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"BAD NEWS BEARS" (2005) (Billy Bob Thornton, Greg Kinnear) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Heavy Minor Extreme *Minor None Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Heavy None None Moderate Heavy Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Heavy Moderate Moderate Moderate Moderate QUICK TAKE: Comedy: An alcoholic exterminator agrees to coach a hapless little league team filled with brats, misfits and untalented players. PLOT: Morris Buttermaker (BILLY BOB THORNTON) is an alcoholic exterminator who, at the bequest of concerned mom Liz Whitewood (MARCIA GAY HARDEN), agrees to coach her son, Toby (RIDGE CANIPE) and the rest of his little league team, the Bears. Buttermaker figures it will be a walk in the park, since he was once a Major League player, even if for only part of one inning. His opinion changes when he sees the rest of the players who in addition to being untalented, are a bunch of misfits and/or brats who can't win a game. There's the smart-mouthed Tanner Boyle (TIMMY DETERS); overweight and surly Mike Engelberg (BRANDON CRAGGS); smart kid Prem Lahiri (AMAN JOHAL); wheelchair bound Matthew Hooper (TROY GENTILE); Garo Daragebrigadian (JEFFREY TEDMORI) who's afraid his Armenian parents will see him as a disappointment; shy and goofy kid Timmy Lupus (TYLER PATRICK JONES); lone black kid Ahmad Abdul Rahim (KENNETH "K.C." HARRIS); and brothers Miguel (CARLOS ESTRADA) and Jose Agilar (EMMANUEL ESTRADA). Despite getting paid for his gig, Buttermaker could care less about the kids and whether they win or not, but he gets inspired when he sees what a jerk rival coach Roy Bullock (GREG KINNEAR) can be. Enlisting the aid of his estranged, 12-year-old daughter Amanda Whurlitzer (SAMMI KANE KRAFT) and young rebel Kelly Leak (JEFFREY DAVIES) who actually have some talent on the field, Buttermaker sets out to whip the kids into shape and turn them into a winning team. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? It's a good bet that some will, particularly if they're into baseball movies and/or are fans of someone in the cast. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For rude behavior, language throughout, some sexuality & thematic elements. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: BILLY BOB THORNTON plays an alcoholic exterminator who agrees to coach the team for pay, although he doesn't care if they win or lose until he feels challenged by Bullock. He's politically incorrect, puts down and physically and verbally abuses the kids, uses profanity, drinks beer, and smokes cigars. GREG KINNEAR plays the egotistical rival coach who uses some profanity, drinks a bit, and is determined to defeat and make Buttermaker and his team look bad. MARCIA GAY HARDEN plays the mother of one of the players who hires Buttermaker as the team's coach and then gets upset with his coaching decisions. SAMMI KANE KRAFT plays Buttermaker's estranged, 12-year-old daughter who reluctantly joins the team as its pitcher and briefly uses some profanity. JEFFREY DAVIES plays a teen rebel who performs stunts on his bike and eventually joins the team as its star player. TIMMY DETERS plays the main troublemaker on the team who cusses a lot, and has bad and unsportsmanlike attitudes toward others. BRANDON CRAGGS plays an overweight kid, who cusses and has a surly attitude toward most everyone else. RIDGE CANIPE plays Liz's son on the team. TYLER PATRICK JONES plays the shy, reserved and somewhat goofy kid on the team. AMAN JOHAL plays the smart kid on the team. TROY GENTILE plays a surly kid in a wheelchair who cusses. JEFFREY TEDMORI plays an Armenian kid who's worried that his parents will see him as a disappointment. KENNETH "K.C." HARRIS plays the team's lone black kid who can't understand why the coach keeps talking jive to him. CARLOS ESTRADA and EMMANUEL ESTRADA plays brothers who are also on the team. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: Here's a brief summary of the content found in this comedy that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 38 "s" words, while plenty of other expletives and colorful phrases are uttered (all from both adults and kids). Sexually related dialogue is present, as are various shots of scantly clad, buxom women (showing varying amounts of cleavage). A sexual encounter occurs off-screen between the coach and the mother of one of the players. Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes (including politically incorrect phrases, etc.), while some fighting and other such physical contact occurs on the field. Plenty of other potentially imitative behavior is present, while the main character is an alcoholic who drinks in front of the kids during practice and elsewhere (and he gives the kids beer, although it's non-alcoholic), while others also drink and a song has lyrics about cocaine use. The main character also smokes cigars, while he has an estranged relationship with his 12-year-old daughter (other tense family material is present). Various instances of verbal-based crude humor are also present. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Buttermaker drinks beer while on the job as an exterminator and then many times both on and off the field while coaching the kids. Buttermaker opens a beer in the parking lot of the ball field, pours out half or more and replaces that with liquor that he pours from his flask into the can. Kelly asks if Buttermaker has one for him, but he doesn't get one. Buttermaker tells a kid to stay away from crack (cocaine) or else they might wake up in prison with a name branded "on your ass." Buttermaker brings a cooler of beer to the ballpark on his first day of coaching the kids. Bullock and two other men have pitchers of beer in front of them, while others in the establishment also drink and Buttermaker orders a beer and whiskey. Buttermaker visits liquor stores and cigarette vendors in a montage of trying to find a sponsor for the team. One of the kids (presumably commanded to) makes and pours a drink for Buttermaker. Buttermaker appears to be passed out on the baseball field during practice and we hear the sound of Tanner kicking him (he also states he's taking his wallet). Amanda refers to Buttermaker as being a drunk. Bullock comments on Buttermaker having had a fifth of scotch. Buttermaker gives a little person a bottle of liquor, telling him it's "Enough to get your little ass drunk for a month." The song "Cocaine" by Eric Clapton has drug-related lyrics in it. Liz has wine and Buttermaker orders a drink in a restaurant where others also drink wine. While talking to Amanda about their past, Buttermaker states that he was always drunk in those days. After a game, Buttermaker asks the kids, "Who wants a beer?" He then hands out some to them, but they're noted as being non-alcoholic (with Tanner chugging his). BLOOD/GORE A kid states that he left more talent (than another kid has) in "the sh*tter this morning." We see Buttermaker putting dead animals in a dumpster and then using the same cooler to transport beverages. Lupus says that every time he burps, it tastes like candy. A person comments on the bad play by saying, "You guys look like the last sh*t I took." Tanner has a black eye following an unseen fight. A rock group is named "The Blood Farts." Buttermaker states, "I've been up to my ears in rat pellets." Buttermaker mentions having a spastic colon. Needing to lie to Toby so that the boy doesn't realize he slept with his mom, Buttermaker asks him "Where's the toilet? I gotta pinch a mean one." Engelberg taunts Bullock's son by telling the son that he doesn't want to get any stains in his underwear. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE We see several rats scurry across a mother's floor, much to her horror (causing her to jump up out of the way) and Buttermaker's nonchalant response (despite him being the exterminator). Spotting a female baseball player, Buttermaker says something he never thought he would with "Look at the ass on that second baseman." He then makes what sounds like a sexual come-on to that young woman. One kid refers to Engelberg as being from "Planet fat ass." Buttermaker thinks that Ahmad, the lone black kid, should have a black baseball idol (rather than a white one), calls him "bro" and makes other race-related comments that he believes the kid will like and/or understand (although Ahmad later questions him about such treatment). The question is asked about Hooper (in a wheelchair), "What's the crippled kid's name?" A kid yells at Buttermaker to "shut up before I tell someone you touched my p*cker." A kid uses the term "retarded" in a derogatory fashion (but not toward someone usually associated with that term). Some viewers might not like when Buttermaker tells the kids that they swing like Helen Keller at a piņata party. Later, someone asks, "What, are you Helen Keller?" There's talk that Buttermaker hit someone in the past in a game. Buttermaker has the kids working for him in the pest business (using dangerous chemicals, crawling under houses, etc.) and two of them spray pesticide on each other. Buttermaker appears to be passed out on the baseball field during practice and we hear the sound of Tanner kicking him (he also states