Mystery Alaska

What’s the Story?

In MYSTERY ALASKA, a small, hockey-worshipping town gets a chance to play the New York Rangers. Prodigal son Charles Danner (Hank Azaria), now a big city writer, attracts the Rangers with his article about the weekly game in Mystery, Alaska. The local judge (Burt Reynolds) cautions against it, but the citizens can't resist their chance at the big time. Local sheriff John Biebe (Russell Crowe), dropped from the team to make room for a high school student who skates like a rocket, agrees to coach. Everyone has issues to resolve – the judge is harsh and rigid, the high school kid and his girlfriend are exploring sex, the coach is also dealing with marital problems, the town lothario (Ron Eldard) is in hot water, a huge chain store is threatening local businesses, and those Rangers look awfully big up close.

Is It Any Good?

Mystery Alaskais a basic Rocky movie and a grown-up version of The Mighty Ducks. There's the basic redemption through sports plot, a loveable character's death, the healing of old wounds, important lessons of teamwork and pride, endearingly quirky players, resolved family problems, a young player just beginning and an older one about to hang up his skates, and at least one speech about how our guys don't play for money, they play for the love of the game!

Not that there's anything wrong with that. The reason that formulas endure is that they usually work, as long as the details are all right, it's not overtly manipulative, and nothing interferes with our ability to suspend disbelief. And here the details are pretty good, especially the feel of the remote, snowy town, where kids skate the river and make out in snowplows and everyone attends the weekly hockey game. And there are fine ensemble performances. The hockey game is pretty good, too. And there are a couple of very funny guest cameos to pick things up near the end.