The Bad News Bears should be required viewing for parents with kids currently in little league.
This is a movie mainly about cheering for the underdog, which we all like to do. But this film gets more than it bargains for. It is by far the most true to life movies about baseball on the little league level. The emotions of the kids and parents on and off the field, the vulgarities, and especially the way the parents take the fun out of playing baseball by putting enormous pressure on their kids, are all wonderfully portrayed here. Not to brag, but I was a little leaguer myself for several years, and I feel like an authority on the subject. I'm here to tell you that this movie nails it. My favorite aspect of the film, is how it deals with teamwork. You might not have the most skilled players, but if a team sticks together, they can work wonders.
And let's not forget the great performances by Walter Matthau, Tatum O'Neal and Vic Morrow. My favorite character in this movie though, was Tanner Boyle, the shortstop. He could practically be every kid I ever played on a little league team with. The next film where they play in the Astrodome was almost as good as the original, but don't waste your time with the one where they go to Japan.