he's taking his wallet). Tanner says about an adult, "What a fag." Some of the Bears (mainly Tanner) display unsportsmanlike conduct on the field during various games. A person comments on the bad play by saying, "You guys look like the last sh*t I took." Buttermaker tells Garo who's planning on running away to Salt Lake City that "they don't even like blacks up there." Demonstrating how to lie, Buttermaker states various examples such as "She said she was eighteen." Hooper arrives with a patch over his eye, stating that he has eye cancer, but we later learn he was lying (some might not like the joke). Some viewers might not like the reference when Buttermaker tells the kids "This is not a democracy, this is a dictatorship, and I'm Hitler." When Buttermaker sees Engelberg running by him with his chest flopping up and down he states "Nice t*ts Engelberg." Buttermaker gives a little person a bottle of liquor, telling him it's "Enough to get your little ass drunk for a month." Spotting Amanda joining the team, Tanner complains, "What's next, a cripple?" Engelberg then asks her, "Ever heard of throws like a girl?" (but she proves them wrong with her proficient pitching). When a comment is made about no "I" being in "team," Tanner says there should be "an F and a U" to that person. A person refers to another as "You homo." Amanda always calls Buttermaker by his last name (rather than as "dad" or something similar). Bullock says he'd call Kelly's "old man" if anyone knew where he was (said as a cut-down). In response, Kelly asks Bullock if he thinks people like "seeing your nuts" (testicles) in his small gym type shorts. Two older kids grab one player and put him in a porta-potty and try to turn it over. Engelberg refers to his "family jewels" with another kid cutting him down by asking when's the last time Engelberg actually saw them. A person states that only mental patients and Texans like ketchup on hotdogs. Kelly suddenly develops a bad attitude. Buttermaker tells Amanda that she there's for only one reason (her strong pitching arm). One kid calls a black kid "Oreo" and says that the Bears can't "play for sh*t." Buttermaker comes off as a demeaning and often angry coach toward his players. Bullock is demeaning to his son on the team and even pushes him to the ground during a game over an errant pitch. When Buttermaker takes out the star players so that everyone can play (thus endangering the team's chances of winning), Liz suddenly develops a bad attitude toward Buttermaker about that. One kid calls a Hispanic player "Paco." FRIGHTENING SCENES We see several rats scurry across a mother's floor, much to her horror (causing her to jump up out of the way -- and those who don't like them might have the same reaction). GUNS/WEAPONS None. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "Sh*tload," "Getting the S - H - I - T end of the stick" (said just like that), "You gotta be sh*tting me," "Don't give me sh*t all the time," "Little sh*t," "Sh*tter," "Man-sh*t," "Sh*t's expensive," "Two sh*ts," "I don't buy that sh*t," "You guys look like the last sh*t I took," "Sh*t-bag," "That's the dorkiest sh*t I've ever heard," "What the hell /is wrong with you dipsh*t/is that/happened to you/does that mean?" "No sh*t," "Can't play for sh*t," "Horsesh*t," "Piece of sh*t," "That's bullsh*t," 'You're a bag of douche, sh*thead," "Let's go get this sh*t over with," "Nice t*ts" (what Buttermaker tells Engelberg when he sees him running by him with his chest flopping up and down), "You must have a big one" (penis), "Genital self-defense apparatus," "D*ck-weed," "Oh hell no," "Up your corn-hole," "Planet fat ass," "Damn league of nations," "Jeez," "Lamer," "What's the crippled kid's name?" (about a kid in a wheelchair), "Piece of crap," "Nuts" (testicles), "Keep your trap shut," "Retarded jerkoffs," "Dingleberries," "You little girl," "You swing like Helen Keller at a piņata party," "That's lame," "Smart ass," "Bitch slap," "Scare the hell out of me," "Dumb ass," "Quit your bitching," "Hell yeah," "Tubby" (for an overweight kid), "Hell no," "Screw this," "What a fag," "Every time I burp it tastes like candy," "Keep your drawers on," "Shut the hell up you drunk bastard," "You guys suck," "Lie your ass off," "You jerk," "Taking a lot of crap," "It's kind of like dating a German chick," "This is not a democracy, this is a dictatorship, and I'm Hitler," "Get your asses on the field," "You're dragging ass," "That crap don't work out here," "The shizzle and what not," "Don't trust whitey," "Enough to get your little ass drunk for a month," "Drop dead *sshole," "Your damn right it does," "Sucks," "What's next, a