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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 11, 2005)
BY LOIS WADSWORTH Out to the Ball Game BAD NEWS BEARS : Directed by Richard Linklater. Written by Bill Lancaster, Glenn Ficarra, John Requa, based on the film written by Bill Lancaster. Produced by J. Geyer Kosinski, Richard Linklater. Executive producer, Marcus Viscidi. Cinematography, Rogier Stoffers. Production design, Bruce Curtis. Edited by Sandra Adair. Costume design, Karen Patch. Original music, Richard Shearmur. Music supervisor, Randall Poster. Starring Billy Bob Thornton, with Greg Kinnear and Marcia Gay Harden. Team: Sammi Kane Kraft, Jeffrey Davies, Timmy Deters, Brandon Craggs, Ridge Canipe, Tyler Patrick Jones, Aman Johal, Troy Gentile, Jeffrey Tedmori, Kenneth Harris, Carlos Estrada and Emmanuel Estrada. Paramount Pictures, 2005. PG-13. 111 minutes. F oul-mouthed movie kids almost always amuse me because the nov- elty of cursing gives the little tykes pitch-perfect phrasing. Likewise, Morris Buttermaker (Billy Bob Thornton), the Bears’ cussmaster and baseball coach, does- n’t miss an inflection or a beat but rolls ’em out like an old hand at the fine art of cursing. Best of all, the team’s unrelenting blue lan- guage feels just right for the sensibilities of this group of kids, most of whom would never get picked for a regular team and know it. Morris, who kills pests for a living, is a morally challenged individual. He’s certain- ly not above taking a bribe. He receives a mysterious envelope from one kid’s mother, Liz (Marcia Gay Harden), a lawyer, to work with these uncoachables and turn them into a team. Formidable Liz sued the school and the league to create this team so all the chil- dren who wanted to could play, and she turns a blind eye to Morris’s blatant boozing. She’s trying to help her son, Toby (Ridge Canipe), but the poor kid is so overscheduled he doesn’t know what he wants. After the movie was over, I was tickled to overhear a grandmother- ly woman ask the 7-year-old with her, “Now wasn’t that a good movie?” Raised in a hypocritical climate where certain words will get a person kicked out of school, the child may or may not have known how to reply. My expectations weren’t high for the movie, but I was not disap- pointed. Because the film is a remake, many critics will waste your time telling you the differences between Thornton and Walter Matthau’s performances or between how an actual baseball player, Sammi Kane Kraft, and actress Tatum O’Neal portrayed the Bears’ ace girl pitcher, Amanda. Everybody does just fine, thanks. The jokes have transferred almost 100 percent from the original film, with only the curious updating of the Bears’ team sponsor. In the older film, a bail bondsman pitched in and bought the team uniforms; now it’s a gentlemen’s club. The women who work in the club appear in full force for each game, serving as team cheerleaders and having a good time. It may be a stretch to imagine these women hanging out in the bleachers with all the town’s upright and uptight citi- Invites you and a guest to an advance screening of DEANA NEWCOMB, PARAMOUNT PICTURES 2005 Breaking down hypocrisy zens, but they add a bit of color to the game. Some of the kids stand out, notably Tanner (Timmy Deters). To use an adjective like “pugnacious” or “scrappy” to describe this kid is laughable. Tanner starts a fight faster than you can think, and he’s fearless. He’ll take on several bigger boys at once and keep slugging until they get tired and leave. Kelly (Jeff Davies) raises adolescent ’tude to new levels. The campus bad boy, Kelly’s also a great ball player. Naturally, he and Amanda hit it off. Engelberg (Brandon Craggs) is the team fat boy, who has to put up with a lot of guff. I looked for but didn’t find any trace of the Richard Linklater who made the inti- mate, romantic Before Sunset last year, but of course he wrote and directed that film. This is a “for hire” directorial job for Linklater, not something he has put his soul into. Well, that may not be true. Both he and Thornton actually played baseball, so they do know the game, or at least they know more than the Bears do. As these things go, Bad News Bears is not half bad. Thornton has the ability to make even middle-aged losers look good. He sleep- walks through the first half but improves after Buttermaker gets over himself. Arrogant coach Roy Bullock (Greg Kinnear) makes a perfect opponent for Buttermaker, and watch- ing them square off is rewarding. Bad News Bears has been around awhile. It’s now playing at Cinemark, but will sure- ly end up at Movies 12. Recommended for the simple vices it enjoys: cussing, fighting and irresponsibly driving a Caddy convert- ible while drinking. ew “Opa!” PENELOPE’S Mediterranean Cuisine Pick up your complimentary pass for two at the following locations: “KEEP ON DANCING CHEF!” Come Cruise the Med with us! Eugene Weekly, 1251 Lincoln “IT TASTES GREAT!” ✺ Best Moussaka West of Athens ✺ Vegetarian entrées also ✺ Imported Wines and Cocktails When the food tastes ( great, the Chef dances! ) (541) 341-3712 • 291 E. 5th Avenue Big City Gamin’, 1288 Willamette Laughing Planet, 760 Blair CARMIKE 12 CORVALLIS OR DOORS AND BOX OFFICE OPEN 12:30PM DAILY. Tuesday, August 16 • 7:00 PM Cinema World 8, Valley River Center Rated R for pervasive sexual content, language and some drug use. Photo ID will be necessary for admittance. Limit one pass per person. No purchase necessary. No phone calls. while supplies last. “THE OPENS 40 NATIONWIDE YEAR-OLD VIRGIN” ON AUGUST 19 SHOWTIMES FOR FRIDAY AUG. 12 THROUGH THURSDAY AUG. 18, 2005 Deuce Bigalow 2 R (1:00, 1:30, 3:05, 3:35, 5:10, 5:40) 7:15, 7:45, 9:20,9:50 Four Brothers R (1:40, 4:15) 7:05, 9:35 Skeleton Key PG-13 (1:55, 4:30) 7:10, 9:40 Dukes of Hazzard PG-13 Wedding Crashers R (1:20, 4:15) 7:10, 9:50 (1:00, 1:30, 3:25, 4:15, 5:50) Batman Begins PG-13 7:00, 8:15, 9:30, Sky High PG (1:55, 4:25) (1:00, 4:00) 7:00, 9:55 7:15, 9:40 () Bargain Shows Stealth PG-13 (1:00, 4:00) Advanced Tickets now on sale at theater and Fandango.com. 1-800-FANDANGO 7:00, 9:55 and our box office Bad News Bears PG-13 (1:30, 4:15) 7:00, 9:35 The Island PG-13 (1:45, 5:00) 8:10 AUGUST 11, 2005 27
