# Air (2023 film)
**Air** is a 2023 American biographical sports drama directed by [Ben Affleck](https://www.edgepedia.org/ben-affleck) and written by Alex Convery, dramatizing how Nike, then a struggling basketball-shoe maker, signed rookie [Michael Jordan](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-jordan) in 1984 and created the [Air Jordan](https://www.edgepedia.org/air-jordan) brand.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/air_2023) Matt Damon stars as sports marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro, with Affleck as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, Viola Davis as Jordan's mother Deloris, Jason Bateman, Chris Messina, Marlon Wayans, Chris Tucker, and Julius Tennon in supporting roles.[2](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/air-movie-review-2023) Amazon Studios and MGM released the film theatrically on April 5, 2023, and it began streaming on Prime Video on May 12, 2023.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/air_2023) • [3](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/air-amazon-prime-video)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director / writer | Ben Affleck; screenplay by Alex Convery[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/air_2023) |
| Release | Theaters April 5, 2023; Prime Video streaming May 12, 2023[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/air_2023) • [3](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/air-amazon-prime-video) |
| Runtime / rating | 112 minutes; rated R for language[4](https://watch.afi.com/movie/air-7) • [1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/air_2023) |
| Box office | $52,460,106 domestic (58.3%), $37,600,000 international, $90,060,106 worldwide; $14,456,279 opening[5](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt16419074/credits/) |
| Critical reception | 93% Tomatometer (347 reviews), 97% verified audience score, Metascore 73, IMDb 7.4/10, "A" CinemaScore[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/air_2023) • [6](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/air-2023/) • [3](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/air-amazon-prime-video) |
| Production companies | Artists Equity, Mandalay Pictures, Skydance Media, Amazon Studios[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/air_2023) |
| Key crew | Cinematographer Robert Richardson; editor William Goldenberg; production designer François Audouy[4](https://watch.afi.com/movie/air-7) |
## Spoilers
### Story
The film is set in 1984, when Nike is mired in third place behind the industry leaders Converse and Adidas.[7](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/air-reviewed-its-fun-to-spend-time-with-these-people-but-we-dont-know-much-about-them) The company has committed $250,000 to endorsement deals spread among several players chosen in that year's [NBA draft](https://www.edgepedia.org/nba-draft). Vaccaro, a basketball guru and major promoter in the high-school and college game, proposes concentrating the entire sum on a single rookie: Michael Jordan, taken third by the [Chicago Bulls](https://www.edgepedia.org/chicago-bulls). Jordan's agent, [David Falk](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-falk) (Chris Messina), is steering the athlete toward Nike's larger competitors, and Knight and other executives are leery of the gamble.[7](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/air-reviewed-its-fun-to-spend-time-with-these-people-but-we-dont-know-much-about-them)
Vaccaro's conviction rests on his reading of a videotape of Jordan's championship-winning college shot in 1982, in which he sees the confidence he defines as greatness. Aided by Howard White ([Chris Tucker](https://www.edgepedia.org/chris-tucker)), the only Black executive at Nike who figures in the film, and by college coach [George Raveling](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-raveling) ([Marlon Wayans](https://www.edgepedia.org/marlon-wayans)), Vaccaro bypasses Falk and Knight and pitches Nike directly to Jordan's mother, Deloris, at the family home in Wilmington, North Carolina.[7](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/air-reviewed-its-fun-to-spend-time-with-these-people-but-we-dont-know-much-about-them) Once convinced, Deloris adds a contractual stipulation that her son receive a percentage of every sale of an Air Jordan shoe anywhere in the world, a term the film presents as a declaration that the athlete is the prime source of the shoe's value rather than an adornment to the brand.[7](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/air-reviewed-its-fun-to-spend-time-with-these-people-but-we-dont-know-much-about-them)
Michael Jordan himself is rarely on screen. He is played by Damian Young, appears largely from behind or at a distance, and has no dialogue; his parents speak for him.[2](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/air-movie-review-2023) • [8](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/apr/09/air-review-ben-affleck-slippery-tale-of-how-nike-signed-michael-jordan-matt-damon) Reviewers noted the effect: Screen Daily wrote that Affleck renders Jordan larger than life and the film's star even though he is barely on screen.[9](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/air-review/5180374.article)
## Production and Artists Equity
Air is the first offering from [Artists Equity](https://www.edgepedia.org/artists-equity), the production company Affleck and Damon founded, which seeks to give cast and crew a share of the profits of the movies it makes; Affleck serves as chief executive and Damon as head of content.[10](https://time.com/6269170/matt-damon-ben-affleck-movies/) The film was produced by Amazon Studios, Skydance Sports, Artists Equity, and Mandalay Pictures.[3](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/air-amazon-prime-video) It drew rave reviews after its premiere at SXSW.[11](https://epub.stripes.com/docs/GSS_GSS_070423/GSS_GSS_070423.pdf) Affleck consulted Michael Jordan numerous times for details of the story, though Jordan was not directly involved in the production.[12](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16419074/)