cripple?" "Fat ass," "Ever heard of throws like a girl," "You buggery moron," "Real bad ass," "You homo," "Creeps," "The Blood Farts" (the name of a rock group), "Don't be a smart ass," "You think people like seeing your nuts?" "Spaz," "Run away bitches" (said to guys), "Turd," "Poop face," "I've been up to my ears in rat pellets," "Where's the toilet, I gotta pinch a mean one," "Fatty," "Jerk off" (nonsexual), "Punk out," "Screw this up for me," "Calm your ass down," "Quit acting like a bunch of damn babies," "Grape nuts," "Kick some ass," "Hey buttocks," "What in the hell are you doing?" "What, are you Helen Keller?" "Butter balls," "Kiss my ass," "You son of a bitch," "You have some G*ddamn nerve," "I'll be damned," "Played your asses off" and "See you next year bitches" (said to guys). Some kids might want to imitate Buttermaker and/or the kids' surly attitudes, etc. such as Tanner's unsportsmanlike behavior on the field. Buttermaker has tattoos. A kid yells at Buttermaker to "shut up before I tell someone you touched my p*cker." Buttermaker has the kids working for him in the pest business (using dangerous chemicals, crawling under houses, etc.) and two of them spray pesticide on each other. A t-shirt reads, "She looked good last night." In a montage, Buttermaker purposefully pitches baseballs into all of the kids during batting practice. Kelly flies on his motorbike over the outfield fence, rides around the field for a bit (making a circle spin) and then leaves. Hooper arrives with a patch over his eye, stating that he has eye cancer, but we later learn he was lying (some might not like the joke). When Buttermaker sees Engelberg running by him with his chest flopping up and down he states "Nice t*ts Engelberg." Spotting Bullock in some small gym style shorts, Buttermaker says it looks like he's smuggling grapes down there. One of Buttermaker's coaching signals is repeatedly grabbing his own clothed crotch. When a comment is made about no "I" being in "team," Tanner says there should be "an F and a U" to that person. Two older kids grab one player and put him in a porta-potty and try to turn it over. A kid gives "the finger" to another kid and Kelly later does the same to Bullock. We see some bare midriffs. Buttermaker spits. Tanner teaches another kid how to give "the finger." Engelberg taunts Bullock's son by telling the son that he doesn't want to get any stains in his underwear. Bullock does a small pelvic thrust toward Buttermaker as a nonsexual taunt. The kids shake and then spray their non-alcoholic beer on each other. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) The song "Cocaine" by Eric Clapton has drug-related lyrics in it. PROFANITY At least 38 "s" words, 1 written double entendre for sex ("laid"), 5 using male genital genitals ("d*ck," "p*cker" and "big one"), 1 for breasts ("t*ts"), 35 hells, 34 asses (7 used with "hole"), 8 damns, 7 craps, 2 "S.O.B.s," 6 uses of "G-damn," 3 of "Jesus Christ," 2 of "Jesus" and 1 use each of "For Christ's sakes" and "God." SEX/NUDITY Spotting a female baseball player, Buttermaker says something he never thought he would with "Look at the ass on that second baseman." He then makes what sounds like a sexual come-on to that young woman. A kid yells at Buttermaker to "shut up before I tell someone you touched my p*cker." Buttermaker arrives with a buxom woman named "Paradise" who shows a lot of cleavage in her halter top that also exposes her midriff. A t-shirt reads, "She looked good last night." Buttermaker unveils the new sponsor for the team -- Bo Peeps Gentlemen's Club - and we the silhouette of a sexy lady as the logo. On several occasions at several games, we see shots of Buttermaker's small fan club of buxom, attractive women in skimpy and/or revealing attire (that shows cleavage, etc.). In some scenes, they sashay and otherwise move around. A camera shot of a kid on a bus stop bench is framed so that the advertisement "Been Laid Off?" reads "Been Laid." Demonstrating how to lie, Buttermaker states various examples such as "She said she was eighteen." Spotting Bullock in some small gym style shorts, Buttermaker says it looks like he's smuggling grapes down there. Amanda tells Buttermaker that he must have a "big one" (penis) as she questions what else her mom could have seen in him. He complains that since she's 12 she's not supposed to be talking about "my one." One kid mentions something about just entering puberty (in response to seeing Amanda join the team). One of the boys says he was told that Kelly got a teacher pregnant. Amanda tells her dad that she's not a girl anymore as she had her period. Buttermaker says