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Buttermaker (Thorton) goes off on a player, with plenty of bleeps

When it is all said and done, there's really no reason whatsoever for a Christian to see this movie. There are plenty of family-focused sports movies with almost identical ragtag team plots, such as The Mighty Ducks films. In fact, there's even a cleaner, better made, and far funnier sports movie in theaters right now— Kicking and Screaming. And if you do want the darker side of this genre—and are comfortable with swearing and political incorrectness—you'd be better off seeing the more effective, better acted, and more charming original.

It's sad that Hollywood is so infatuated with comedies revolving around sex, taboo words and cruelty. But it's even more sad when that infatuation includes throwing kids into the mix like this or in Thornton's other morally corrupt comedy, Bad Santa (2003). I'm not sure why filmmakers think we want to see kids put into dark situations and berated with profanities by Billy Bob Thornton. These movies must make money. But hopefully, enough people will stay away from this movie to deliver Hollywood the message that this kind of film won't hit a homerun.

Talk About It

1. What lessons do you think Buttermaker learned? How about some of the members of the team?
   
   
2. Was Buttermaker really any better of a coach than his rival, the coach of the Yankees? Why or why not?
   
   
3. How did the movie make you feel? Was there any positive takeaway value? If so, what was it?
   
   
4. What teammate most reminds you of yourself as a kid? Why? What would you like to tell that kid?

The Family Corner

Bad News Bears is rated PG-13 for rude behavior, language throughout, some sexuality and thematic elements, but should be approached as if it were rated R. There's every kind of bad news in the film. No child or young teenager should see it. The swearing is nearly constant and uses the full gamut of words and hand gestures. There are at least two uses of Jesus' name in vain. There is a lot of sexual talk and there's major cleavage, sexy dances by clothed strippers and one reference to a one-night stand. Buttermaker drinks throughout the movie and gives kids non-alcoholic beer. Off-color jokes insult everyone—overweight people, homosexuals, various ethnicities, etc. The kids are also very violent, rude and cruel to each other.

Photos © Copyright Paramount Pictures

© Todd Hertz 2005, subject to licensing agreement with Christianity Today International. All rights reserved. Click for reprint information.

Billy Bob Thornton—who made a famous mean-spirited fool of himself in Bad Santa—plays another Grade-A jerk in an unnecessary remake of Bad News Bears, a comedy about rude, crude kids who cuss, drink beer, and cause a ruckus on the baseball field.

The only real surprise in this picture is its director—Richard Linklater, who seems to be developing a split personality: He can be a cheap crowd-pleaser and a sophisticated artist. He's given us critically acclaimed films like Before Sunset, Waking Life, and Slacker, but he's also responsible for the whimsical box office smash School of Rock, and now this: a movie about kids that is highly inappropriate viewing for kids.

David DiCerto (Catholic News Service) says that the film "strikes out as recommendable family fare." But he adds, "Bears is not all bad news. Both versions ultimately impart a positive message that promotes self-esteem and criticizes winning-at-all-costs competitiveness, while exploring themes of redemption … and reconciliation."

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