Bad News Bears
Directed by: Richard Linklater
Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Greg Kinnear, Sammi Kraft, Brandon Craggs, Timmy Deters, K.C. Harris, Tyler Patrick Jones
Rated: PG-13 for rude behavior, language throughout, some sexuality and thematic elements
Parental Notes: This film deserves its PG-13 rating; although it features kids in the 10-13 set as characters, the foul language and rude behavior may be a bit much for some parents to consider this appropriate for their own kids. That said, the underlying messages of the film are good and most kids have heard all this language before.
Some might see “Bad News Bears” as a sign that Billy Bob Thornton is becoming typecast. Morris Buttermaker is a worn-down, morose, alcoholic loser of a character who, on the surface, seems in the vein of Willie, Thornton’s role “Bad Santa.” Moreover, Thorton played a coach in “Friday Night Lights.” Although Buttermaker may seem like a weird blenderization of the two, he isn’t. He’s a lot cheerier than Willie, for starters, and while deep down he does have a love of the game of baseball, he’s no rootin-tootin’ tough-love coach. Thornton gives the role just the right amount of self-aware, semi-despairing kindness to make us like Buttermaker a lot more than the old curmudgeon likes himself.
As the film opens, Buttermaker leaves his day job as an exterminator to arrive late for Little League practice. He pours out half his can of non-alcoholic beer so he can top it up with whiskey, and guts it out through first practice with a team so packed with losers that the rest of the league is trying to put them out of their misery by disbanding the team. There’s little pitcher Toby (Ridge Canipe), the non-English-speaking brothers Jose and Miguel Aguilar (Carlos and Emmanuel Estrada), wheelchair-bound Matthew (Troy Gentile), brainy Prem (Aman Johal), mouthy Tanner (Timmy Deters), pudgy-and-pissed-about-it Mike (Brandon Craggs), quiet Ahmad (K.C. Harris), utterly loony Tim (Tyler Patrick Jones), and hapless Garo (Jeffrey Tedmori). They can barely catch balls, let alone hit them, and it’s no wonder that Toby’s legal-eagle mom had to get an injunction to keep them in the league.
Buttermaker is about ready to give up on them too, until the nasty coach of the league champions, Roy Bullock (Greg Kinnear), says some all-too-true things about the team and gets him riled up. You see, Buttermaker was in the minor leagues as a pitcher once, and actually pitched for part of a major league game. He knows how the game is played, and all the little tricks to help make up for unevenly distributed natural talent. He also knows how to bring in exceptionally talented players — Amanda (Sammi Kraft), the daughter of one of his exes, and Kelly (Jeff Davies), a rebel with a lot of talent. Buttermaker doesn’t coddle the kids, but he does believe they can be good at baseball if they try, and that’s more than they’ve had from anybody in a long time.
In many ways, this is a typical underdog kids movie. It’s not over-the-top smarmy, thankfully; there’s too much vulgarity and good-natured “life is the pits” camaraderie for that. This is not all sequins and first-place ribbons, and the film is better for it. The grownups are flawed, the kids are almost too different to work together, and it’s refreshing.
Overall, “Bad News Bears” is a good kids movie, though some parents may want to protect their children from the swearing. It’s not for little kids, mind you — this is no fantasy feel-good movie for kindergarteners. This is for kids at the age to learn that life isn’t always what you’d hope but that sometimes it can come pretty darn close.
i loved that movie it was funny and cool. even thow there was a lot of cussing i loved it ia m so getting that movie when it comes out in stores!
I think the movie was great!!!!! For my apinon I think the best boi is Tanner Boyle (Timmy Deters) !!!!!!!!!! I think Tanner Boyle is so funny and so wrestles that he should make 3 times more $ than what he dose now!!!! Eagleburg was good 2 but not not really good, as for Lupus he was funny like Tanner was!!!!!! Buttermaker was really good but I still think Timmy Deters was best!!!!!!! I think you should make more and more movies with Timmy Deters in it!!!!!! Timmy is a GREAT actress with alot of great sence of humor!
I am Holly Pinkerton and hopeing to meet Timmy Deters one day! I live in Aylmer and One of Timmys’ best fans ever!!!!!!!! bye for now with great love to Timmy Deters,
Holly.E.Pinkerton!!!
