zkonedog As a lifelong baseball fan, I had kind of been embarrassed that I had never seen this movie all the way through. Whenever a Little League-er lets a ball through the legs or stumbles around under a pop-up, someone will usually bring up a "Bad News Bears" comment. When I finally did sit down and watch it in entirety, however, what I found was that it is a film where the subject matter and stereotypes transcend how good the movie actually is.For a basic plot summary, "Bad News Bears" sees former baseball player Morris Buttermaker (Walter Matthau) basically get suckered/bribed into coaching a community Little League baseball team (the Bears). In typical fashion, the team can't hit, catch, or throw, and Buttermaker doesn't care…sipping his beer and puffing his smokes in the dugout. When the boys are embarrassed by the rival Yankees in their first game and the opposing manager gets under Buttermaker's skin, however, he begins to start trying/caring (albeit in only the way he knows how). When motorcycle-riding "hooligan" Kelly (Jackie Earle Haley) and step-daughter Amanda (Tatum O'Neal) are recruited to help the team out, things actually begin to click and the Bears start moving up in the standings.There are themes/clichés in this movie that truly are universal. I mean, any baseball/sports fan can relate to the bumbling little league team, right?! Then, you also have the "rebel kid who also has the best baseball skills", the "girl who can outpitch the boys", and the "manager who waffles between caring, winning, and having fun". Heck, the rival team in the film is even called the Yankees for crying out loud! I think this is why "Bad News Bears" will always have a niche in sports film culture, as it shines a brief light on so many of those youth sports touchstones.Taken just as a film (and not a cliché), however, "Bad News Bears" really isn't all that great (I even found it rather dull in spots). Most of the beats are completely and utter predictable and characters like Buttermaker and Kelly Leak (while potentially iconic in image) don't really provide a coherent narrative. The only portion of the movie that really, really works is Tatum O'Neal's character, as Amanda actually receives a character arc and is given interesting things to do rather than just following a formulaic script.Thus, I think the biggest problem with "Bad News Bears" is that it tries to stuff too many clichés and sports genre tropes into its one hour and forty minute runtime, to the point of not really nailing any of them. Those clichés, combined with a few funny sight gags ("Chico's Bail Bonds"), will allow this film to live on into the annals of history, but I'd recommended using it as those stereotypes instead of sitting down and watching it front-to-back, as you may be disappointed by the full cinematic experience.

treeline1 An alcoholic ,ex-minor leaguer, and all-round sour-puss is hired to coach a losing Little League team because no one else will do it. The team miraculously pulls together to overcome their problems. There is a lot of profanity and bad behavior by both adults and children on the way to the inevitable happy ending. Walter Matthau sleepwalks his way through his standard grouchy/heart of gold role while Tatum O'Neill is wasted. Her character is given little screen time and no development. There's not one word about how the boys feel about a girl teammate, and in 1976, this would have been news.Trashy.

TheLittleSongbird I have to admit I am not a huge sports fan, but several sports movies have sparked my interest, such as Hoosiers, Breaking Away and Remember the Titans. I saw The Bad News Bears mostly for Walter Matthau and I really enjoyed it. While it could have been a tad longer perhaps, and one or two scenes could have been tighter in the pace, it is a very good movie. For a sports movie, it is quite different, taking on the underdogs taking on the big boys scenario for example, and it works wonderfully.The production values are very nice, and Jerry Fielding's score compliments each scene beautifully. The film's script is quite gritty, but it is also funny and thoughtful, while the story is always engaging and well-thought out with the relationship between Morris and his team particularly pulling you in. The direction is solid, while the acting is excellent. Walter Matthau is simply brilliant as the boozy coach Morris, while Joyce Van Patten gives great support and the child stars are more than a match for Matthau. Especially Tatum O'Neal, who is quite charming yet very spunky and likable, and I personally think she has better screen presence than her dad.All in all, a very enjoyable movie, and whether you are a fan of sports movies or not, this movie is recommended. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Spikeopath Rewarding for both adults and children, this funny and astute movie revels in poking the ribs of Little League Baseball whilst casting a cautionary eye of the obsession some have with winning. An on form Walter Matthau stars as Morris Buttermaker, a now washed up ex minor league player who, prompted by a financial carrot, becomes manager of a multi-racial team of Little League misfits. It's originally a rough road as Buttermaker is more concerned with drinking beer, while the kids themselves don't know which end of the bat to hold. But things start to pick up when Morris enlists his talented daughter Manda (Tatum O'Neal) to pitch for them. Not only that but the town rebel, Kelly Leak (Jackie Earl Hayley), with points to prove, has also been prompted to join.Directed by Michael Ritchie and written by Bill Lancaster (yes, Burt's son), The Bad News Bears never sinks to being a preachy fable. It also delightfully doesn't resort to type for its finale. Making this a very clever and aware film from a genre of film so often troubled by safe playing and a too frothy approach. It would spawn two so so sequels in the next two years, inspire an imitation, get a TV series make over and was remade in 2005 with Billy Bob Thornton taking on the role of Buttermaker. 7.5/10