Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Viola Davis keep Michael Jordan story fresh with movie 'Air'

In some ways, actor/director Ben Affleck's fresh new film "Air" is a trick play: It's got the exhilarating vibe of an underdog sports movie — a personal favorite genre of mine — but it's really a snappy, fast-paced corporate drama.

Boasting relentless 1980s nostalgia, an all-star cast — including some superstar pairings — and a feel-good true story, "Air" chronicles the efforts of Nike, then the clear underdog in the basketball shoe business, to score a deal with promising Chicago Bulls rookie Michael Jordan. The deal turns out to be a game-changer, just as Jordan turns out to be a once-in-a-lifetime NBA talent.

Here's what you need to know about "Air."

1. 'Air' reunites Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, but Viola Davis is its MVP

Set in 1984, "Air" marks the ninth film that childhood pals Affleck and Matt Damon have starred in together, and it's their strongest pairing since their Oscar-winning breakout as the screenwriters and stars of 1997's "Good Will Hunting."

For the third time — after the 2010 crime drama "The Town" and the 2012 fact-based thriller "Argo" — Affleck directs himself in "Air." He portrays unorthodox Nike CEO Phil Knight, effectively mining the contradictions in the character — Knight zips around in a purple Porsche while spouting Buddhist meditation techniques — for comedy.

Although it's the first time that Affleck has directed Damon, their real-life chemistry ensures that the crowd-pleasing film scores points every time they share a scene. Damon stars as longtime Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, a doughy gambling man and basketball expert.

Vaccaro heads up the Oregon company's struggling basketball division; known mostly for making running shoes, Nike was getting blown off the court by Converse and Adidas at this time. After studying Jordan's game-winning performance for the University of North Carolina in the 1982 NCAA finals, Sonny becomes convinced that the best hope for Nike to win at basketball is to put all its resources into recruiting Jordan into a blockbuster shoe deal.

With "Air" borrowing extensively from the underdog sports drama playbook, Damon is tasked with delivering the movie's big inspirational speech — and he nails it.

Although Affleck and Damon could be likened to the Jordan and Scottie Pippen of onscreen duos, they aren't the most compelling pairing in "Air." That distinction goes to Damon, a three-time Academy Award nominee for his acting, and Viola Davis, the Emmy-, Grammy-, Oscar- and Tony-winning powerhouse Jordan handpicked to play his mother, Deloris.

When Sonny makes the the bold play of visiting the Jordans' North Carolina home unannounced and in person, the backyard picnic-table sit-down between the earnest, determined executive and the quietly mighty and protective mother breathes life into "Air."

2. The cast is an all-star team of actors giving peak performances

Those aren't the only stars in "Air": Affleck's casting for the entertaining drama is a veritable full-court press of acting talent, with performers who have the skills to play through first-time screenwriter Alex Convery's speedy dialogue.

Playing Nike marketing guru Rob Strasser, Emmy winner Jason Bateman not only delights with his dry sense of humor but also delivers one of the most affecting scenes as he breaks down for Sonny just how high the stakes are if the Jordan deal falls through.

Comics Chris Tucker, who plays Nike exec Howard White, and Marlon Wayans, who portrays Olympic basketball coach George Raveling, make the most of roles that allow them to show off their acting chops as well as the subtler sides of their usual hilarity.

Julius Tennon, Davis' real-life husband, brings warmth and humor as Jordan's father, James, and Matthew Maher boasts a quirky charm as Nike shoe designer Peter Moore.

But Chris Messina steals the show as the movie's sixth man: He is uproariously funny as Jordan's volatile, foul-mouthed agent David Falk, who has a history with Sonny that makes landing the deal even more challenging.

3. Michael Jordan remains an enigmatic figure in the film

Damian Delano Young plays young Michael Jordan in "Air," but Affleck makes the canny choice to show only glimpses of the actor, mostly from behind or in partial profile. We never get a good look at his face, and he only has a few short lines.

Subtitled "Courting a Legend," the movie also uses relatively little footage of the real-life basketball icon and saves most of it for the end.

It's a high-risk artistic decision that ultimately works: By having the entire movie revolve around Jordan without ever really showing him, the six-time NBA champion becomes an enigmatic and aspirational figure, adding to the movie's mystique.

The approach does have its downside: The white characters get most of the screentime in a story that centers on a legendary Black athlete.

4. Although you know what's going to happen, 'Air' keeps you watching

Most everyone knows that Jordan ultimately signed with Nike, which launched the Air Jordan shoe line and revolutionized sports marketing, merchandising and player branding. (Still, the movie's summary of just how much money Air Jordan continues to rake in for Nike and His Airness is pretty mindboggling.)

So, it's a credit to Affleck that his fact-based feature still manages to engage even though the ending is a foregone conclusion.

5. 'Air' is full of nostalgia, including a slam dunk of a soundtrack

It's undeniable that nostaglia for the 1980s and Jordan's NBA playing days are keys to the game for "Air," and Affleck seems to relish setting the scene. Along with a quick-cut montage of headlines from the era, the movie is jammed with '80s touchstones: Costume designer Charlese Antoinette Jones and production designer François Audouy pack the court with colorful track suits, Members Only jackets, car phones, Rubik's Cubes, Trivia Pursuit cards, showy sunglasses and more.

But music supervisor Andrea von Foerster is the real MVP of "Air's" nonstop nostalgia trip. The slam-dunk soundtrack boasts more hits than a whole Time-Life collection, including “Money for Nothing” by Dire Straits, “Atomic Dog” by George Clinton, “Sister Christian” by Night Ranger, “In a Big Country” by Big Country, “Can’t Fight This Feeling” by REO Speedwagon, "Blister In the Sun" by Violent Femmes, “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper," “Born in the U.S.A.” by Bruce Springsteen, “All I Need is a Miracle” by Mike + The Mechanics and more.

6. 'Air' is only playing in theaters for now

A hit last month at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, "Air" started its exclusive theatrical run April 5.

Since it's an Amazon Studios original movie, film fans can expect it to eventually make the leap to Prime Video, even though the date of its streaming debut has not yet been announced.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: What you need to know about Ben Affleck's Michael Jordan movie 'Air'