Ben Affleck‘s newest sports drama, Air, is the talk of the town. The movie is based on true events, and it tells the story of how the iconic Air Jordan shoe line came to life. Air follows a passionate Nike employee, Sonny Vaccaro (played by Matt Damon), as he puts his heart and soul into closing a deal with then-rookie, now basketball icon Michael Jordan. But even though Jordan is a central figure to the story, he is notably absent from the movie. So, naturally, the question on everyone’s minds is: what’s the reason for his absence?
Well, the decision to sideline Jordan was actually intentional. Ben Affleck deliberately chose to shift the narrative to the origin story of Air Jordan and not cast anyone as Jordan. Other than footage of him in real life, Air doesn’t show much of the NBA legend. Here’s why it makes perfect sense for the movie.
Not Including Michael Jordan in Air Kept the Focus on the Story
While there is technically a character of Michael Jordan in Air (played by Damian Young), viewers only see him from behind. He’s either on the edge of the frame or out of focus, but he’s never facing the camera directly. The only time Jordan makes an appearance is through real-life footage of his games and personal affairs. Despite what some fans believed, the decision not to include Jordan in the movie doesn’t have anything to do with disrespect or lack of attention. It’s actually quite intentional.
Affleck explained that he couldn’t cast anyone because Jordan is just too legendary for anyone to imitate him. According to Affleck, it would distract the viewers from the actual story and make the movie seem inauthentic and deceptive. Someone as big as Jordan is too recognizable, and audiences would immediately percieve anyone else as a knock-off. Affleck said, “There was no way I was going to ask the public to believe that someone other than Michael Jordan was Michael Jordan. It was a deliberate choice. I thought he was too majestic for anyone to imitate. Jordan is too big.”
Not including Jordan in the movie is a sign of respect for the iconic basketball player who is larger than life. It’s also a good directing decision because it keeps the focus on the story. There’s only one Michael Jordan, and audiences all around the world know that.
Air Still Had Michael Jordan’s Blessing & Input
Despite the fact that Air doesn’t include him, Jordan was heavily involved in the movie behind-the-scenes. Ben Affleck went to him with the script, seeking his approval and input. Jordan not only helped rewrite the script and include some major players, but he also insisted Viola Davis played his mother, Deloris Jordan. He also asked Affleck to include the Nike executive Howard White in the movie as he wasn’t in the original script but played a crucial role in the events leading up to the Air Jordan collaboration. Jordan also revealed there would be no Air Jordan deal if it wasn’t for George Raveling, so naturally, he had to appear in the movie too. Michael Jordan’s final touches to the script truly are the cherry on top, making Air a must-see and a valuable depiction of a historic moment.
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