The sports drama movie “Air” is based on actual occasions that sparked the development of Nike’s Air Jordan shoe line, which in turn helped make Nike the prosperous mega-brand it is today. Ben Affleck, who also serves as the movie’s director, co-stars in the movie with Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, and Viola Davis. Sonny Vaccaro, a salesman, is hired by Nike Inc. chairman Rob Strasser and co-founder Phil Knight to work on a new product line after the company has been steadily slipping into bankruptcy.
Vaccaro comes up with the idea to introduce a new shoe brand centred only upon one talented but inexperienced basketball player: Michael Jordan. The success of this shoe line will determine the destiny of the entire firm. The movie “Air” is immensely engrossing and is about a ground-breaking corporate concept that changed sports culture for years to come. Here are some suggestions for films about basketball or entrepreneurship that are comparable to this one. The majority of these films that are comparable to “Air” are available on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu.
Battle of The Sexes (2017)
The film “Battle of the Sexes,” which was directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, is based on the true account of the famous tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in 1973. Emma Stone and Steve Carell play the key characters in the movie. The narrative recounts the storied match between the two professional tennis players and delves further into their personal lives as they deal with their individual problems. Battle of the Sexes is perfect for you if you enjoy historical biographical films with a sports theme, like “Air.”
Eddie The Eagle (2015)
Hugh Jackman and Taron Egerton star in Dexter Fletcher’s “Eddie The Eagle,” which is directed by him. This sports movie is based on the life of Olympian English ski-jumper Michael Edwards. Michael “Eddie” Edwards applies to the British Olympic officials with hopes of competing in the Olympics but is rejected. Then, on a training trip to Germany, he meets snowplough driver and former ski-jumper Bronson Peary.
Peary begins working with the young athlete after growing fond of the driven underdog Eddie. Eddie’s journey ultimately takes him to the legendary 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. Like “Air,” “Eddie The Eagle” is firmly grounded in reality and delivers a positive tale about perseverance and success.
Jerry Maguire (1996)
A romantic comedy about athletics, “Jerry Maguire” by Cameron Crowe stars Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Renée Zellweger. Jerry Maguire is a highly successful sports agent who is passionate about what he does. But, Sports Management International fires him as he shares his revolutionary new philosophy on the industry. Maguire is joined by one of his coworkers, Dorothy Boyd, and is only left with Rod Tidwell as a client.
Maguire has numerous challenges as he sets off on this new voyage and develops new connections with others, including Ray, Dorothy’s small son. Like “Air,” “Jerry Maguire” is an unusual sports film that emphasises a non-athletic component of commercialised sports and showcases the triumphs of individuals who were at first disparaged by their colleagues.
Joy (2015)
The comedy-drama “Joy” was helmed by David O. Russell. Famous celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, and Robert De Niro appear in this critically acclaimed movie. Joy Mangano’s life had a difficult beginning with a pointless job. Joy eventually discovers a ridiculous business dynasty because to her zeal and inventive abilities. Joy works in the corporate sector and encounters numerous ups and downs in her career. Like “Air,” “Joy” also has a motivated lead character who grows a company with her brilliant ideas.
Million Dollar Arm (2014)
J. B. Bernstein, a sports agent who is on the point of becoming a has-been, makes the risky decision to try out a novel approach to finding his next significant client. Bernstein organises a baseball talent search in India with the assistance of his colleague Ash Vasudevan. As the victors, Rinku, Dinesh, and Amit, only have a year to get ready for major-league tryouts, Bernstein’s entire career is dependent on this enormously risky bet.
Craig Gillespie is the director of the sports drama “Million Dollar Arm” for Disney. Similar to Nike Inc. in “Air,” Bernstein’s business in “Million Dollar Arm” places all of its faith in one outlandish gameplay. The movie “Million Dollar Arm” would be the ideal choice for you to see if you’re looking for something with a similar plot to “Air” with a focus on sports.
Moneyball (2011)
Based on Michael Lewis’ nonfiction book “Moneyball: Art of Winning an Unfair Game,” “Moneyball” is a sports comedy-drama. In addition to Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, and Chris Pratt, it is directed by Bennett Miller. Billy Beane, the Oakland Athletics’ manager, is the subject of the movie. Oakland needs a new team on a limited budget after suffering a catastrophic loss in the 2001 ALDS. After bringing on Peter Brand, a recent Yale economics graduate, Beane begins to assemble a team with Brand’s assistance.
Together, they devise a plan to assemble a talented group of misfits and face harsh criticism for their strategy. Like “Air,” “Moneyball” depicts characters who are willing to take chances in dangerous circumstances in order to alter the course of the game. You will undoubtedly appreciate “Moneyball” if you liked the ambitious, underdog sports story of “Air.”
Tetris (2023)
The thriller “Tetris,” which stars Taron Egerton, was made by Jon S. Baird. The film chronicles Henk Rogers’ efforts to obtain the licence and intellectual rights to Tetris, one of the most important video games of all time. The Cold War-era story follows Rogers as he visits the Soviet Union and collaborates with inventor Alexey Pajitnov. Together, the two put their lives in danger by attempting to negotiate with the Soviet administration. Like “Air,” “Tetris” explains the history of a revolutionary invention.
The Big Short (2015)
The Big Short, an Oscar-winning biographical crime drama about the 2007–2008 housing market meltdown, is based on a book by Michael Lewis. Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, and Adam McKay feature in the film. Hedge fund manager Michael Burry places a wager against the market after seeing how unstable the American housing market is.
He is later joined by banker Jared Vennett and hedge fund expert Mark Baum, and the three of them benefit handsomely while the rest of the nation is experiencing a financial catastrophe. In the movies “Air” and “The Big Short,” a group of people take a significant financial risk and succeed as a result. Give “The Big Short” a viewing if you enjoyed the business-related aspects of “Air.”
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
The critically acclaimed comedy/crime drama “Wolf of Wall Street” by Martin Scorsese is based on Jordan Belfort’s memoir of the same name. The film has a stellar ensemble, led by Leonardo DiCaprio, who is joined by Margot Robbie, Jonah Hill, and Matthew McConaughey. Jordan Belfort and his gang of brokers are the centre of the movie as they amass millions of dollars through their brokerage company, Stratton Oakmont.
As a result of their success, the FBI becomes aware of Belfort’s unlawful activities, and he quickly realises that he may not be able to escape the hole he has dug for himself. Both “Wolf of Wall Street” and “Air” are based on true events that depict ambitious men and their ambitions (or greed, in the case of the former) in action.
Trouble With The Curve (2012)
The father-daughter team of Gus and Mickey are played by Clint Eastwood and Amy Adams in Robert Lorenz’s sports drama “Trouble With The Curve.” Baseball scout Gus is currently working on his last task. Mickey, Gus’s daughter, agrees to go on his next scouting expedition at Pete, Gus’s boss, insistence. Gus becomes more intimate with his daughter as he strives to establish his value in the field, and the two of them work through their problems together.
The 2012 film delivers a compelling story while using sports to help the individuals develop their relationships. You might like “Trouble With The Curve” if you like sports movies like “Air” that look at the world of athletics from a new angle.
