‘Air: Courting A Legend’ Review A movie to inspire

Michael Clark Staff Reporter

As the lights slowly brought my theater back to life, an upbeat 80’s montage closed out the movie “Air: Courting A Legend,” the only thing I could think about was how unlikely it was for this film to be good.

Despite the odds, “Air” is not just a good but a great film, and easily one of the best of 2023 so far.

“Air” is the surprisingly inspirational story behind the creation of the Air Jordan shoe, which might be the most boring idea ever conceived for a film. Despite this, “Air” proves that any concept can be great as long as it is backed by a decent execution.

Ben Affleck wrote, produced and directed the film, showing his excellence in the role. The stylish montages, great cinematography and strong sense of personality made the two-hour runtime of this film go by without a hitch.

What really sells “Air” is the excellent cast. There isn’t a weak link among the star-studded cast.

Matt Damon, Jason Bateman and Viola Davis bounce off each other without a hitch and make for some truly captivating performances. David Falk steals the show over a brief, heated phone call that makes for one of the funniest scenes of the year. Damon delivers a monologue that feels cheesy in hindsight but was truly stirring at the moment. Davis really sells that she is Michael Jordan’s mom.

There are hardly any issues to be had with “Air,” but it does drag a bit toward the end and the concept of the film is inherently ridiculous. Thankfully, it doesn’t worry too much about taking itself seriously, yet knows how to get the audience going.

I left the theater feeling relatively happy about things despite the unbelievable amount of work on my plate. If a movie can inspire me, it can inspire anyone. This point is difficult to communicate over the written word, but “Air” feels like a movie dads will love. I can imagine walking in on my father turning this on and knocking out within the first 15 minutes, yet still saying it’s “one of the greatest.” entertainment.ed@ocolly.com

“Air” might just be one of the best films of the year and one of the most pleasant surprises. Damon and Affleck prove once again that they are one of the best duos in Hollywood if there was still any doubt about that. Even if you despise the shoe industry, this film is still worth checking out just to appreciate the excellent acting and tight direction.