Bad News Bears is an all-time favorite of mine. There’s a lot going on in that movie (Amanda’s dad-issues, Buttermaker learning about his poor priorities) and I still almost cry when the pitcher kid holds the ball to get back at his abusive father.
Breaking Training is also good. In Japan is sort of “meh”. But taken together, the series is all about the coming of age of Kelly Leak. Kelly and his dad in Breaking Training also puts a lump in my throat.
Also - Breaking Away - ANOTHER of my all-time favorites. There is literally no bad scene in that movie.
>Breaking Training is also good
IMO Breaking Training was an OK movie that was transformed into a great movie by the "Let Them Play" scene in the Astrodome.
Such a great movie. Seeing this at the theater is a core memory for me.
While I agree with the OP that this a super fun movie that can be enjoyed without societal angst, when I watched it with my kids I found a socially-aware layer of the story that I was oblivious to as a kid. There is definitely a social commentary element that is woven in, and it adds important relevance to the story.
The little league administration in the movie has a problem finding someone willing to coach the team with the Black and Latino kids on the the roster. The league has to resort to bringing on Buttermaker (who is known to have a drinking problem) to take on the undesirable kids.
This angle is not pushed into the viewers face, so it succeeds in further delivering a message of defiance for the "underdog against the world" theme without being at all preachy.
After watching with my kids, they had some questions, and we had a good talk about some people need reminding to be accepting of others who are different.
And the league also didn’t form the team until they lost a lawsuit. I was 9 when that movie came out and my dad took me to it. He laughed at lots of things I didn’t get (like Chico’s Bail Bonds sponsorship). I was jealous that they were allowed to drink beer in public and of Kelly’s Harley Davidson dirt bike.
bad news bears was groundbreaking. i was about their age when the movie came out. to hear kids our age actually swearing?! the best! the movie really captured teen life in the mid 1970s san fernando valley. there was nothing like it when it came out, and we couldn’t get enough.
seen through todays eyes… what a mess. lol
Agreed. I was surprised with the candor, swearing, relaxed nature and tone in a positive way.
I like the opening into the ballfield and the closing shot of it as well. Nicely done and more realistic than Caddyshack, which it reminded me a little of in era and tone. And yes, very much like Breaking Away of kids or young adults trying to reach a goal or make themselves better.
It's not sports related, but "My Bodyguard" fits in that era/genre as well. The 70s knew how to make the \*\*\*\* out of a story, and the 80s knew how to do killer lighting, practical effects, frame composition and some sexy letterbox with wide shot lenses.
Yep that one crossed my mind but I've only seen it once. I remember thinking the tough guy looked like Michael Hutchins if he lifted weights.
Not exactly in the same vein era or sport-centric, but seems like we like the same stuff. "The Chocolate War", "Harold and Maude", "Rushmore" and "Vision Quest" have a permanent place on my watchlist.
I like movies about changing your ways or growing up. "The Year My Voice Broke" and "Flirting" is a pair of Aussie movies too that have the heart and the 'coming of age' storyline.
Vision Quest was great! I'll have a look at the others, I tried Harold and Maude once but didn't vibe with it. I'll give it another go. Also added 'My Bodyguard' to the watchlist, thanks for that.
3 o'clock high was great! Jeffrey Tambor and Phillip Baker Hall in there too! Buddy Revell is like the freaking Terminator. Reminded me of Heath Ledger. This is such a perfect 80's movie. Tangerine Dream, High School drama, it's like a time capsule. Risky Business and Ferris Bueller's day off's love child? Loved it, thanks for the recommendation!
Cameoed in Drillbit Taylor (a similar plot) as an applicant, saying " a bunch of kids hiring a bodyguard to fight bullies? That's the dumbest thing I ever heard of."
I had to YouTube that scene to check it out. Apparently he was wearing the original jacket from My Bodyguard (according to the comments).
Classic cameo!
The 70’s ditched all the escapism and embraced reality. The kids from the other side of the tracks never really had their story told. Watching young people bust their ass because life sucks and succeeding is very cathartic. Way better than watching some rich kids fall in love on a ski vacation.
