Mystery, Alaska (1999)

When it comes to the subject of community, David E. Kelley--the prolific writer-producer behind television's The Practice and Ally McBeal--falls somewhere on a continuum between directors Howard Hawks and Robert Benton. While Hawks's professional characters are bound by a knowledge of how to do what they do even if they don't know why, Benton's people, professional or not, have long ago substituted their own eccentric reasons for that elusive why. Thus we get the kind of in-house, oddball rituals sandwiched between passages of actual work on Ally, and the affectionately entangled personal and professional ties between small-town folks in Kelley's earlier TV series Picket Fences.

Kelley's script for Mystery, Alaska (co-authored by Sean O'Byrne) takes that level of eccentricity to a geographical and spiritual extreme. The film revives the hackneyed Rocky formula, setting a lopsided hockey match within a remote, self-contained hamlet where the members of a tiny population all have to wear multiple hats and still keep neighborly ties intact. The story concerns the town's chief source of identity and pride: so-called "Saturday games," in which local men divide into teams and play pond hockey for the locals. When a prodigal son (Hank Azaria) of Mystery shows up with a television network offer to bring the New York Rangers in for a televised match against the homegrown team, the town fathers agree. Coaching falls to the town sheriff, John Biebe (Russell Crowe), an admirable man and a longtime player recently bumped from the team. John, however, doesn't want the job: everyone knows the real coach in those parts is Judge Burns (Burt Reynolds), but he wants no part of it either. All of that changes after a sad tragedy forces everyone to reevaluate their positions and pull together in order to beat the Rangers.

Following the success of Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Jay Roach proves to be an able director of drama, swift action, and low-key, character-driven comedy not unlike that in Benton's Nobody's Fool. He has to deal with some pure corn at the end, but Roach pulls it off and guides the actors to and through far better moments. --Tom Keogh Amazon.com

great film, great service

It was shipped quickly, and I really appreiciate that. Great seller. I would deffinately buy from them again. August 24, 2008

Great family movie

This is a great family . It has great actors and they all seem to work well together. My first copy was destroyed due to to many viewings. But,Just replaced it. It is a must see. July 23, 2008

A MUST for Hockey Fans!!

"This is a hockey town." If you care even just a little about this sport, you must see this movie. July 19, 2008

surprising

I wasn't going to purchase this film because as others stated it included Burt Reynolds and Russell Crowe and it was about hockey, but I happened to catch it on one of the movie channels and found that I actually enjoyed it. It's listed as a drama/comedy but there is more drama than comedy. Perhaps if there had been more comedy I would give it the full 5 stars but as I stated Mr's Reynolds and Crowe and hockey aren't my cup of tea. Still it had a lot going for it and is worth seeing. June 11, 2008

Mystery Alaska

I wasn't sure if I would like this movie because I do not like Russell Crowe at all. The only reason I agreed to sit through it was that the rest of the ensemble cast was so good. I ended up enjoying this film. Who doesn't like a film where you can root for the underdog? The hockey team in Mystery, Alaska ends up playing an exhibition game against the New York Rangers. Everyone has the same question - can they compete? This is a movie that can appeal to many because while there are some very funny moments, there is also a lot of drama.
March 30, 2008

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