The Ending Of Air Explained

One of the most fascinating characters in the entire saga of "Air" is David Falk (Chris Messina), Michael Jordan's hardworking agent who plays hardball not just with Sonny and Phil, but with everyone who's courting the young star for a shoe deal. David is ruthless, profane, energetic, and committed to pursuing the highest bidder, all of which serve to make him a thorn in Nike's side, particularly when Sonny tries to go around him and speak directly to Jordan's family. But this attitude is not without self-awareness. Late in the film, David tells Sonny that he knows he doesn't have friends, but he also knows that his way of doing business has made him sought-after and that one day when the fruits of his labor come in, he'll eat alone, then look for friends.

In the film's postscript, we do indeed see David eating alone, but it's not necessarily a sad moment. The way Messina plays it, and the way Falk carries himself, all suggest a man who understands the bargain he made, the life he has led, and where that life was bound to take him. He's at a kind of pragmatic peace, and as he once told Sonny, now he can worry about friends.