that a tie is like kissing one's sister, but then adds that for their team, it's like kissing a real hot stepsister. Kelly asks Bullock if he thinks people like "seeing your nuts" (testicles) in his small gym type shorts. Buttermaker hands out athletic cups and refers to them as genital self-defense apparatuses. Referring to them potentially sharing them, Buttermaker tells the kids "that's how you get crabs" and that they don't want to spend the weekend combing through the "pumpkin patch." Engelberg then refers to his "family jewels" with another kid cutting him down by asking when's the last time Engelberg actually saw them. We see a close-up shot of a Hooters waitress' buxom chest in the standard T-shirt. We then see full shots of such women in their tight t-shirts and small shorts. We see some miscellaneous cleavage and bare midriffs. Liz shows some cleavage. While at a restaurant on a date with Liz, Buttermaker states that he hasn't paid for sex in years. She then tells him that the sexy scumbag persona turns her on. Sex is then implied as the scene cuts to Liz's home where Buttermaker comes out of her bedroom and her son catches him in the hallway, but doesn't realize what's happened. SMOKING Buttermaker smokes cigars at least 6 times. Buttermaker visits liquor stores and cigarette vendors in a montage of trying to find a sponsor for the team. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Garo says he wants to run away from home (due to thinking he's not impressing his immigrant parents). Buttermaker hasn't seen Amanda in 3 years, and he doesn't act like much of a father to her when he catches back up with her. There are some tense family moments between them (such as her being disappointed in him not remembering things from her childhood). Amanda always calls Buttermaker by his last name (rather than as "dad" or something similar). Bullock says he'd call Kelly's "old man" if anyone knew where he was (said as a cut-down). Bullock is demeaning to his son on the team and even pushes him to the ground during a game over an errant pitch. Bullock's wife is upset with him over how he's treating their son during a game, and the son spites his dad by purposefully letting the Bears succeed. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT How the kids and coach act and treat each other. Alcoholics. About their bad play, Hooper (who's in a wheelchair) sarcastically says he really needed another reason for people to laugh at him. Garo says he wants to run away from home (due to thinking he's not impressing his immigrant parents). Buttermaker hasn't seen Amanda in 3 years, and he doesn't act like much of a father to her when he catches back up with her. Amanda tells her dad that she's not a girl anymore as she had her period. VIOLENCE Engelberg throws the ball and we hear the sound of it accidentally breaking a window in Buttermaker's car. Engelberg and Ahmad briefly struggle and then do so again. We hear but don't see a kid fall from Buttermaker's car (when the door opened -- and played for laughs with the kid being okay). In a montage, Buttermaker purposefully pitches baseballs into all of the kids during batting practice. Buttermaker appears to be passed out on the baseball field during practice and we hear the sound of Tanner kicking him. In a montage of bad play, one player knocks down another who's running by him, while Tanner grabs and tackles another. We then see him throwing his glove at other players who pass by him. Tanner tries to trip players in a game. Tanner slaps at opposing players as they pass by in a line following a game. Tanner goes at teammate who dropped a ball (while mad at him). Two older kids grab one player and put him in a porta-potty and try to turn it over. Tanner comes along to the rescue, throwing a trashcan into the guys and then struggling with them until they grab and throw him across a fence into some mud. In a rave-type concert, Buttermaker pushes one teen who's thrashing about and then pushes Buttermaker back, with him then being picked up and passed over top of the crowd. Various players struggle with and push each other. An opposing player knocks down Amanda quite hard at home plate. Tanner punches a racist kid, resulting in a melee where other punching and struggling occurs, including Kelly punching one kid and another kid being struck in the crotch. Buttermaker has to be separated from Bullock before a fight breaks out between them. Bullock is demeaning to his son on the team and even pushes him to the ground during a game over an errant pitch. Reviewed July 6, 2005 / Posted July 22, 2005

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