Overview
A ragtag group of misfits learns to believe in themselves through the power of teamwork and baseball.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- irreverent
- witty
- scruffy
- family movie night
- sports movie marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a sharply written, highly entertaining sports comedy elevated by Walter Matthau's performance and its memorable ensemble of young players.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Bears begin as disheveled players with almost no talent and gradually become a functioning team.
Morris Buttermaker accepts coaching for money, but his relationship with the children gradually becomes more meaningful.
Amanda, Kelly, and the other Bears gain confidence while preparing to face their nemesis in championship competition.
The film presents little league baseball, neighborhood settings, and the children's uneven abilities in a grounded comic style.
Films like The Bad News Bears, and why
A League of Their Own
underdog sports comedy centered on a mismatched youth team and an abrasive coach
The Mighty Ducks
warm, irreverent coming-of-age sports comedy with a charismatic coach and outsider children
Hoosiers
ensemble youth sports comedy balancing competition, misfit camaraderie, and adult mentorship
Movie Details
- Director
- Michael Ritchie
- Release Date
- 1976-04-06
- Runtime
- 102 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (357)
Cast
- Walter Matthau
- Tatum O'Neal
- Vic Morrow
- Joyce Van Patten
- Ben Piazza
- Jackie Earle Haley
- Alfred Lutter
- Chris Barnes
- Erin Blunt
- Gary Lee Cavagnaro
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Bad News Bears about?
- A cynical ex-ballplayer turns a hopeless California little league team into a scrappy contender while learning to care about his young players.
- What is The Bad News Bears like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Bad News Bears as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Bad News Bears violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Bad News Bears as mild.
- What did critics think of The Bad News Bears?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a sharply written, highly entertaining sports comedy elevated by Walter Matthau's performance and its memorable ensemble of young players.
- Which films are like The Bad News Bears?
- Films with a similar feel include A League of Their Own, The Mighty Ducks, and Hoosiers.
- How long is The Bad News Bears?
- The Bad News Bears runs 102 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Bad News Bears?
- In United States, The Bad News Bears is available to rent or buy from JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand.
