In September, 1999 two hockey movies exploded on the scene; Mystery, Alaska and H.E. Double Hockey Sticks. Oddly enough, H.E. Double Hockey Sticks was the better of the two, odd because H.E. was a cheap made for television movie.
Based on the opera Griffelkin', the film concerns a demon named Griffelkin, played by Will Friedle, who is sent up from the depths of hell to obtain the soul of a National Hockey League player named Dave Heinrich. The film chronicles the personal conflict within the demon as he grows more attached to the young hockey player and is eventually forced to choose between his loyalty to his friend or a betrayal to his eternal homeland. A betrayal that might lead to some dire consequences. The outcome is predictable but executed very well. A strange character known only as Gabriel(Gabrielle Union), an apprentice demon, manages to lead Griffelkin down the path of righteousness without ever making the intentions clear to him or the audience.
The Boy Meets World guys, Friedle and Lawrence, team up with some of the crew that brought us The Sixth Man for an action packed hockey movie. The film is good because it never takes itself seriously. The hockey scenes are all very well shot.
Rhea Perlman is great as Mrs. B, the dean of the Beelzebub Vocationary Institute a demon training school. Kim Greist is also good as Mary Antoinette. Greist manages to convey so much just with facial expressions alone. The stand-out of the film is Friedle whom I predict has a big future in the movies. Where he was merely good in Trojan War, in Sticks he absolutely owns the camera the second he walks on screen. I especially enjoyed his scenes with She's All That's, Gabrielle Union. The two have a definite chemistry that leaves you wanting more. Hopefully this isn't the last movie they do together.
The script is very good with lots of foreshadowing, symbolism, inside jokes and references to pop-culture.
Look for ESPN's Brad Nessler and hockey players Luc Robataille and Paul Kariya all in bit parts as themselves. Also look for Tyler Labine(Breaker High's Jimmy) as Mark in a small role. Trivia buffs will note that Mystery, Alaska(the other hockey movie) also starred Rachel Wilson, another Breaker High alumni.
