Bad News Bears

The 2005 American sports comedy film directed by Richard Linklater, written by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, is a remake of the 1976 film of the same name. The story centers on Morris Buttermaker (Billy Bob Thornton), a former minor league baseball player expelled from professional sports for attacking an umpire. Now working as an exterminator and leading a hedonistic lifestyle, he is approached by attorney Liz Whitewood (Marcia Gay Harden) to coach the "Bears," a team of inept and uncoordinated children, including her son Toby (Ridge Canipe). The team features colorful characters such as Mike Engelberg (Brandon Craggs), Tanner Boyle (Timmy Deters), Ahmad Abdul Rahim (Kenneth "K.C." Harris), and Timmy Lupus (Tyler Patrick Jones). To enhance the team's performance, Buttermaker recruits talented pitcher Amanda Whurlitzer (Sammi Kane Kraft), the daughter of one of his former girlfriends, and local troublemaker Kelly Leak (Jeffrey Davies). As the team improves, Buttermaker's unorthodox methods, including outings to Hooters, come into question. Ultimately, despite losing the championship, the team gains confidence and unity. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed approximately $34 million against a $35 million budget.