## Release and box office
Amazon Studios returned to wide theatrical release with the film on April 5, 2023, distributed by MGM, before the Prime Video streaming debut on May 12.[11](https://epub.stripes.com/docs/GSS_GSS_070423/GSS_GSS_070423.pdf) • [3](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/air-amazon-prime-video) It opened to $14,456,279 domestically and finished with $52,460,106 in the United States and Canada (58.3% of the total) and $37,600,000 internationally, for $90,060,106 worldwide.[5](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt16419074/credits/) Amazon released the film on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories, and in India it was made available in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam.[3](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/air-amazon-prime-video) • [13](https://www.aboutamazon.in/news/entertainment/ben-afflecks-air-to-stream-on-prime-video-starting-may-12)
## Reception
Critical response was strongly positive. On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds a 93% Tomatometer from 347 reviews with an average rating of 7.7, and a 97% verified audience score; the critics consensus calls it "a fact-based drama that no one will dunk on" that "hits almost nothing but net."[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/air_2023) Metacritic assigned a Metascore of 73 based on 59 critic reviews, with 49 positive, 10 mixed, and none negative, and a user score of 7.2.[6](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/air-2023/) IMDb lists 7.4/10, and audiences gave the film an "A" [CinemaScore](https://www.edgepedia.org/cinemascore).[14](https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0IKIGIXFRNQP5ZT74X0037B4X5) • [3](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/air-amazon-prime-video)
Reviewers singled out the ensemble. Christy Lemire, a longtime film critic at RogerEbert.com, praised [Jason Bateman](https://www.edgepedia.org/jason-bateman)'s dry banter as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina's profane telephone tirade as David Falk, and [Viola Davis](https://www.edgepedia.org/viola-davis)'s Deloris, whose arrival gives the film "a new level of weight and wisdom."[2](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/air-movie-review-2023) The Washington Post called it "a smart and entertaining delight," while the Guardian's review objected that by denying Jordan a voice or a face the film turns him into "little more than a commodity."[15](https://www.washingtonpost.com/movies/2023/04/04/air-movie-review/) • [8](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/apr/09/air-review-ben-affleck-slippery-tale-of-how-nike-signed-michael-jordan-matt-damon) [The New Yorker](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-new-yorker)'s Richard Brody found the film agreeable and well acted but hermetic and nearly context-free.[7](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/air-reviewed-its-fun-to-spend-time-with-these-people-but-we-dont-know-much-about-them)
## Historical accuracy
The film compresses and dramatizes the record. A Sports Business Journal assessment quoted a source advising readers to "enjoy the movie for what it is, an entertaining, mostly well-acted story, but definitely NOT a history lesson."[16](https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2023/05/22/Insiders/marketing-and-sponsorship/) The Austin Chronicle review likewise cautioned that "while drawn from true life, this is not the definitive history of the Air Jordan."[17](https://etypeproductionstorage1.blob.core.windows.net/%24web/Production_Prod/Jobs/82/2023-04-05/336958/PreProcessedPDF/ac_333275_prep_20230405203041056.pdf) A Stars and Stripes feature reported that the real Air Jordan deal continues to garner $400 million a year in passive income for Michael Jordan.[11](https://epub.stripes.com/docs/GSS_GSS_070423/GSS_GSS_070423.pdf)
## References
1. [Air (2023) | Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/air_2023)
2. [Air movie review & film summary, RogerEbert.com (Christy Lemire)](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/air-movie-review-2023)
3. [How to watch AIR on Prime Video, About Amazon](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/air-amazon-prime-video)
4. [Air (2023), American Film Institute](https://watch.afi.com/movie/air-7)
5. [Air (2023), Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt16419074/credits/)
6. [Air Reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/air-2023/)
7. ["Air," Reviewed, The New Yorker (Richard Brody)](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/air-reviewed-its-fun-to-spend-time-with-these-people-but-we-dont-know-much-about-them)
8. [Air review, The Guardian (Wendy Ide)](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/apr/09/air-review-ben-affleck-slippery-tale-of-how-nike-signed-michael-jordan-matt-damon)
9. [Air: Review, Screen Daily (Tim Grierson)](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/air-review/5180374.article)
10. [A Comprehensive History of Every Matt Damon and Ben Affleck Collaboration, Time](https://time.com/6269170/matt-damon-ben-affleck-movies/)
11. [Stripes, April 7, 2023 edition](https://epub.stripes.com/docs/GSS_GSS_070423/GSS_GSS_070423.pdf)
12. [Air (2023), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16419074/)
13. ['AIR' to stream on Prime Video from May 12, About Amazon India](https://www.aboutamazon.in/news/entertainment/ben-afflecks-air-to-stream-on-prime-video-starting-may-12)
14. [Air, Prime Video](https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0IKIGIXFRNQP5ZT74X0037B4X5)
15. ['Air' shoots and scores, The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/movies/2023/04/04/air-movie-review/)
16. [Marketing and Sponsorship: 'Air' celebrates the Nike/Jordan relationship, Sports Business Journal](https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2023/05/22/Insiders/marketing-and-sponsorship/)
17. [The Austin Chronicle, April 5, 2023 edition](https://etypeproductionstorage1.blob.core.windows.net/%24web/Production_Prod/Jobs/82/2023-04-05/336958/PreProcessedPDF/ac_333275_prep_20230405203041056.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Drama and biographical films (individual works) › Drama films 2023 and 2024 › Titles A to G*
*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license