The Air Up There

The Air Up There

This should of deserved more respect can't find it on amazon prime can't get it on HD at all which is quite sad that's Hollywood don't know a good film when they produce one

I do so hate sports. I despise sports. My eyes glaze over when a sports game or show comes on. I don't talk about sports. This should give you an idea of my expectations of this movie. However, it was early morning, I was up with little to do, so I settled back, half in the hope it would send me to sleep. How wrong I was! I enjoy Kevin Bacon when he chooses good roles - and this isn't often the case. Not expecting much from its bland beginning, I was beginning to nod off when Kevin's character, Jimmy Dolan, arrived in Kenya in search of a young African man he spied on a documentary. Jimmy is an assistant coach for a university, and in order to save his job, needs to find the next basketball star. If you're a sports fan, there might be enough action in this to hold your attention. But if you're someone who enjoys heart, warmth, character and some of the most beautiful land ever caught on film, this movie will come to mean more to you. For me, the country of Kenya played a lead role. The depth and color of the culture made this film a rich, living tapestry of tradition butting heads with progress. Charles Gitanga Maina, as Saleh the prospective ball star, is breathtakingly handsome with a winsome sweetness that blasts from the screen. While this film was meant to be about Jimmy Dolan and his growth as a man and human being, it's also about remembering humanity's history and respecting it for itself. It's also about bowing to progress with dignity and respecting the rewards that it, too, can offer. Paul Michael Glaser proves - once more - that he can find the heart of a film and unwrap all its petals to reveal the core. He is a wonderful director. He must be, for I watched the challenge basketball game with my breath caught, my heart pounding and feeling all the joy of the people of the Winabi tribe. And I hate sports.

Paul Michael Glasser's "The Air up There" is a fun film to watch, knowing full well what to expect. It doesn't break new barriers, or brings anything new to this type of film, but it is a totally harmless time in front of the television. Not having seen it in its commercial run, we had a chance to enjoy it the other night when it turned up on cable. The best thing, as usual, going for this film is Kevin Bacon. Mr. Bacon makes anything he plays in an enjoyable experience. No matter what he does, he is totally believable, as is the case with his role as this coach, Jimmy Dolan, who will go to any extreme in order to get a good basket ball player for his team at Saint Joseph's. His African journey gives Jimmy Dolan a first eye view of the poverty and hardship the young men in the remote village have to endure. He realizes the potential, especially in Saleh, the young man he wants to bring back to America. Both Mr. Bacon and Charles Gitonga Maina, who plays Saleh, have an easy time together bonding in a hostile environment. Their inter action makes the film enjoyable. Also, the mostly unknown supporting cast compliment the movie. Granted, this is a film to watch only for entertainment and to enjoy Kevin Bacon at his most charming self.

The efforts of an assistant coach; not working by the rules, to get a basketball player somewhere in a remote part of Africa, are best portrayed in this movie. The astonishing length to which he is prepared to go with a knee out of order are really touching. The plot is quite emotional at some points especially when Jimmy decides to go in the play with the risk of losing the knee permanently.

Kenya -1990s. St Joe's basketball team is famous but runs into a double crisis. For one, the acclaimed coach is going to retire and must name his successor. Moreover, the team is in dire need of a hoop star. Jimmy Dolan, ex-player and deputy coach, has therefore no choice but to find the star: his career is at stake. On a short video of a mission in Winabi (Kenya), he sees the star he needs. How to get there, to identify the player and to convince him to go back to the USA with him will however be quite a challenge! The spectator should not expect anything remotely intellectual or an even slightly probable description of Africa. But Kevin Bacon is good and the movie hilarious at times. A very entertaining, light movie, which beyond the classical story of friendship between two young men of different cultures (for once not too patronizing), shows quite interesting scenes of beautiful basketball and demonstrates a bit the incredible cult Americans make of sports in the environment of what is supposed to be tertiary education.

I loved this movie. It is one of my favorite movies of all time. Charle Gitonga Maina (Saleh) is absolutely gorgeous! My favorite line is "Are you very sad Jimmy Dolan?" I say this to my husband whose name is Jimmy also, whenever he is upset or mad at me. It always makes us laugh. I have watched this movie at least 25 times although my husband swears it is 125! The little kid that is looking through the window in the clinic is so darn cute, too I loved it all!The man that runs the town is someone you would love to hate and I am glad when Saleh's brother leaves him. The pawn shop part of the movie is very good. I also liked Saleh's father.It is an excellent family movie, I encouraged my grand kids to watch it. Kevin Bacon is a good sport in this movie, it made me like him.

Basketball in Kenya makes it look unique. If you're looking to veg-out with a cute flick, it's OK. It uses a formulaic approach. And the ending is predictable.

Kevin Bacon totally dominates this film. In fact, he's the only "name" actor in it. You won't recognize anybody else in here. The story is lightweight entertainment with the most notable aspect being the African music, which is very good and a small tour of Kenya, which is interesting, both with beauty and poverty. Bacon plays as basketball assistant coach, an ex-point guard, who goes to Africa to recruit this great player "Saleh" (Charles Gitangra Marina) for his team back in the States. The adventures of the trip pretty much are the story. One negative: another irreverent slam to get a few cheap laughs at the Catholic church. A nun in here uses profanity and gives Bacon a big kiss on the lips. It's one more example of trying to make clerical people appear worldly like the rest of us.