Air has snuck up on us surprisingly quickly, with the sports biopic set to dribble into theaters in just over a week from now. It won’t be an easy box office campaign, given its competition with The Super Mario Bros. Movie, but those who were lucky enough to catch it at South by Southwest earlier this year can almost certainly confirm that this won’t be one to miss.
Boasting an eye-catching ensemble featuring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Marlon Wayans, Chris Tucker, and Viola Davis, Air tells the story of Sonny Vaccaro (Damon), a shoe salesman working for Nike who hopes to take the company to the next level with a brand new sneaker design, and his number one choice for a business deal is a rookie by the name of Michael Jordan.
But that’s all denotation; according to Bateman, who plays Nike’s then-Director of Marketing Rob Strasser, Air is about so much more than business and sports and cool sneakers. In an interview with Variety, the actor identified the film’s values as the importance of recognizing talent and going to bat for the people you love.
“It’s kind of about being recognized for your value, and being properly compensated, and a mother’s love for her son, and being an advocate, and the underdog guy at the top of the Nike brain trust wanting to do something rogue; I was really fascinated with it.”
We all love a good film about breaking convention, which most all subjects of biopics tend to be known for, so it will be interesting to see how Air separates itself from the rest of the pack. Either way, a 100 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes is a great start, so here’s hoping the warm reception stays consistent following its wide release on April 5.
