The director is Richar Linklater, who unfortunately breaks his streak of of alternating entertaining, wide release comedies, with small, dramatic gems.

Linkleter had been on quite a roll lately, with "Before Sunset" and the "School of Rock". But here he doesn't really use his considerable visual or musical skills, instead he seems to be content to use remixed versions of the originals' soundtrack, and sometimes remixed versions of the same scenes.

Unfortunately, some of these scenes lack the clear motivations of the first film, which brings to the forefront the the question of reasons for a remake, and this one in particular. Remakes can often give new dimensions or different points of view to the original story, but the main differences here seem to be the occupation of Buttermaker, and the sponsor of the Bears. The only other difference is the casting of Billy Bob Thorton in the lead.

Thorton slinks through the movie like the old pro that he is, his easy going performance ingrates him to the kids, and the audience. Thorton has played this kind of character before, especially in "Bad Santa", but here he doesn't reveal his self loathing until much later in the movie, and only when provoked by his daughter, the Bear's star pitcher. Baseball is probably the only sport besides billiards that a major league player could convincingly turn into Thorton. He looks legitimate throwing pitches to the kids, even when he gets so drunk he begins to bean them.

The kids are good, but not as memorable as the ones in the original, or even in Linklater's own "School Of Rock". You sometimes catch these kids acting, instead of just spontaneously being. The best performance goes to Timmy Deters, who plays Tanner as the kid with the most anger, even if he is the smallest. Like any group, the kids begin to look out for each other, and become united against a common enemy, the Yankees. Just like in real life (at least up until last year), the Yankees seem unbeatable, especially with their self obsessed coach, played by Greg Kinnear. Kinnear does nice work as a one of those little league coaches who seem to define their own lives by the success/failure of their son's team, and goes way overboard in an attempt to influence it.

So, in the end, a remake should be judged by the same qualities as an original movie. Is it entertaining? Is it technically competent? Does it break any new ground in the way it tells its story, or presents its characters? "Bad News Bears" only really accomplishes the first item, and when compared against the original, its deficiencies in the other categories become readily apparent. But, if the kids can enjoy the game even if they lose, then I can enjoy the movie, even if it isn't the most original of remakes.