The Air Up There

For the street ball player, see Taurian Fontenette.

The Air Up There is a 1994 American sports comedy film directed by Paul Michael Glaser and starring Kevin Bacon and Charles Gitonga Maina with Yolanda Vazquez as Sister Susan.

The Air Up There
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Paul Michael Glaser
Written by	Max Apple
Produced by	Robert W. Cort Ted Field Rosalie Swedlin
Starring	Kevin Bacon
Cinematography	Dick Pope
Edited by	Michael A. Polakow
Music by	David Newman
Production companies	Hollywood Pictures Interscope Communications PolyGram Filmed Entertainment Nomura Babcock & Brown
Distributed by	Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Release date	January 7, 1994 (1994-01-07)
Running time	107 minutes
Language	English
Budget	$17 million
Box office	$21 million

Plot

Jimmy Dolan is a college basketball assistant coach who wants to find a new star for his team since he believes this will get him a promotion to head coach at the school. He sees a home video of a prospect named Saleh and travels to Kenya to recruit him. Upon arriving in this country, Dolan finds himself confronted not only with the challenges of basketball but also with the challenges of adjusting to and learning how to live in the midst of a brand-new culture. Though Dolan is initially opposed by Saleh's father who is also the leader of the village, he later agrees to let his son play. Dolan and Saleh both teach each other life lessons before they take the court for one final game with everything on the line. One of the most dramatic scenes in the film involves the instruction of Saleh by Dolan regarding the "Jimmy Dolan Shake and Bake."

Cast

• Kevin Bacon as Jimmy Dolan, a college basketball coach
• Charles Gitonga Maina as Saleh, a basketball player from a village in Kenya^[1]
• Yolanda Vazquez as Sister Susan
• Winston Ntshona as Urudu
• Mabutho "Kid" Sithole as Nyaga
• Sean McCann as Ray Fox
• Dennis Patrick as Father O'Hara
• Ilo Mutombo as Mifundo
• Nigel Miguel as Halawi

Production

For scenes taking place in the North America, the film was shot in Toronto and Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Copps Coliseum stood in for the University's arena. Scenes in Africa were shot in Kenya and Hoedspruit, South Africa.^[2]

Reception

The Air Up There received negative reviews from critics.^[3] The Austin Chronicle mentions its "timeworn formula" and "cultural imperialism".^[4] The New York Times review points to a plot similar to several other Disney movies.^[5][6] The film holds a rating of 21% on Rotten Tomatoes from 28 reviews.^[7]

Year-end lists

• Dishonorable mention – John Hurley, Staten Island Advance^[8]

See also

• List of basketball films

References

1. Far from Hollywood, the Life of Charles Gitonga Maina Is a Complicated Tale, Sports Illustrated, 7 July 2016, retrieved 30 June 2024
2. "Internet Movie Database - Filming locations for The Air Up There". IMDb. Retrieved 2008-12-20.
3. "MOVIE REVIEW : 'The Air Up There' Is Pretty Thin". Los Angeles Times. January 07, 1994|KENNETH TURAN |
4. "The Air Up There". The Austin Chronicle.
5. "The Air Up There (1993) Review/Film; Basketball As a Bridge Between 2 Cultures". New York Times. By JANET MASLIN January 7, 1994
6. Goff, Keli (May 4, 2014). "Can 'Belle' End Hollywood's Obsession with the White Savior?". The Daily Beast. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
7. "The Air Up There". Rotten Tomatoes.
8. Hurley, John (December 30, 1994). "Movie Industry Hit Highs and Lows in '94". Staten Island Advance. p. D11.

External links

• The Air Up There at IMDb
• The Air Up There at Box Office Mojo
• The Air Up There at Rotten Tomatoes