Mexico City.- Accustomed to celebrities, Ben Affleck had not felt as intimidated as in the crucial appointment for the realization, or not, of Air: The Story Behind the Logo. He was facing Michael Jordan, considered the best basketball player of all time.
The actor and director presented him with an unprecedented idea. Make a tape, but not about his triumphs on the court with the Chicago Bulls, but about what it meant that, before jumping into the NBA, he agreed with Nike to use what was ultimately mythical sneakers: the Air Jordan.
Jordan gave it the go-ahead. He asked him, however, not to ignore figures who were important to him in that distant 1984, when he was graduating from the University of North Carolina. And he had a special request: her mother, Deloris Jordan, was to be played by Viola Davis.
“When he talked about his mother, I was shocked. I’m ashamed I didn’t realize it sooner, but I got it. This is a beautiful story, one about Deloris Jordan and what she means to Michael.
“She symbolizes what a lot of moms are to athletes or celebrities or entrepreneurs who are young and are thrown into a world of fame and money, which can be confusing, and they need guidance,” Affleck explained at a press conference.
Opening in theaters on April 5, Air: The Story Behind the Logo is hailed by critics as one of the best sports dramas in years. This, despite the fact that its plot takes place far from the basket, between offices, negotiations, telephone calls and presentations.
Those involved agreed that it is more than a tape about the birth of tennis shoes and the union of two icons (one human and one corporate). It transcends as a human story, full of life philosophy, marketing advice and leadership.
a dream team
Ben Affleck, director and interpreter of Phil Knight, founder of the sports brand, said he was convinced that having the prestigious Viola Davis was equivalent to having Jordan himself on his film team. The actress, on the other hand, recognized that the challenge was huge.
Relentless, always focused and with complete confidence that her son would change basketball, the Jordan matriarch was her compass. On her advice, she agreed to listen to Nike’s proposal, which at the time paled before colossi such as Converse and Adidas.
“(That Jordan wanted her in the project) was flattering, because I have a little bit of imposter syndrome, so it’s nice to feel wanted. But immediately afterward I think: how am I going to do this role? If you see videos of Deloris, she is very stable and calm.
“I imagine that even when he gets angry, he must be very stable. That spirit and everything was a challenge, because I am the opposite. For me, everything is bombastic,” said the interpreter with humor.
Along with Deloris, the other engine of the feature film is Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon). In that 1984, he was an unorthodox consultant for the company, looking for a level athlete who would revive Nike’s crestfallen basketball division.
With Jordan he had the hunch of his life: it was him or neither. On the screen, they will see his tribulations for agreeing a meeting with the family and making them see that they will treat the star not as one more, but as the best.
Damon described this film as “feel good”, those that make the viewer leave the theater motivated and with a smile. Among the critics, there are those who affirm that Air will be for these times what Jerry Maguire, with Tom Cruise as a sports agent in low hours, did for the late 90s.
“I really think there’s something for everyone in the movie,” Damon reflected. “It’s not strictly a sports movie. Yes, fans will love this behind-the-scenes kind of thing they know. But I think it will surprise a lot of people, they don’t expect what’s here.”
