As stated in the discussion of this category under "ethos," the acting is not all that central to The Bad News Bears. Walter Matthau has the hardest of the film's acting jobs, and he does an acceptable job of conveying Buttermaker's reluctance to allow himself to get too attached to the kids, his remorse at how he treats Amanda, and his realization that he was starting to take the game as seriously as the Yankees' coach. This was really all the acting that was neccessary to this film; creating a genuine connection with the characters was not overly important.

The acting in Hardball was much more important, and as discussed in the "ethos" section, everyone in the movie does a superb job. The same quality acting not only makes the movie believable, but it also makes the audience feel a connection with the characters and care what happens to them.