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Movies / On DVD / Bad News Bears
Bad News Bears

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Bad News Bears (2005)

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46 %
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Reviews Counted:140

Fresh:65

Rotten:75

Average Rating:5.7/10

Consensus: This too-faithful remake aims low for laughs, turning off the easily offendable; despite another lovably irascible contribution by Thornton, it lacks the ensemble strength and originality of the 1976 version.

Runtime: 1 hr 51 mins

Genre: Comedies

Synopsis: Hollywood's tradition of remaking classic movies continues with this 21st-century updating of the 1976 romp, THE BAD NEWS BEARS. Acclaimed director Richard Linklater (THE SCHOOL OF ROCK, DAZED AND... Hollywood's tradition of remaking classic movies continues with this 21st-century updating of the 1976 romp, THE BAD NEWS BEARS. Acclaimed director Richard Linklater (THE SCHOOL OF ROCK, DAZED AND CONFUSED) pays respect to Michael Ritchie's original film by updating it rather than reinventing it. Stepping into the tough-to-fill shoes of Walter Matthau, Billy Bob Thornton plays the liquor-swilling, foulmouthed Morris Buttermaker, who has agreed to coach a Little League team for the paycheck. Unfortunately for him, his assembled team consists of the league's most inept outcasts. Gradually, however, Buttermaker's determination wins out, to the point where he recruits an ex-girlfriend's gifted daughter, Amanda Whurlitzer (Sammi Kane Kraft), to step onto the pitcher's mound. The team is complete when local bad boy Kelly Leak (Jeffrey Davies) lends his overflowing talent to the cause. Soon, the Bears are climbing their way to the top of the standings, resulting in a championship showdown with the Yankees, who are managed by the ridiculously pompous Coach Bullock (Greg Kinnear). As with 2003's THE SCHOOL OF ROCK, Linklater proves he has an uncanny ability to draw out compelling performances from child actors. But it is Thornton who steals the show. Incorporating elements from his characters in BAD SANTA and FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, his variation on the Morris Buttermaker character is another finely crafted achievement, a reprehensible man who somehow remains likeable and compelling. The script from Glenn Ficarra and John Requa throws a few modern curveballs into the mix, yet they still remain faithful to Bill Lancaster's original vision, resulting in a crowd-pleasing film that is definitely not intended for young children. [More]

Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Greg Kinnear, Marcia Gay Harden, Timmy Deters

Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Greg Kinnear, Marcia Gay Harden, Timmy Deters, Sammi Kane Kraft, Seth Adkins, Jeffrey Davies, Tyler Patrick Jones, Carter Jenkins, Emmanuel Estrada, Carlos Estrada, Kenneth K.C. Harris, Aman Johal, Jeffrey Tedmori, Troy Gentile

Director: Richard Linklater

Director: Richard Linklater
Screenwriter: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
Producer: Greg Kosinski, Richard Linklater
Composer: Ed Shearmur
Studio: Paramount Pictures

[See More Credits]

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Reviews for Bad News Bears

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
08/14/05
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Daily Mirror [UK] | comment Comment
08/13/05
David Edwards
David Edwards
Daily Mirror [UK]

Fans of the original will be amazed at how similar the two films are – the new version even makes the same extensive use of Bizet’s Carmen on the soundtrack.

Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
08/13/05
Matthew Turner
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

The only real problem is that the writers haven't done anything remotely new with the material.

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
08/11/05
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

A pleasant surprise out of leftfield.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
08/09/05
Stella Papamichael
Stella Papamichael
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Every bit as funny, irreverent and enjoyable as the first. Billy Bob Thornton is wonderful and his young co-stars are devilishly entertaining.

Full Review Source: FilmFocus | comment Comment
08/07/05
Joe Utichi
Joe Utichi
FilmFocus

Linklater's "Bad News Bears" doesn't approach the giddy comedy of Ritchie's original, but it does inspire an attentive contemplation on the similarities and differences between adults and children in approaching the game of life.

Full Review Source: ColeSmithey.com | comment Comment
06/21/09
Cole Smithey
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed | comment Comment
04/29/09
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed

There are worse ways to spend an afternoon.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
07/23/07
Rob Gonsalves
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com

Bad News Bears is packed with laughs, but almost all of them are cheaply won

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
03/01/07
Shirley Sealy
Shirley Sealy
Film Journal International

I'm not sure why filmmakers think we want to see kids put into dark situations and berated with profanities by Billy Bob Thornton.

Full Review Source: Christianity Today | comment Comment
09/08/06
Todd Hertz
Todd Hertz
Christianity Today

...what should've been a fun and breezy comedy is ultimately transformed into an incredibly tedious ordeal...

Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | comment Comment
07/15/06
David Nusair
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald | comment Comment
07/01/06
Sydney Morning Herald
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
05/12/06
Bob Grimm
Bob Grimm
Sacramento News & Review

Ainda que esquemático, gera boas risadas graças à dinâmica entre Thornton e o elenco infantil.

comment Comment
12/25/05
Pablo Villaca
Pablo Villaca
Cinema em Cena

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Film Threat
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Too tame to attract now middle-aged viewers who remember the original and want to see Billy Bob Thornton play it like Bad Santa, it's still a little too raunchy to secure parental approval for pre-highschoolers.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
12/02/05
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Three Movie Buffs | comment Comment
09/30/05
Scott Nash
Scott Nash
Three Movie Buffs

.

Full Review Source: 3BlackChicks Review | comment Comment
08/18/05
Kamal  'The Diva' Larsuel
Kamal 'The Diva' Larsuel
3BlackChicks Review

Raunchy, raucous fun featuring Thornton's Bad Santa persona in full effect.

Full Review Source: IGN Movies | comment Comment
08/12/05
Jeff Otto
Jeff Otto
IGN Movies
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 >> >|
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