Ben Affleck returns as director to bring forth the true story behind one of the most significant brand developments in retail history: Nike’s collaboration with Michael Jordan. Set in the 1980s, when Jordan and Nike were less known, Affleck’s latest outing connects Jordan’s skyrocket to success with the establishment of his signature shoe brand.
The narrative aims to define a pivotal moment in sports history that finds something universal and aspirational within a world most sports fans have no connection to — namely, stuffy board rooms where business moguls and celebrity athletes dispute the details of multimillion-dollar contracts.
Matt Damon stars as Sonny Vaccaro, an out-of-shape Nike executive who tries to convince his pragmatic boss Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman) and their eccentric financier Phil Knight (Ben Affleck) to sign a deal with then-rookie basketball pro, Michael Jordan. Given that the company had less money and clout than its competitors, Adidas and Converse, the usual expectation was to sign a stable of third-stringers across many different leagues to make a reasonable return on investment. Vaccaro sees the potential in the Chicago Bulls player and moves heaven and earth to get Jordan to sign with Nike.
Though the story takes place behind-the-courts of the professional sports world, we see very little on-screen play, focusing instead on the personal lives of frustrated executives. Most scenes take place in small, evenly lit offices where the drama unfolds around big contract decisions. Affleck directs these sequences with the same tension and exuberance as the slam dunks and home runs that punctuate sports pictures. The all-star cast sell these moments with the necessary commitment and emotion to fulfill their function. There are, however, several attempts to dramatize office chatter with off-kilter angles, corny 360-degree camera pans, unsubtle racked focus and ham-fisted music choices that call attention to a consistent strain to create a visual language.
The performances are strong, including supporting players like Viola Davis as Jordan’s business-savvy mother, Chris Tucker as the smoothest negotiator working at Nike, and Marlon Wayans who damn near steals the entire picture with one scene. Largely, this is meant to be an actor’s showcase, and it succeeds in that aspect alone. But as a story outside of the mere curiosity of Jordan’s early legacy as a fashion influencer, the film doesn’t really have that much to say. What is supposed to be an uplifting message of an against-all-odds underdog story doesn’t feel authentic from the perspective of wealthy executives and branding developers. The outcome feels like something that would play for an employee orientation course at Nike headquarters, or worse, a commercial advertisement.
Hollywood has produced movies that look back at the origins of successful brands, such as Facebook, Apple, McDonalds and more. Examinations like this are not wholly unworthy and can serve to understand or define the nuances of our popular culture. But when the final product fails to shed new light on the subject or inspire something more from the audience other than their loyalty as a consumer, then one should question its intended impact.
Grade: B-
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In