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Mystery, Alaska
Mystery, Alaska
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Jay Roach
Written by	David E. Kelley; Sean O'Byrne
Produced by	David E. Kelley
Starring	Russell Crowe; Hank Azaria; Mary McCormack; Lolita Davidovich; Ron Eldard; Colm Meaney; Maury Chaykin; Burt Reynolds;
Cinematography	Peter Deming
Edited by	Jon Poll
Music by	Carter Burwell
Production; company	Hollywood Pictures
Distributed by	Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Release date	October 1, 1999;
Running time	119 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$28 million
Box office	$8.9 million

Mystery, Alaska is a 1999 American sports comedy-drama film, directed by Jay Roach, about an amateur ice hockey team from the fictional small town of Mystery that plays an exhibition game against the National Hockey League (NHL)'s New York Rangers. It stars Russell Crowe, Hank Azaria and Burt Reynolds, with Mary McCormack, Lolita Davidovich, Ron Eldard, Colm Meaney, Maury Chaykin, Scott Grimes and Kevin Durand in supporting roles. It was shot in Canmore, Alberta, mostly in what is today known as Quarry Lake Park.^[1]

Plot

In Mystery, Alaska, "the Saturday Game", a weekly hockey game, is played on an open pond. The entire town turns out every week to watch. The latest edition of Sports Illustrated features an article which says that in the ability to skate, the Mystery team rivals any team in the National Hockey League (NHL).

The mayor tells one of the players, Sheriff John Biebe, that he is being dropped from the Game, in favor of teenager Stevie Weeks. Meanwhile, Connor Banks, the team's best player, gets into an argument with a representative checking out the town for Price World (a business chain embodying a threat to local business). Connor fires a shot to frighten him, but the bullet ricochets and hits the rep in the foot. Because of the article, the NHL suggested that the New York Rangers be brought up to Mystery to play the town's team in a televised exhibition game.

The mayor wants John to coach: Judge Burns, Birdie's father, has refused to do so. John says that he does not know how to coach.

Connor Banks' arraignment is brought before Burns, and his attorney Bailey Pruit accepts a trial date for the following week. Connor does not want a trial so soon because, if he loses, he will miss the upcoming game. Bailey tells him not to worry, because no jury will lock up the town's star player. At Connor's trial, Bailey asks the victim, Mr. Walsh, what he thinks of Mystery and asks him to confirm verbatim transcripts of his disparaging the town. The jury delivers a "not guilty" verdict. Amid much jubilation, Burns angrily addresses those assembled, saying that they have exalted the hockey game above what is right, disgracing themselves and his courtroom. Birdie confronts him in his chambers, feeling that Burns has always been ashamed of him for staying in town to play hockey, instead of going to college.

It emerges that the Rangers players are not keen to play the match, which they disparage as a joke. Crew from the TV network want to call the team the Mystery Eskimos, to which John and the mayor take offense. John asks Burns to coach, to no avail.

The Rangers players file a grievance with their players' union, so they are no longer coming. Burns tells Bailey that there is a hearing in New York over the legal dispute. He says that it might be useful for Mystery to have a presence, and suggests legal arguments Bailey could use.

At the hearing, Bailey makes an impassioned plea for the game to continue. However, he suffers a fatal heart attack while arguing the case. Before dying, he wins the case, and the game is back on. John confronts Burns, saying that since he sent Bailey to New York, he now has to take over coaching. Burns agrees only if John comes back on the team as captain.

The Rangers players arrive and are greeted by the mayor and townsfolk. John must deal with Charles “Charlie” Danner, the article's author and a native of Mystery, driving drunkenly on a Zamboni. They talk, and Charlie reveals his bitterness towards Mystery, which he believes has rejected him.

During the match, the Mystery team take time to settle, but eventually go ahead two goals to nothing in the first period. One of the goals is scored by Stevie. In the second period, the Rangers score five unanswered goals. Birdie costs the team a goal through his desire to “go it alone” when he should have passed. Unwilling to accept defeat, Mystery scores two goals in the third period, including one from a pass that Birdie makes instead of shooting for goal himself. As the clock ticks down, Connor has a chance to level the scores, but his shot hits the crossbar. The game is over, with the score 5 – 4 for the Rangers. Both the Mystery team and spectators appear deflated until Burns claps, after which even the Rangers players applaud them.

The following day the Rangers leave. Stevie Weeks and Connor Banks fly out with them, having been given minor league contracts. Afterwards, John places the game puck on Bailey's grave.

Cast

Russell Crowe as Sheriff John Biebe
Hank Azaria as Charles Danner
Mary McCormack as Donna Biebe
Lolita Davidovich as Mary Jane Pitcher
Ron Eldard as Matt "Skank" Marden
Colm Meaney as Mayor Scott R. Pitcher
Maury Chaykin as Bailey Pruitt
Michael McKean as Mr. Walsh
Judith Ivey as Mrs. Joanne Burns
Burt Reynolds as Judge Walter Burns
Scott Grimes as Brian "Birdie" Burns
Adam Beach as Galin Winetka
Ryan Northcott as Stevie Weeks
Kevin Durand as "Tree" Lane
Brent Stait as Kevin Holt
Megyn Price as Sarah Heinz
Rachel Wilson as Marla Burns
Beth Littleford as Janice Pettiboe
Joshua Silberg as Michael Biebe
Regan Sean O'Byrne Macelwain as Joey Biebe
Michael Buie as Connor Banks
Jason Gray-Stanford as Bobby Michan
Leroy Peltier as Ben Winetka
Shaun Johnston as District Attorney Doloff
Cameron Bancroft as "Tinker" Connolly
Terry David Mulligan as Dr. Henry Savage
Mike Myers as Donnie Shulzhoffer
Jim Fox as himself
Phil Esposito as himself
Little Richard as himself
L. Scott Caldwell as Judge McGibbons
Steve Levy as himself
Barry Melrose as himself

Production

In May 1997, it was reported Walt Disney Pictures had acquired David E. Kelley penned spec script The Game about a small Alaskan town whose ice hockey team that comes to unexpected attention when they suddenly find themselves playing a match against the New York Rangers and described as a mixture of Picket Fences and The Mighty Ducks.^[2] In August of that year, Jay Roach was announced as director for the film which was in the process of undergoing a name change to avoid confusion with The Game at PolyGram Films.^[3] In October, it was announced Russell Crowe was in talks to star in the film.^[4]

Reception

Mystery, Alaska received mixed reviews. Along with the original consensus "The lack of hockey action and authenticity left critics cold," Rotten Tomatoes ranked the movie with 38%.^[5] It had very poor take-ins as well, grossing only $8,891,623, against an estimated budget of $28 million.

References

^ "'Mystery, Alaska' Sports a Few Surprises" by Edvins Beitiks (San Francisco Examiner, 10/1/99) and "Jay Roach, Man of Mystery" by Joshua Mooney (Entertainment News Wire), both stored online at http://www.maximumcrowe.net/maxcrowe_mapress.html, Retrieved 19-Sep-2013
^ "Disney wins Kelley's 'Game'". Variety. Archived from the original on January 1, 2025. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
^ "Roach wins 'Game'". Variety. Archived from the original on January 1, 2025. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
^ "Kelley pic puts 'L.A.'s' Crowe on puck patrol". Variety. Retrieved January 1, 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^ "Mystery, Alaska - Rotten Tomatoes". Rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2012-05-31.