I think tanner and kelly are as good as the old actors. But the boy who play toby could be a bit better.
I loved this movie so much and out of the 2 reviews ^ there i definently have 2 agree.Timmy Deters was the best one out there he is way way way Hott and well yea
I thought this movie was so flippin awsome!!! I really hope 2 meet like allll the cast some day. Yes Tannwer was of course my fav chracter lol. I’d really like 2 meeet him 2 one day (hes pretty hott!) I dont love him cause i dont no him but i loved the character he played!!! Tanner was the bomb So totally wicked man
lol
CaRly
i love tanner!! HOT lol i wish i could meet him i love him he is os funny bye lol love you tanner timmy deters!*** love megan brook owens
I loved the movie!!!!!tanner boyle(timmy deters)is so cute!!!And im not even saying i want to meet him some day because i will(im acting in toronto)luv ta see ya in the future timmy:)I loved the movie!!!!!tanner boyle(timmy deters)is so cute!!!And im not even saying i want to meet him some day because i will(im acting in toronto)luv ta see ya in the future timmy:)<3im going to say it anywayz......Hope to see you one day timmy
(SO CUTE timmy)
briana bullett 11 years old and im going to be 12 on may 13th(CLOSE TO YOUR BIRTHDAY)happy birthday in the future timmy:)
I am almost13 years old.This movie is so good, I think you need to make another one.And I also think Timmy is cute.
LUPUS[TYLER PATRICK JONES] IS THE HOTTEST! I HAVE LOVED HIM EVER SINCE HE HAS STARTED BEING IN MOVIES. I HOPE TO MEET HIM SOMEDAY..I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVE HIM SOOOOOOO MUCH!
LUPUS[TYLER PATRICK JONES] IS THE HOTTEST! I HAVE LOVED HIM EVER SINCE HE HAS STARTED BEING IN MOVIES. I HOPE TO MEET HIM SOMEDAY..I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVE HIM SOOOOOOO MUCH!
HE’S GOING TO BE MY FUTURE HUSBAND!!!
lauren!
I loved the movie!!! IT was so awsome! My fav character was tanner. He’s so funny. He is always throwing something. I hope i meet him someday
i love him
steph
I thought that Carter Jenkins(the other coaches son) was hott, i totally loved this movie!!!!!!
timmy deters is the hottest kid on earth.i would looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooove to meet him someday we are going to get married
That movie was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO great! But my favorite part was every part with Timmy Deters in it.He’s the absalute HOTTEST HOTTIE ever created. I’de loooooooooooove to meet him some day. That would be a dream come TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Me again and just wanted to say that i hope i didn’t sound creepy the other time but he is fine!!!!
bye,
Rissa
Timmy Deters is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo HOTT!!! I love him and he is sooooooooooo funny. So what if he’s in 6th grade he’s turning 12 on April 30th.And I’m turning 12 on October 26.
i think timmy deters was really funny in “bad news bears” i also like him in “kicking and screaming” but i liked “bad news bears” alot more. i think TIMMY DETERS is really HOTT!!!
“BAD NEWS BEARS”
ROXS
“TIMMY DETERS” IS THE BEST!!!
Timmy Deters is so so so so so so so hot!!!!!!!!!!! (even though im 13 oopps)I love all the movies he has been in!!!!!! if i could meet him i would be soso happy!!!! some day i will!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE TIMMY DETERS!!!!
Tyler(timmylupus)SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooSUPER HOT KID IAM 12 YEARS OLD I live in Oxnard my b day is in 3-13-1994a day after yours sooo cool isnt it
I absolutly think tanner(timmy deters)is so HOOOOOOOOOOOT and he seems like the sweetest kid in real life luv ya,christine
I loved the charictor Kelly Lea. (played by Jeffrey Davies) He is actually pretty HOTT!!! I hope to meet him one day or at least talk to him. I hope he does some more movies soon. Too bad I’m like 13 and he’s like 18, THAT SUCKS!!! Well Jeff if your reading this right now my name is Chelsie Piercy. I can’t stop watching Bad News Bears!!!!!
-Chelsie:]
i watch this movie everyday.i love timmy deters.