The Bad News Bears Go to Japan

Plot

Small-time promoter/hustler Marvin Lazar (Curtis) sees a potential money-making venture in the Bears that will help him to pay off his debts. After seeing a TV spot about the Bears, he decides to chaperone the baseball team for a trip to Japan in their match against the country's best little league baseball team.

As implied in Breaking Training, the Bears had to defeat the Houston Toros for a shot at the Japanese champs. In the process, the trip sparks off a series of adventures and mishaps for the boys. A subplot involves the interest of Kelly Leak (Haley) in a local Japanese girl, and the cultural divide that comes to bear in that relationship.

About half of the original or "classic" lineup of Bears players return (many like Jose Agilar, Alfred Ogilvie, Timmy Lupus and Tanner Boyle are not featured). Three new players are featured: E.R.W. Tillyard III, Abe Bernstein and Ahmad's younger brother, Mustapha Rahim.

Cast

Tony Curtis as Marvin Lazar

Jackie Earle Haley** as Kelly Leak*

Tomisaburo Wakayama as Coach Shimizu

Antonio Inoki as Himself

Hatsune Ishihara as Arika

George Wyner as The Network Director

Lonny Chapman as Louis the Gambler

Matthew Anton as E.R.W. Tillyard, III (as Matthew Douglas Anton)

Erin Blunt** as Ahmad Rahim*

George Gonzales** as Miguel Agilar*

Brett Marx** as Jimmy Feldman*

David Pollock** as Rudi Stein*

Jeffrey Louis Starr*** as Mike Engelberg*

* Recurring character from previous Bad News Bears films** Recurring actor from previous Bad News Bears films*** Recurring actor from second Bad News Bears film only

Reception

The film has a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 15 reviews. Jackie Earle Haley considered it the worst movie ever made.

Home Media

The Bad News Bears Go to Japan was released on DVD February 12, 2002 by Paramount.