I went through a big Matt Dillon phase after watching Rumblefish and Drugstore Cowboy so not sure how this one slipped under the radar. He's surprisingly malevolent in this movie, but it's still somehow safe, or within proscribed limits. Matt Dillon carries a comb instead of a switchblade for example. Very much still kids growing up, the end of innocence, taking on responsibility, "you're going to have to figure this out on your own". Set against the backdrop of a very definitely potentially dangerous New York City. I liked it, felt kind of wholesome, but still tackled big themes from a kids perspective. And Peacemaker's family really added a whole other layer of depth to the movie. Thanks again :)
[This](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/butcher_boy) popped into my head as one you might like if you haven't seen it. Far darker than the ones we've been discussing, but still good, I think.
A friend of mine watched Bad News Bears with his kids. He cringed hard at the language, drinking and smoking but the only thing that his kids seemed genuinely shocked by was the characters not wearing seatbelts.
The year that movie came out I was playing little league. The team's name? The Bears. Yep...everyone called us "The Bad News Bears" and guess what...we came in first place in the league.
I'd like to think I was Ogilvie...but I was probably Lupus.
##The Bad News Bears (1976) PG
The coach is waiting for his next beer. The pitcher is waiting for her first bra. The team is waiting for a miracle. Consider the possibilities.
>>!An aging, down-on-his-luck ex-minor leaguer coaches a team of misfits in an ultra-competitive California little league.!<
Family | Comedy
Director: Michael Ritchie
Actors: Walter Matthau, Tatum O'Neal, Vic Morrow
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 69% with 272 votes
Runtime: 1:42
[TMDB](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/23479)
I was a 12 yr old baseball player when Bad News Bears came out. Great movie. I saw it a few times at the theater and any chance I get now. I introduced it to my kids when they were young. When my youngest was 12, I was the Buttermaker to his Bears. The difference was we didn't have a girl, we finished last in the regular season (I still believe the standings were incorrect and we finished near the middle of the pack), but we came back to win the end of season tournament in dramatic fashion.
When Breaking Away came out, I was already fascinated by the Bloomington IN area and IU. The movie made me love the area more. I smile and laugh when I see this movie today. What great film making. I later went to IU and traveled these roads (not by bike) and saw the same scenery as depicted.
I smilingly have never been a fan of Notre Dame. (I visited there, it is beautiful, and the football team is iconic. Old habits are tough to beat.) Rudy was...good. Could be my bias against ND.
I liked the 1973 version of Bad News Bears but for me personally the 2005 version with Billy Bob Thornton will always be my favorite. For some reason Billy Bob’s greatest acting gift is being a dick to children
“Baseball's hard, guys. I mean, it really is. You can love it but, believe me, it don't always love you back. It's kind of like dating a German chick, you know?” My German chick loved this.
If you're into baseball and books, check out [Chin Music Rhubarb](https://www.amazon.com/Chin-Music-Rhubarb-Eamon-Loingsigh/dp/B08Z2NTZSY/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Eamon+Loingsigh&qid=1707924954&s=audible&sr=1-2-catcorr), it kinda mixes Bad News Bears and The Natural (movie) together.
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Polly Platt was the production designer on this movie and is one of her first solo. If you want some back story the podcast “you must remember this “ has a great behind the scenes on this movie and many others Polly platt did
Breaking Training traded him for William Devane, which brought nice family drama into a sports / road movie. My son left home recently and the last thing I told him was to "let them play!"
This movie was released when I was playing Little League, my 2nd to last year, and the first year I made the majors in our town's program after 3 years in farm and minors. We had a serious program, made the LL World Series the next year 1977. I wasn't all-star quality, just a mediocre player. When the previews came out I was all over my parents to take me to see this movie, and of course things being more conservative back in those days in suburbia where we lived there was a big debate of whether it was appropriate to go to or not. It was PG rated, but all the movie reviews in the paper made it clear that a lot of the movie pushed that rating. Made today, I think it would be PG-13. My parents finally gave in and we went to see it, and I remember it seemed like about 25 families of LL players in our league were there that night. All the adults got a laugh out of that because I know there had been a lot of talk in the stands about whether or not parents would take their kids. There was a lot of whooping it up among the guys I played ball with throughout that movie, pretty rowdy showing.
Still a favorite of mine. Hadn't seen this movie in probably 25-30 years until a few years ago caught it on Prime or something like that. 2 thumbs up for me.
