That smile suggests Deloris knew a secret that no one else knew. Some of those conversations are intense - including one in which Deloris makes a casual demand that will change sports marketing forever - but Davis' face stays calm, even bemused. There's a subtle smile on the actor's face in every conversation Deloris has (adding a degree of difficulty, she often has no acting partner since most of her scenes are on the phone). A key "Air" theme is that these events - which still reverberate as name, image and likeness deals change the shape of NCAA sports - went down the way they did because Deloris Jordan knew exactly what her son was worth.ĭavis finds an unexpected and original way to convey that. It is a lighter-hearted role than Davis generally plays, which works in the movie's favor because even as Deloris calmly negotiates with Sonny, we're aware of deep emotions Davis brought to other characters and could haul out here, if needed. Michael Jordan reportedly insisted on Davis as his mom, which suggests he might have a future as a casting director. But the other key character is Viola Davis as Jordan's mother Deloris, who's his de facto agent. But beyond the nostalgia, it's startling to remember a time when it wasn't obvious Jordan would be an NBA superstar and when Nike was on the brink of failure.Īffleck also acts in "Air," playing aphorism-spouting mogul Phil Knight. The look back at 1984 is packed with Dire Straits/Cyndi Lauper needle-drops and terrible haircuts. They're a smart contrast in "Air," though, because they come from Vaccaro, a short-tempered loner who is sarcastic with everyone but the Jordans.
Those speeches could be too much if they were about anyone other than Jordan, who is mostly kept off-camera. "Air" also recalls inspirational "West Wing" monologues when Matt Damon - as shoe hype man Sonny Vaccaro - nails two earnest speeches about the majesty of Jordan.
But there's a Sorkin-y feel to the profanely hilarious script, where speedy, overlapping dialogue makes it seem like the Nike execs are in a Daytona 500 of conversation as they walk-and-talk around their Oregon office building. Aaron Sorkin had nothing to do with "Air," which was written by Alex Convery and directed by Ben Affleck.
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