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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Entertaining remake of Michael Ritche/Walter Matthau classic, December 19, 2005
Remakes good or bad dog our entertainment existence. Why? A good story needs to be retold. A good story needs to be told more than once. It's a waste otherwise. The movies represent our myths. We've seen two remakes and two sequels to "King Kong" and "Dracula" has been adapted many, many times (badly for the most part I might add) so why not the comedy about the team of baseball misfits who could? Billy Bob Thornton takes on the role that Walter Matthau essayed in the original 1976 film. The social misfits angle has been updated with kids that behave worse and have their own social stigmas. They still kick butt. Alcoholic pest worker Morris Buttermaker (Thornton) briefly played in the "big game" before washing out and using booze as his crutch. He's recruited to coach a kids baseball team that play so badly that they could be beat by a tree in the wind.
Michael Ritiche's ("Smile", "The Bad News Bears", "Downhill Racer", "The Candidate")original is a five star classic that would be difficult to beat. Luckily this remake doesn't try to beat it--instead Linklater ("Dazed and Confused", "Before Sunset", "The School of Rock", "A Scanner Darkly")just tries to update it for a new audience. His efforts deserve 3 1/2 stars. It ain't perfect but it's a whole lot of fun. Here's the good news-this film like the original is just as nasty, funny and outrageous in its own way. There was probably the temptation to make this into a PC Disney movie. Luckily the writers and director Richard Linklater resisted temptation and made a film that both pays homage to the original film and retell the story for a new audience.
"Bears" hits a home run on DVD with an very good transfer. Detail is exceptionally good and color rich with accurate flesh tones. The color and detail are remarkably good. The 5.1 catches every ground ball that the cast hit.
"At Bat with The Bears" features Linklater, Billy Bob Thornton discussing his attraction to doing a remake something that he has avoided. Thornton mentions that the big attraction for him was taking on a role so strongly associated with Matthau. "Scouting for the Big Leagues" focuses on the casting sessions and includes bits and pieces of the audition tapes done by the kid actors. Linklater felt that finding actors that could both play the roles and project distinctive personalities was the biggest casting challenge. The other challenge according to Linklater was finding an actress that could play the role convincingly of Amanda Whurlitzer and someone who could actually throw the ball well. The "outtakes" don't amount to much and aren't all that memorable. The "Video Baseball Cards" is a clever way to give us a bit of background on the actors in the main roles.
The commentary by director Linklater and writers Glenn Ficarra and John Requa provides an entertaining glimpse behind-the-scenes. The challenge of translating a classic film without losing the flavor of the original for a contemporary audience is discussed. Ficarra and Requa are depreciating about their efforts crediting Bill Lancaster with writing the perfect comedy (he did). Sadly, Lancaster is no longer around to hear his efforts praised (or to see this fine remake) as he died in 1997 having written only a handful of movies including John Carpenter's remake of "The Thing".
Remakes are always a questionable affair. Luckily Linklater and his collaborators have fashioned one that manages to be unique, funny and yet also stands up pretty well when compared to the original. Not insulting the original is an art by itself and "Bad News Bears" (what happened to "The"? Hollywood is becoming increasingly illiterate) manages to be entertaining and worthwhile without diminishing the terrific original film directed by Michael Richtie.
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Entertaining but Unnecessary, August 15, 2005
The original Bad News Bears is an absolute classic which has aged well. There was no need for a remake; the fact that this movie was made anyhow is a tribute to the lack of creativity and aversion to risk taking in Hollywood. That said, the remake is entertaining, and had it been an original film I would have rated it four rather than three stars.
The primary reason to see the new Bad News Bears is actor Billy Bob Thornton. He is the logical successor to Walter Matthau's mantle. Thornton owns the character of Coach Buttermaker - a lewd, gruff drunk with no socially redeeming traits who still manages to exude a sleazy charm. Had he created this role rather than just expertly imitated it, it would have been pure genius, and as it is, it stands as a homage to the original.
Oddly, the remake manages to be simultaneously both raunchier and more politically correct than the original. Where the original film had Buttermaker getting endorsements from a bail bondsman on the kid's uniforms, the remake has the endorsement of a strip club, complete with dancers coming to the games as a rooting section for the team. Yet in the climatic scene of the aftermath of the championship game, where the original film had Buttermaker giving all the kids beers, in the remake he simply hands out near-beer, robbing the scene of all of its edginess and power with its unwillingness to take the risks of the original.
The kids in the movie were well cast and did a nice job of recreating the original roles. Here once again, this movie has the feel of a homage. The only innovation was to make the ethnic mix of the team more diverse.
This movie is a must see for all Billy Bob Thornton fans - his performance here will not disappoint them. And though this remake can never replace the original, it is entertaining and stays fairly true to the intent and feel of the film that it is imitating. I thus give it a qualified recommendation.
Theo Logos
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Remake Stays True, but Fails to Deliver, January 29, 2006
The 2005 version of the Bad News Bears is the same story as the 1976 version, but it is far from the same movie.
The 1976 movie is a classic. The late Walther Matthau was perfectly cast as the lovable boozer, coach Buttermaker. Tatum O'Neil, who already had an Academy Award in her trophy case, brought comedy and tenderness to the movie as the tenacious, yet emotionally fragile pitcher, Amanda. While the movie was hilarious and a great social commentary on an American institution, it was the tender relationship between Matthau and O'Neal that made the movie work.
The remake is commendable for staying so true to the original; the few differences include an updated demographic mix of players and updated scenes- skateboard parks replaced pool halls and Hooters replaced Pizza Hut.
Despite the fidelity to the original, the remake fouls classic lines and the relationship between Amanda and Buttermaker strikes out. The cast of the remake turns in a minor league performance. Except for Billy Bob Thorton as coach Buttermaker and Greg Kinnear who played the roll of the opposing coach who was originally played by Vic Morrow, the casting was very poor. The modern cast of supporting players whiff on comic timing where the old cast hit homeruns. They seem as poorly coached on the set as their characters did on the field.
Billy Bob Thorton is the only actor of this generation that could even attempt to follow in Matthau's cleats. And while Thorton does a good job putting his own touches on Buttermaker, his acting often seems uninspired and doesn't generate the sympathy that one felt for Mathau's portrayal. Nevertheless, it is his performance that makes the movie tolerable. His best scenes are with Kinnear.
The original's score of classical music provided a subtle backdrop for the crass comedy. The remake uses the classical music too sparingly. The entire juxtaposition of innocence and vulgarity that worked so well in the original is also out of whack.
As far as remakes go, the 2005 version is average, but it is no substitute for original. Billy Bob Thorton fans will definitely want to watch it, but anyone else should sit this one out.
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