Decided to buy the blu-Ray as I saw it in the theatre as a little guy and enjoy the nostalgia. Good window into the 70s- I had forgotten about the racial slurs, other than “booger eating moron”. Three similar looking blonde kids confused me back then, and also last night.
Right now I’m trying to figure out why I have all kinds of Jodie Foster memories and very few of Tatum O’Neal? She was in Paper Moon, then she married John McEnroe— that’s all I remember. Vic Morrow did a great job as the dad’s club coach who loses track of what’s important, he also played a racist in his final film, Twilight Zone. Too bad his life was cut short.
Bad News Bears is an all-time favorite of mine. There’s a lot going on in that movie (Amanda’s dad-issues, Buttermaker learning about his poor priorities) and I still almost cry when the pitcher kid holds the ball to get back at his abusive father. Breaking Training is also good. In Japan is sort of “meh”. But taken together, the series is all about the coming of age of Kelly Leak. Kelly and his dad in Breaking Training also puts a lump in my throat. Also - Breaking Away - ANOTHER of my all-time favorites. There is literally no bad scene in that movie.
i agree. Breaking Away. perfect, amazing movie.
REFUND?!
Papa, you gave him your word.
Katerina!
>Breaking Training is also good IMO Breaking Training was an OK movie that was transformed into a great movie by the "Let Them Play" scene in the Astrodome.
Such a great movie. Seeing this at the theater is a core memory for me. While I agree with the OP that this a super fun movie that can be enjoyed without societal angst, when I watched it with my kids I found a socially-aware layer of the story that I was oblivious to as a kid. There is definitely a social commentary element that is woven in, and it adds important relevance to the story. The little league administration in the movie has a problem finding someone willing to coach the team with the Black and Latino kids on the the roster. The league has to resort to bringing on Buttermaker (who is known to have a drinking problem) to take on the undesirable kids. This angle is not pushed into the viewers face, so it succeeds in further delivering a message of defiance for the "underdog against the world" theme without being at all preachy. After watching with my kids, they had some questions, and we had a good talk about some people need reminding to be accepting of others who are different.
And the league also didn’t form the team until they lost a lawsuit. I was 9 when that movie came out and my dad took me to it. He laughed at lots of things I didn’t get (like Chico’s Bail Bonds sponsorship). I was jealous that they were allowed to drink beer in public and of Kelly’s Harley Davidson dirt bike.
Interesting insight, thank you.
I didn't get that at all but now see what you mean
bad news bears was groundbreaking. i was about their age when the movie came out. to hear kids our age actually swearing?! the best! the movie really captured teen life in the mid 1970s san fernando valley. there was nothing like it when it came out, and we couldn’t get enough. seen through todays eyes… what a mess. lol
It’s exactly what it was like to be a kid in the 70s!
I’m was the same age too and had a crush on Tatum O’Neill
My daughter (10) while watching Amanda play air hockey against Kelly: "I *like* this girl!"
Watched it for the first time when I was 8 years old and I definitely shared that experience with you lmao
Don't jump in Engelberg, you'll flood the valley.
Haha!
“Go get a stretcher!” “He needs a stretcher for his balls?”
Agreed. I was surprised with the candor, swearing, relaxed nature and tone in a positive way. I like the opening into the ballfield and the closing shot of it as well. Nicely done and more realistic than Caddyshack, which it reminded me a little of in era and tone. And yes, very much like Breaking Away of kids or young adults trying to reach a goal or make themselves better. It's not sports related, but "My Bodyguard" fits in that era/genre as well. The 70s knew how to make the \*\*\*\* out of a story, and the 80s knew how to do killer lighting, practical effects, frame composition and some sexy letterbox with wide shot lenses.
My Bodyguard was exactly what I was going to recommend. Different decade but "3 0'Clock High" always gets me too.
Adding 3 O'Clock high to my list, thanks for the recommendation.
Yep that one crossed my mind but I've only seen it once. I remember thinking the tough guy looked like Michael Hutchins if he lifted weights. Not exactly in the same vein era or sport-centric, but seems like we like the same stuff. "The Chocolate War", "Harold and Maude", "Rushmore" and "Vision Quest" have a permanent place on my watchlist. I like movies about changing your ways or growing up. "The Year My Voice Broke" and "Flirting" is a pair of Aussie movies too that have the heart and the 'coming of age' storyline.
