|
|
|
Bad News Bears
Movie Stats & Links |
| Starring: |
Billy Bob Thornton, Greg Kinnear,
Marcia Gay Harden, Sammi Kane Kraft, Jeffrey Davis |
| MPAA Rated: |
PG-13 |
| Released By: |
Paramount Pictures |
| Web Site: |
www.badnewsbearsmovie.com |
| Kiddie Movie: |
I'd say keep
anyone under ten at home unless you want them to be a
potty-mouth. |
| Date Movie: |
She might just be
repulsed at Coach. |
| Gratuitous Sex: |
Some push-up bras
and the team is sponsored by a Gentlemen's Club. |
| Gratuitous
Violence: |
Lots of kids
fighting. |
| Action: |
Nah. |
| Laughs: |
Quite a few. |
| Memorable
Scene: |
Coach explaining
to one of his players why he was at his house. |
| Memorable
Quote: |
Too many
one-liners to pick. |
| Directed By: |
Richard Linklater |
| Produced By: |
J. Geyer Kosinksi,
Richard Linklater |
|
|
Bad News Bears
A Movie Review |
|
 |
I have to admit that I was pretty much under the notion
that it was totally unnecessary for them to do a remake of
"Bad News Bears." Then I saw the movie and I have to admit I
was highly entertained. I will warn you, however, and
apparently no one checks the movie ratings, that this
version is PG-13, and I an hoping that the dad who brought
his to not-too-well-mannered kids who appeared to be around
5 or 6, well, that he has a lot of explaining to do to mom
when they start cursing up a storm around the house.
Now I don’t remember the original that well to really
comment or compare, I really just remember the scene from
"Breaking Training" where Tanner is running around the
Astrodome because they wouldn’t let them finish the game.
That being said, I’m not going to try to compare them. Let
get to the story…
For "Bad News Bears" we get Billy Bob Thornton playing
the drunk, Coach Buttermaker. He’s a pest exterminator by
day who gets hired by Liz (Marcia Gay Harden) to coach a
team of misfits. It seems Liz didn’t like that the lousy
kids couldn’t be on a team, did some kind of
protest/lawsuit, and now there’s pretty much a bunch of good
little league teams, and the Bears. With their first game
being a complete massacre, Buttermaker decides their only
hope is to get Amanda (Sammi Kane Kraft) to pitch, and the
team actually gets a little better. Then of course there’s
the bad boy, Kelly (Jeffrey Davis), who ends up coming
around after an encounter with rival coach Roy (Greg Kinnear).
Yes, you can guess, our rag-tag team of losers eventually
learn how to play as a team, Buttermaker realizes that being
an asshole coach isn’t really a good way to help kids have
fun, and everyone learns valuable lessons about teamwork,
friendship, raising kids, and if winning is everything.
Kids insulting and fighting with each other is still
funny to this day, and "Bad News Bears" makes the most of
it, though they do take it to a level that is probably good
for the ten and over crowd, but leave the younger ones at
home. Billy Bob is great in this role, similar to his role
in "Bad Santa," just a little nicer I suppose, and the kids
in this flick do a great job at messing with each other. In
a showing, though, of how times have changed from the
original, it appears that being sponsored by a bail bondsman
isn’t as bad. There is an ode to "Chico’s Bail Bonds," but
for our 2005 Bears, "Bo-Peep’s Gentlemen’s Club" is our new
sponsor, which isn’t a bad thing because they do seem to
send some cheerleaders to the game.
I found "Bad News Bears" enjoyable for the older crowd,
and I’m sure some parents may be offended at the language
and actions of both the kids and their Coach. Lots of
chuckles, and couple of good laughs, and just almost two
hours of entertainment and I’m giving "Bad News Bears" 4
stars out of 5.
That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!!
L8R!!! |
