Movies can tell stories that we didn’t know, and stories that we didn’t know we needed to know.

“Air” is that kind of movie.

“Air” provides an insider’s look at the creation of the Air Jordan athletic shoe, named after six-time NBA champion, Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan.

“Air” is not so much a sports film as a film about the business of sports, the business of marketing, the legacy of Air Jordan “kicks,” the NBA brand, fans’ style, and the business of athletes’ contract negotiations.

Michael Jordan, 6-foot, six-inch North Carolina collegiate basketball standout, was in his rookie year with the Chicago Bulls when he was courted for endorsement deals by Adidas, Converse and Nike.

In 1984, Michael Jordan signed a five-year, $2.5-million ($500,000 per year) Nike contract. But there’s more to it than that. And that’s what the movie, “Air,” is all about. “Air’ is the story about the off-court action between several high-powered personalities.

The introduction of the Air Jordan shoe in 1984 was a game-changer in athletic footwear, basketball attire, sports marketing, Nike and Michael Jordan. There are now not only Jordan Shoes. There is Jordan Clothing and Jordan Gear in a line that includes Tops, T-Shirts, bags, backpacks and children’s attire.

In 1984, Nike trailed Adidas and Converse with only a 17 percent share of the athletic shoe market. Nike revenue exploded from $919 million to $25.3 billion. Nike is said to have paid Jordan approximately $100 million in revenues in 2022. Jordan receives 5 percent from the brand.

That 5 percent clause was almost a deal-breaker. Except, as the screenplay for “Air” tells it, Michael Jordan’s mother, Deloris (a terrific Viola Davis, who deserves an Oscar actress nomination for her performance), on the phone with Sonny Vaccaro (a never-better Matt Damon, who deserves an Oscar actor nomination), demands 5 percent of Air Jordan sales for her son.

”Air” eschews scenes of Michael Jordan in action with a few exceptions. Instead of backboards, we see board rooms. Instead of the hardwood, we see carpet and cubicles. And, though the movie is about Michael Jordan, the actor (Damian Young) portraying him is seen in profile, from the side or from the back. This was a smart choice.

“Air” is replete with numerous smart choices by director Ben Affleck, who plays the role of Phil Knight, CEO of Nike, with a resolute nervous energy.

As director, and in his career and life, Affleck knows a thing or two about conflict, and how to represent and manage conflict, key to any good screenplay. Affleck did this for “Argo” (recipient, best picture Oscar, 2012). Affleck also knows his way around the paint, and the pain. Affleck starred as an alcoholic high school basketball coach in “The Way Back” (2020).

It’s great to see Affleck and Damon, who share a screenwriting Oscar for “Good Will Hunting” (1997), in which they starred, in scenes together back on the big screen.

Memorable in “Air” are Jason Bateman (Robby Strasser, a Nike marketing executive), Chris Tucker (Howard White, a Nike marketing executive), Chris Messina (David Falk, sports agent for Michael Jordan), Matthew Maher (Peter Moore, a Nike designer who designed the Air Jordan shoe and the Air Jordan flying dunk logo) and Julius Tennon (James R. Jordan Sr., Michael Jordan’s father). Tennon is Viola Davis’s husband.

Alex Convery (feature film screenplay debut) has written a sharp, acerbic, humorous and insightful screenplay that has the sense of an Aaron Sorkin drama (Oscar, adapted screenplay, “The Social Network,” 2010; Emmys, “The West Wing,” 1999).

The cinematography by Director of Photography Robert Richardson (Oscars, cinematography, “Hugo,” 2011; “The Aviator,” 2004; “JFK,” 1986) is unobtrusive, almost eavesdropping in its documentary style. The editing by William Goldenberg (Oscar, editing, “Argo”) captures the story’s intensity.

“Air,” in the production design by François Audouy re-recreates the 1980s in image, slogans, clunky computers and land-line phones.

The soundtrack is chock-a-block with such ‘80s’ hits as “Money For Nothing,” Dire Straits; ”Born in the USA,” Bruce Springsteen, and “Time After Time,” Cyndi Lauper, which heighten the drama and emotion in key scenes.

“Air” is one of the great sports movies, more along the lines of “Jerry Maguire” (1996) about a fictional sports agent (You remember the line that entered the lexicon: “Show me the money.”) and “Moneyball” (2011), which was about the sabermetric technique to assemble a winning baseball team. “Air” is a nice companion piece to the Emmy-winning “The Last Dance” (2020), about Michael Jordan’s last season (1997-98) with the Chicago Bulls.

“Air” is a slam-dunk. Just in time for the NBA playoffs, “Air” gives you a Michael Jordan’s eye view of the net. It’s a net gain.

“Air,”

MPAA rated R (Restricted: Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.) for language throughout; Genre: Drama, Sport: Run time: 1 hour, 51 minutes; Distributed by Warner Bros.

Credit Readers Anonymous:

“Air” was filmed in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, Calif.

At the Movies:

“Air” was seen April 18 at AMC Tilghman 8. Also at the screening was Michael “Movie Maven” Gontkosky. He reminded me that the last movie he and I had seen together at AMC Tilghman 8 was “The Way Back,” directed by Ben Affleck, on March 16, 2020, the day that Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf issued his order to close nonessential businesses because of the coronavirus (COVID -19) pandemic.

Theatrical Movie Domestic Box Office,

April 21 - April 23: There doesn’t seem to be any stopping “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” which plumbed another $58.2 million in 4,350, $434.3 million, three weeks, holding off “Evil Dead Rise,” opening at No. 2 with $23.5 million in 3,402 theaters, and “Guy Ritchie’s the Covenant,” starring Jake Gyllenhaal as a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan, opening at No. 3 with $6.2 million in 2,611 theaters.

4. “John Wick: Chapter 4” dropped one place, $5.7 million in 2685 theaters, $168.8 million, five weeks. 5. “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” moved up one place, $5.4 million in 2,960 theaters, $82.1 million, four weeks. 6. “Air” dropped one place, $4.9 million in 2,823 theaters, $41.2 million, three weeks. 7. “The Pope’s Exorcist” dropped five places, $3.3 million in 3,178 theaters, $14.9 million, two weeks. 8. “Renfield” dropped four places, $3.1 million in 3,378 theaters, $13.6 million, two weeks. 9. “Beau Is Afraid” moved up six places, $2.8 million in 965 theaters, $3.1 million, two weeks. 10. “Suzume” dropped three places, $1.6 million in 2,170 theaters, $8.4 million, two weeks.

Movie box office information from Box Office Mojo as of April 23 is subject to change.

Unreel,

April 28:

“Lucky Louie,”

PG: Bethlehem native Daniel Roebuck and his daughter Grace Roebuck direct Basil Hoffman, Stephanie Zimbalist, Madelyn Dundon, Bill George and himself in the Comedy Drama. A retired policeman, four ex-convicts and a college student studying crime forensics try to solve a 50-year-old bank heist.

“Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,”

PG-13: Kelly Fremon Craig directs Abby Ryder Fortson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates and Benny Safdie in the Comedy Drama. An 11-year-old girl examines her beliefs after her family moves from New York City to New Jersey.

“Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World,”

No MPAA rating: George Tillman Jr. directs Khris David and Forest Whitaker in the biopic about boxer George Foreman.

Movie opening date information from Box Office Mojo as of April 23 is subject to change.

Four Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes