The Bad News Bears – Budget of $9 million – 1 hour and 52 minutes

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After Bob a city councilman sues the city for not giving his son a spot on the team, he asked Morris Buttermaker, a former minor league baseball player, to coach a team of the least skilled athletes in the county.  Buttermaker needs the money because has been working as a pool boy and has a drinking problem.  Buttermaker has no problem coaching but in shocked when he has to find sponsors and get uniforms for the team.  While this is tough, nothing is tougher than coaching the team.  After an embarrassing loss, Bob forfeits the game and Bob wants to disband the team.  Even after a vote, the team wants to quit.  But Buttermaker picks up the team’s spirit and really starts to coach them.  Once he coaches the team, he realizes they are missing something, a pitcher.  He finds his ex-girlfriend’s daughter Amanda and convinces her to pitch.  Even though they lose their next game, they lose by fewer points.  When all hope is lost, Buttermaker’s dreams are answered by a delinquent on a moped.   Now the Bears will attempt to the give the bad news to the other teams.

This movie was saved by its musical score.   It increased the intensity, confusion, and passion at different points in the movie.  However, you never had a chance to connect to any character, so you didn’t care if they won or lost.  The script was bland and acting subpar.  They tried to add more by making the kids funny or crude, but it was just flat.  Other movies, like Hardball, The Little Giants, and The Mighty Ducks, did learn from the movie’s missteps and focused on a few of the kids’ home lives while delving into the coach’s back story (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  This movie could have added an extra 30 minutes and done the same. This is a throwback to skip.

I give it 2 out of 5 stars

I don’t know who the hell you are but sit down and shut up – Coach Buttermaker

Shy my butt. He’s an idiot – Ken

I’ll deck the kid. I swear I’ll deck that kid – Cleveland

Just get back to your beer – Tanner

I am kinda fast, huh? – Ahmed

I know this has all been my fault. I just want to end it as quickly as possible – Bob

You know she wanted to marry you. Boy, was she dumb – Amanda

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