Air: there is something inherently silly about the idea of a film being about the birth of a brand of sneakers. That’s not to say that Ben Affleck’s film is not entertaining, because it is. It is, after all, an underdog film and the idea of betting the bank on an unproven talent sounds theoretically as silly as the project itself; the film also finds space to comment on an issue near and dear to talent in Hollywood these days. It helps matters immensely that the cast is so strong and tightly directed. Matt Damon, as the persevering scout spearheading the effort to get Michael Jordan to sign with Nike, is quite good, and the fast-paced dialogue makes good use of him; Jason Bateman and Ben Affleck, as two other executives, are also solid. Viola Davis, as Jordan’s intelligent and protective mother, may have the shortest screen time but she is the one that leaves the strongest impression. The film presents fine work by the production designer François Audouy and by the costume designer Charlese Antoinette Jones, as both recreate the 1980s look effectively, something further enhanced by the soundtrack.