The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training (1977)

User Rating:

5.0/10   

Director:

Michael Pressman

Writers:

Paul Brickman (written by)
Bill Lancaster (characters)

Release Date:

8 July 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Sport

Tagline:

They've fired their coach. They've "borrowed" a van. They're on their way to the Houston Astrodome...with girls on their minds, cops on their tails, and the game of their lives at stake.

Plot:

A troubled, rebellious teen drives his rambunctious baseball team out to Houston where they play an exhibition game and the boy meets his estranged father, and hires him as the teams coach.

Plot Keywords:

Baseball | Sequel | Little League | Astrodome | Houston Astrodome

Cast

William Devane	...	Mike Leak
Clifton James	...	Sy Orlansky
Chris Barnes	...	Tanner Boyle
Jackie Earle Haley	...	Kelly Leak
Jimmy Baio	...	Carmen Ronzonni
Erin Blunt	...	Ahmad Abdul Rahim
George Gonzales	...	Miguel Agilar
Jaime Escobedo	...	Jose Agilar (as Jamie O. Escobedo)
Alfred Lutter III	...	Ogilvie (as Alfred Lutter)
Brett Marx	...	Jimmy Feldman
David Pollock	...	Rudi Stein
Quinn Smith	...	Timmy Lupus (The Big Looper)
David Stambaugh	...	Toby Whitewood
Jeffrey Louis Starr	...	Mike Engelberg
Lane Smith	...	Officer Mackle

Also Known As:

Breaking Training (Philippines: English title)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Astrodome - 8400 Kirby Drive, Houston, Texas, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The factory where Kelly Leak locates his father is located on Old Galveston Road south of Loop 610 west of Pasadena, Texas. In the film, the facility is the former location of Texas Pipe and Supply (now the Boccard Pipe and Supply company).

Goofs:

Errors in geography: As the bears are driving towards Houston from Los Angeles (Van Nuys), they are driving into a sunset, which sets in the west, not the east.

Quotes:

Carmen Ronzonni: By way of introduction, I'm what you call your basic versatile ball-thrower.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Godzilla vs. Megalon (#3.12)" (1991)

Soundtrack:

1812 Overture

Watchable sequel

"The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training" is a cute sequel to the classic original. By know means does it come close to it predecessor but it is a fun time waster.

The Bears head off,unchaperoned, to play an exhibition game at the Astrodome against the Texas state champs. (One major flaw is that it is never adequately explained why the Bears would be making the trip since they lost the championship game in the original). The usual juvenile hijinks ensue on the road as they make their way there.

Once there team leader Kelly Leak enlists the aid of his estranged father (nicely played by William Devane) to coach the team. This leads to the opening of some old wounds between the two. It's a nice distraction from the main story and handled well until the cornball, cliched scene where the hatchet is buried.

The big game is handled well with the Astrodome surroundings a big aid.

While Walter Matthau and Tatum O'Neal (the star pticher in this one is played by Jimmy Baio who is given nothing to do)are sorely missed, the cast does an adequate job of making the film amusing for kids.

The final result is a nice little film. The game is the best part but there are plenty of amusing moments (including the requisite bad language from the kids) to keep you mildly interested. If you don't agree, just take a peak at "The Bad News Bears Go To Japan." This film will look like a classic compared to that disaster.