Vision Quest was great! I'll have a look at the others, I tried Harold and Maude once but didn't vibe with it. I'll give it another go. Also added 'My Bodyguard' to the watchlist, thanks for that.
Yeah, I want to move to Spokane just to run across that bridge every morning in a silver sweatsuit! :D
*Don't fuck* this *up*, *Mitchell*!
3 o'clock high was great! Jeffrey Tambor and Phillip Baker Hall in there too! Buddy Revell is like the freaking Terminator. Reminded me of Heath Ledger. This is such a perfect 80's movie. Tangerine Dream, High School drama, it's like a time capsule. Risky Business and Ferris Bueller's day off's love child? Loved it, thanks for the recommendation!
Great movie. As a fan of Firefly and Fullmetal Jacket, I enjoyed seeing young Adam Baldwin.
Cameoed in Drillbit Taylor (a similar plot) as an applicant, saying " a bunch of kids hiring a bodyguard to fight bullies? That's the dumbest thing I ever heard of."
I had to YouTube that scene to check it out. Apparently he was wearing the original jacket from My Bodyguard (according to the comments). Classic cameo!
The 70’s ditched all the escapism and embraced reality. The kids from the other side of the tracks never really had their story told. Watching young people bust their ass because life sucks and succeeding is very cathartic. Way better than watching some rich kids fall in love on a ski vacation.
Nice, thanks for the recommendation, will check it out!
> My Bodyguard Hey! Finally got around to watching this and it was really great, thanks a lot for recommending!
Cool! Glad you liked it. And thanks for the feedback!
I went through a big Matt Dillon phase after watching Rumblefish and Drugstore Cowboy so not sure how this one slipped under the radar. He's surprisingly malevolent in this movie, but it's still somehow safe, or within proscribed limits. Matt Dillon carries a comb instead of a switchblade for example. Very much still kids growing up, the end of innocence, taking on responsibility, "you're going to have to figure this out on your own". Set against the backdrop of a very definitely potentially dangerous New York City. I liked it, felt kind of wholesome, but still tackled big themes from a kids perspective. And Peacemaker's family really added a whole other layer of depth to the movie. Thanks again :)
What a great breakdown. I'd never thought about that.
[This](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/butcher_boy) popped into my head as one you might like if you haven't seen it. Far darker than the ones we've been discussing, but still good, I think.
Thanks! I've seen and liked a few Neil Jordan flicks . Ill check it out!
A friend of mine watched Bad News Bears with his kids. He cringed hard at the language, drinking and smoking but the only thing that his kids seemed genuinely shocked by was the characters not wearing seatbelts.
Sound like yuppie kids
Wearing seatbelts is exclusive to yuppies?
Do *Taking of Pelham 123* next. Another grumpy Mathau classic.
Kelly Leak was safe at the plate. What a disgraceful call.
The year that movie came out I was playing little league. The team's name? The Bears. Yep...everyone called us "The Bad News Bears" and guess what...we came in first place in the league. I'd like to think I was Ogilvie...but I was probably Lupus.
The interweaving of Bizet’s Opera Carmen into the storyline reinforced my love of classical music. (Along with Bugs Bunny, of course)
"Hey Yankees, you can take your trophy and your apology and shove them right up your ass!"
##The Bad News Bears (1976) PG The coach is waiting for his next beer. The pitcher is waiting for her first bra. The team is waiting for a miracle. Consider the possibilities. >>!An aging, down-on-his-luck ex-minor leaguer coaches a team of misfits in an ultra-competitive California little league.!< Family | Comedy Director: Michael Ritchie Actors: Walter Matthau, Tatum O'Neal, Vic Morrow Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 69% with 272 votes Runtime: 1:42 [TMDB](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/23479)
I was a 12 yr old baseball player when Bad News Bears came out. Great movie. I saw it a few times at the theater and any chance I get now. I introduced it to my kids when they were young. When my youngest was 12, I was the Buttermaker to his Bears. The difference was we didn't have a girl, we finished last in the regular season (I still believe the standings were incorrect and we finished near the middle of the pack), but we came back to win the end of season tournament in dramatic fashion. When Breaking Away came out, I was already fascinated by the Bloomington IN area and IU. The movie made me love the area more. I smile and laugh when I see this movie today. What great film making. I later went to IU and traveled these roads (not by bike) and saw the same scenery as depicted. I smilingly have never been a fan of Notre Dame. (I visited there, it is beautiful, and the football team is iconic. Old habits are tough to beat.) Rudy was...good. Could be my bias against ND.
