Mystery, Alaska

This movie is easy to bash because of its "underdog" formula, but this is one of the better spins I've ever seen put on it.

Mystery, Alaska is a small, ice-covered town that no one would ever have heard of were it not for former resident Charles Danner's (Hank Azaria) article on the "Saturday game" of hockey that has become a ritual in the town. Danner sings the town's hockey praises, likening their skating ability to that of "any team in the NHL," and the gods of fiction hear the call, arranging for an exhibition game between the New York Rangers and the Mystery players. This sets off storms of conflict and multiple subplots which give this film a depth normally not found in the genre. The hockey game itself is almost an afterthought, because while the players know how to play the game, they don't have the same mastery over their daily lives.

John Biebe (Russell Crowe) is the town sheriff and involuntarily-retired player from the Saturday game who is called upon to return to the team as their coach and as a player. His wife, Donna (Mary McCormack), is proud of the life she has built and slightly wistful about what the rest of the world would have held for her, but is content with what she has and does not live with her head in the clouds. Burt Reynolds is excellent as town judge Walter Burns, who must grapple with his teenage children, one of each gender, with the boy lacking the ambition Walter has for him, and the girl being a little too ambitious for his taste with her boyfriend. Colm Meany is the town Mayor who must deal with marital conflicts, and the remaining characters are what you'd expect to find in a closely-knit small town.

The game itself is more like something out of "The Air Up There" than any of the movies mentioned in the other reviews. In that movie, the Africans played basketball for much the same reason as the Mystery boys play hockey, and as in that movie, the talent pool from the area is rich enough for the pros to take more than a passing look at the players (two of the Mystery players wind up signing with the Rangers and playing for their minor-league outfit in Binghamton).

The players' main worry is that they'll get blown out by the Rangers, and shatter their illusions about their talent, but since the game is held on "their pond," where they believe "nobody beats them," they weren't about to back down. The Rangers, at first reluctant opponents who would rather have had some time with their families, get an early wake-up call in the game that causes them to remember why they played hockey in the first place, and take the game as seriously as a Stanley Cup final from then on. It is then that we see that while the Mystery players may lack the polish of the NHL, they are hardly outclassed.

As expected, the Zamboni makes a cameo, as does Mike Myers as a former player/announcer. The movie has the usual small-town hostility towards outsiders, including some ribald swipes at a female TV reporter, but throughout the movie, we see what makes this town tick, and how their commitment to hockey is one that every professional player should never lose. Sports may be a business, but in the end, the play is the thing, and this movie makes that point better than many of the better-known films that try to drive home the same point.

It's cold in the small hamlet of Mystery, Alaska, but there's plenty of warmth in `Mystery, Alaska,' the film, directed by Jay Roach, about the town and the sport that is ingrained in the collective consciousness of the community. Hockey is the game, and when a former resident, now a journalist, writes a story about Mystery's home-town team and their `Saturday Game,' and it ends up as a three page spread complete with pictures in Sports Illustrated, it has far reaching effects on the populace of this small dot on the map. Soon the town is turned upside down, embroiled in an event, the proportions of which, to them, are huge. Needless to say, it involves hockey and an encounter with a high-profile professional team. Yes, there is a lot of hockey in this movie, but be advised, this film is not `about' hockey; this is a movie about people– real people– and what makes them tick. Roach has crafted a thoroughly entertaining and emotional story of want and need, dignity and desire, obsession and love, and he's captured it all through the winning performances of a stellar ensemble cast, the most prominent of which is Russell Crowe. The charismatic Crowe, finally on his way to superstardom thanks to his turn in `Gladiator' plays John Biebe, Mystery's sheriff and captain of the hockey team. His rugged good looks and persona fit the character perfectly, and he puts all of his myriad personal resources to work to put it across, and that he does. Also notable is the personable Mary McCormack as John's wife, Donna, who does a great job of fleshing out the character of this woman who made what she deems to be the right choices in her life, without regrets or apologies to herself or anyone else. It's a refreshing portrayal, and the chemistry between her and Crowe is unmistakable. Also adding to the overall texture of this film are Hank Azaria, as Charles Danner, the journalist who gets the whole thing rolling; Burt Reynolds, as Judge Walter Burns, a man forced to deal with his own personal issues, which include a son, Birdie (Scott Grimes), a member of the hockey team; Colm Meany, as Scott Pitcher, Mayor of Mystery, and Lolita Davidovich as his wife, Mary Jane; Maury Chaykin, as Bailey Pruitt, the man who seems to personify the very essence of Mystery's spirit; and Ron Eldard as `Skank,' another member of the team who's good for two things–suffice to say that hockey is one of them. Mercifully, `Mystery, Alaska' never pursues the beat-the-dead-horse cliched mentality that sports `teaches one to be a team player and builds character.' Instead, Roach has given us a worthwhile, memorable movie with a human touch, and because of that, in the end these are people you care about, as individuals as well as a community. The climactic game is exciting and far from predictable, beginning with the celebrity they bring in to sing the National Anthem. This may not be one of Russell Crowe's biggest or highest profile movies, but this is one he's going to be able to look back upon with pride, because it's right up there with his best. Remember, you don't have to be a sports fan to enjoy this movie; all that's required is that you have a membership in the club know as Mankind. I rate this one 9/10.

The preview for this movie does not give the audience enough of an idea of how well this movie actually plays out. Russell Crowe is not just an ill-mannered detective from Los Angeles, or a Gladiator from ancient Rome; no, in Mystery, Alaska, he showed that he indeed has a nurturing, almost lovable side to him. Mystery is a small, quiet town located smack dab in the middle of Alaska. It is a town where hockey is the most important thing in their lives. There are special "Saturday Games" where the town's Mayor, and two other board members select a few townsfolk to play against each other for the enjoyment of the other townspeople. When an article about this town and their hockey playing is published in Sports Illustrated, The NHL decides that the N.Y. Rangers would play an exhibition game in Mystery, Alaska for a little publicity.

Throughout this movie, the people of Mystery band together and eventually play their game against the Rangers.... This movie is well worth the $3.79 to rent, if you weren't one of the lucky ones to see it in the theater. As much as I enjoyed this movie, there was one scene which was a little reminiscent of Varsity Blues. The acting is wonderful, and I think that everyone that gives this movie a chance will appreciate the great story.

Mystery Alaska was one of the best comedies to come along in 1999. In the best ensemble film fashion a truly eclectic cast forms the very core of the story that is Mystery, Alaska. Hank Azaria turns in a spectacular performance as "the ugly duckling" – a character not too popular who escaped the town for fame and fortune in television sports. He garners the small town some big time noteriety when the announces that the New York Rangers will challenge a game against the locals pond hockey team. Typical small town chaos ensues as all prepare for the big event.

Russell Crowe, Burt Reynolds, Lolita Davidovich, Ron Eldard, Colm Meaney, Mary McCormack all turn in fine performances contributing nicely to the oddities inherent in any small town.

While the story can seem a bit forced formulaic, David Kelly's script and Jay Roach's directing bring a freshness and satisfaction that made this one of 1999's best sleepers.

A most watchable feel good movie.

Not exactly for hockey, moral lesson, humor, performances. But for the lovely, realistic, sweet portrait of a place and its people. For the small incidents, friendship, jokes, sexual life, local pride and for Russel Crowe in his perfect role. It is a film about sport. But it has the science and courage to risk be more. A film about ordinary people front to a huge challenge. Giving the wise answer. A film about solidarity and force and love. And , sure, about local patriotism. In beautiful manner.