Showing Afleck as Phil Knight struggling between board requirements and his own personal mentality. The story details Sonny Vaccaro’s identifying Michael Jordan as the centerpiece of the fledgling basketball division in hopes they can market him in a way that the market leaders Converse or Adidas can offer. This isn’t the story of Michael Jordan, if you want that watch the last dance, it is the story of a company with a vision and a mother who knew her son’s worth.
I would encourage reading Shoe Dawg before watching this movie. It’s not necessary to understand or follow the movie, but it does an extraordinary job of getting a feel for Phil Knight and showing how good of a job Ben Affleck did at capturing his idiosyncrasies.
This movie has a lot, and I mean a LOT of language, but that was very true to what Nike was at the time. (So you will want to leave the little ones at home.)
AIR is now playing in theaters! Check out the trailer below:
Todd Lang says
Got passes! Loved it