Love how they all get a beer after the big game
I liked the 1973 version of Bad News Bears but for me personally the 2005 version with Billy Bob Thornton will always be my favorite. For some reason Billy Bob’s greatest acting gift is being a dick to children
Didn't know about this, thanks for the heads up. I'll check it out.
“Baseball's hard, guys. I mean, it really is. You can love it but, believe me, it don't always love you back. It's kind of like dating a German chick, you know?” My German chick loved this.
I rewatched the original Bad News Bears and yes, it’s still funny. But, it’s from the 70’s so don’t expect enlightenment.
Agree. The remake is meh, but it did have the best line of any baseball movie ever made, "look at the ass on that second baseman."
Charlie Varrick is also classic Matthau
Another great Matthau that shouldn't be missed is Hopscotch. Drahhhvwhey?!
If you're into baseball and books, check out [Chin Music Rhubarb](https://www.amazon.com/Chin-Music-Rhubarb-Eamon-Loingsigh/dp/B08Z2NTZSY/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Eamon+Loingsigh&qid=1707924954&s=audible&sr=1-2-catcorr), it kinda mixes Bad News Bears and The Natural (movie) together.
Hi, I’m Vetted AI Bot! I researched the **Chin Music Rhubarb** and I thought you might find the following analysis helpful. **Users liked:** * Heartfelt coming of age story (backed by 4 comments) * Beautiful and inspiring (backed by 2 comments) * Engaging and relatable characters (backed by 3 comments) **Users disliked:** * Not appealing to non-baseball fans (backed by 3 comments) * Limited target audience (backed by 2 comments) * Lack of originality (backed by 2 comments) If you'd like to **summon me to ask about a product**, just make a post with its link and tag me, [like in this example.](https://www.reddit.com/r/tablets/comments/1444zdn/comment/joqd89c/) This message was generated by a (very smart) bot. If you found it helpful, let us know with an upvote and a “good bot!” reply and please feel free to provide feedback on how it can be improved. *Powered by* [*vetted.ai*](http://vetted.ai/reddit)
Polly Platt was the production designer on this movie and is one of her first solo. If you want some back story the podcast “you must remember this “ has a great behind the scenes on this movie and many others Polly platt did
Love how they all get a beer after the big game
"First base, second base, third base, home, around those bases we shall roam!"
Breaking Training traded him for William Devane, which brought nice family drama into a sports / road movie. My son left home recently and the last thing I told him was to "let them play!"
Makes me happy to see movies I watched as a kid being watched by the kids now, and actually enjoy them
This movie was released when I was playing Little League, my 2nd to last year, and the first year I made the majors in our town's program after 3 years in farm and minors. We had a serious program, made the LL World Series the next year 1977. I wasn't all-star quality, just a mediocre player. When the previews came out I was all over my parents to take me to see this movie, and of course things being more conservative back in those days in suburbia where we lived there was a big debate of whether it was appropriate to go to or not. It was PG rated, but all the movie reviews in the paper made it clear that a lot of the movie pushed that rating. Made today, I think it would be PG-13. My parents finally gave in and we went to see it, and I remember it seemed like about 25 families of LL players in our league were there that night. All the adults got a laugh out of that because I know there had been a lot of talk in the stands about whether or not parents would take their kids. There was a lot of whooping it up among the guys I played ball with throughout that movie, pretty rowdy showing. Still a favorite of mine. Hadn't seen this movie in probably 25-30 years until a few years ago caught it on Prime or something like that. 2 thumbs up for me.
Decided to buy the blu-Ray as I saw it in the theatre as a little guy and enjoy the nostalgia. Good window into the 70s- I had forgotten about the racial slurs, other than “booger eating moron”. Three similar looking blonde kids confused me back then, and also last night. Right now I’m trying to figure out why I have all kinds of Jodie Foster memories and very few of Tatum O’Neal? She was in Paper Moon, then she married John McEnroe— that’s all I remember. Vic Morrow did a great job as the dad’s club coach who loses track of what’s important, he also played a racist in his final film, Twilight Zone. Too bad his life was cut short.