The Bad News Bears Review
by Steve Rhodes (Steve DOT Rhodes AT InternetReviews DOT com)July 22nd, 2005
BAD NEWS BEARS
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2005 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): * 1/2
Richard Linklater's remake of BAD NEWS BEARS, starring Billy Bob Thornton as a washed up, alcoholic coach named Buttermaker, tries without any noticeable success to be another BAD SANTA. The irreverent humor and dangerous behavior, which makes the film very questionable for kids under 13, is successfully crude and vulgar but never funny. Even if the trailers sizzle, the film fizzles with lackadaisical pacing that will more likely induce slumber than laughs.
On one level the movie does work. If parents are looking for a film that demonstrates all of the bad and unsafe activities possible for grade school kids, this movie provides a long stream of such examples.
Getting paid under the table by a horny mom, played by Marcia Gay Harden, Buttermaker doesn't care about the ragtag bunch of losers he has to coach. He just wants to drink his booze and get through the day. But with some fortuitous drafting of talent for his team, they miraculously move out of their league's cellar and to a chance to be the champions.
Not content with being a crude comedy, the last half of the story tries to turn the picture into a message movie about the importance of letting every kid play even if it costs their team the big trophy. Ugh.
BAD NEWS BEARS runs a long 1:54. It is rated PG-13 for "rude behavior, language throughout, some sexuality & thematic elements" and would be acceptable for kids around 13 and up.
My son Jeffrey, age 16, who gave the film **, said that it started off good but its switch to seriousness ruined it. His friend Yasmin, age 15, gave it ** 1/2, saying that it was funny but not too funny.
The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, July 22, 2005. In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC theaters, the Century theaters and the Camera Cinemas.
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