Very disappointed :(

Please don't spend money on this.

Excellent but underrated film

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

In Mystery, Alaska, hockey is the pride and joy of the residents of the small town. Their hockey game every Saturday is the greatest entertainment of the locals that are proud of their amateur team. When the reporter Charles Danner (Hank Azaria), who moved to New York many years ago, returns to Mystery by helicopter, he meets Mayor Scott Pitcher (Colm Meaney) and proposes a game against the powerful New York Rangers to be broadcast live. The captain of the team and sheriff John Biebe (Russell Crowe) is cautious and warns that the other team is professional and their team might become a national joke and destroy the proud of the locals. But Mystery challenges the Rangers and the Mayor invests money building a facility around the pond for the game. Meanwhile Charles rekindles the feelings of his former high- school sweetheart Donna Biebe (Mary McCormack), who is married with John with three children. While the hockey players live their daily problems and dramas, the Rangers call off the event bringing frustration to the population of Mystery. But the lawyer Bailey Pruitt (Maury Chaykin) travels to New York to defend the game in court and the challenge is scheduled. Who will win the game?"Mystery, Alaska" is a surprisingly great film and certainly better than any viewer can expect. The storyline has many subplots, some of them funny but others dramatic. The cast is excellent and the hockey game is engaging. In the end, the hockey game is only the motive to see pleasant subplots. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Esquentando o Alasca" ("Heating the Alaska")

It goes without saying that "Mystery, Alaska" is all about hockey, but the spin on that is that it's about more than the sport and that's the difference maker between a good and great sports film. "Mystery" falls somewhere in between those compliments, but transcending hockey is what this movie can hang its skates on. The title says it all. Instead of being called "cliche underdog title," or "intense sports words" it simply refers to the town it takes place in, because that's what's at its heart. Even if the sexual humor is completely awkward and the swearing uncalled for, this movie is about the pride of a small town whose very existence centers around hockey.For one thing, it's worth mentioning that "Mystery, Alaska" is not based on a true story. Thank goodness. Just because a story is true doesn't make it a great sports movie. "Mystery" takes all the best elements of an underdog sports story and blends them with this small- town concept by David E. Kelly ("Doogie Howser," "Allie McBeal" and "The Practice" creator) and Sean O'Byrne.Russell Crowe stars as the veteran anchor of the city hockey team as well as the town sheriff of Mystery, Alaska, where everyone knows everyone and hockey is all that matters. Charlie (Hank Azaria), who grew up in Mystery but flew the nest to be a journalist, writes a piece on the team in Sports Illustrated that captures the interest of the NHL: They want the New York Rangers to fly out to Mystery and play the Alaskans. Meanwhile we learn how word spreads in a town like Mystery. One player aptly named Skank is having an affair with the mayor's wife, the youngest player and his girlfriend try becoming sexually active to awkward results and Charlie's presence creates some conflict between John (Crowe) and his wife (Mary McCormack). There's also a lawsuit pending against the sharpshooter of the team because he shot a corporate bigwig in the foot. It's funny but kind of a sad moment when the jury reads the verdict of not guilty with a sly smile and everyone rejoices because without that player, the Mystery team would have surely lost.The small-town politics might be kind of goofy and the random sexual remarks puzzling, but it gives "Mystery" a soul and keeps it from being dependent on game footage. There's a little bit of game footage early on and then not until the face off with the Rangers. Those scenes become that much more interesting when they don't dominate the film -- a way too common error of most sports movies. Although there is a training montage and a slow clap in this movie, the intention is well and the heart still there."Mystery" has some classic moments for a sports film and that's all you can ask for. It might not be the sports epic that "Miracle" became five years later, but it has that genuinely friendly small-town sensibility making it not only unique, but also less glamorized. It's easy to excuse a film with this much heart of all its quirks and flaws.~Steven CVisit my site http://moviemusereviews.com

I had no idea at the time that I would enjoy a movie about hockey, and I was right, because this movie had nothing really to do with hockey.It's a great character based movie about a small town that makes it big and the reason the town makes it big is because of it's people. It's a great rocky type movie that makes you root for a small town and it's wonderful characters. Russell Crowe is excellent as well as the entire cast and a great turn by Burt Reynolds as the town judge and coach. This is a very well crafted, witty , warm and realistic and just a charming movie overall. Don't let the hockey fool you, this is a movie about people and a quite enjoyable movie I may add.

After all the frivolous lightweight movies Burt Reynolds has starred in, many people have forgotten that he started out as a dramatic actor(Deliverance, etc.). In this movie, he turns in a dignified, serious, very believable performance as one of the most respected residents of Mystery, Alaska, who feels compelled to speak out against what he believes will harm the town.Russell Crowe also turns in a first-rate performance as one of the town's best hockey players, who has to deal with being told that he is getting too old to play and that he should step down and allow younger players a chance. He also has to painfully deal with his wife's suspected infidelity.This is not a movie to let your children watch. There is quite a bit of bad language, and one character does considerable bragging about his sexual conquests.