Bad News Bears

Unskilled, belligerent group of young boys on a losing Little League baseball team get an alcoholic coach who eventually cleans up their act--and his own. Any film-buff well acquainted with the 1976 Michael Ritchie film "The Bad News Bears" will watch this remake in a perpetual state of deprivation. For every new ingredient added (a kid in a wheelchair, Hooters waitresses on the sidelines, a skateband interlude), there's a classic sequence dropped, funny lines omitted, a bracing sense of importance missing, and uncharismatic, non-plussed child actors who walk through their roles colorlessly. Of course, Billy Bob Thornton is a terrific substitute for Walter Matthau, but Matthau didn't carry the original film all by himself, and Thornton isn't fully in-character anyway (he's just breezing through). The whole early morning feel of Southern California Little League is missing, and the urgency of the original is gone, too (those kids had something riding on these games). Director Richard Linklater obviously was fond of the 1976 version, but he knows the notes without hearing the music; he supplies updated comedic touches without seeing the relevancy, and his tone and narrative are doggedly straightforward (except for the strange opening sequence, which immediately gets the picture off on the wrong foot). A sad botch. *1/2 from ****

Billy Bob seems to have made a career out of playing these rather undesirable characters, and to be fair he does it very well. Few people can fall down in a drunken stupor as convincingly.

I didn't see the original so can only rate this in it's own right. I'm not a fan of baseball either so have no idea if it is a true reflection on the game.

There are a decent bunch of suitable misfits playing the Bears, and a suitably repulsive rival coach admirably played by Kinnear. The kids do their part well, and can't be blamed for the fact that there is very little originality in the story.

There are some really funny moments from a decent script and direction, but by the end of the movie Billy Bob and his antics are looking tired. Still, worth watching for a few cheap laughs.

Since I finally remembered to rent The Bad News Bears at Hollywood Video, I decided to rent the remake instead of the sequels first, to see what the remake was all about and I thought that actually Billy Bob Thorton was a great choice for Buttermaker, so I was kinda looking forward to it. Of course, I watched the original first, so after almost dying of laughter from The Bad News Bears, this film had a lot to live up too. Unforutnatley, I don't think this film worked as well because of the dates, the 70's, films still seemed like they could push it to the edge, while into today's world, we have to be more PC. Not to mention the kids were more annoying and punky than the lovable punky kids in the original.

Buttermaker is a has been baseball player and now an alcoholic, he is given the job of a little league coach for the Bears since no other fathers are taking the job. But he's definitely taken back when he finds out that the team he is coaching are kids who are, well, I guess you could say "lacking" in the department of knowing how to play baseball. But he just wants to get paid and get the job over with, but when their first game comes along, the kids get creamed 26-0, Buttermaker is pressured to drop the team out of the league, but instead teaches the kids how to play and recruits a couple of new kids, a girl who's mother he used to date, and a rebel without a cause. The kids get better in each game, but it's a matter of Buttermaker getting his priorities straight when he lets the game get the worst of him... and he's an alcoholic!

Billy Bob did do a good job as the new Buttermaker, but he seemed to be the softer version than Walter, so I'd have to vote for Walter if I want the real Buttermaker. Tanner, I was incredibly disappointed with, because he just turned into an annoying brat than a fun little punk, not to mention I was ticked off that they changed the line "shove the trophies up your..." to the other kid, that was Tanner's line and rightfully so! While Bad News Bears had a couple laughs, it just wasn't needed, stick with the original.

6/10

I think everyone who has seen this movie would agree with me, Billy Bob was the only good aspect to this film. The kids were terrible at acting, they made it seem like they were reading off a teleprompter the whole time. There were very few funny lines, and the kids seemed like nothing but potty mouth little brats.

The original is way better, the performance I saw by Walter Matthau in the original got me very excited because Billy Bob always plays a good drunk, but in this film Billy Bob was just too nice most of the time, so his character was a little too dull. If you enjoy baseball films then you might enjoy this, but I doubt even the biggest Billy Bob fan would give this 2 thumbs up...

Okay, sometimes I go for a mindless film. This movie was pretty mindless but I expected it to be. It was foul mouthed and showed the kids trying to beat the snot out of each other. After "Bad Santa", I really didn't expect any less.

Someone else commented that there were long pauses left in for laughing. I'm not sure where he lives, but the people in my theater were all laughing their butts off most of the movie. Maybe it's an age difference - this was a mostly 20-something crowd enjoying this film.

Under no circumstances would I want my children seeing this film until they're at least 15, though. It IS an adult film and I don't think that kids need another movie to get bad ideas from. An R rating would have suited the film better, especially if it meant raunchier scenes.

All in all I enjoyed myself. It's not a film for everyone, that's for sure - but if you enjoyed "Bad Santa", you'll probably like this film.