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Russell Crowe, Hank Azaria, Mary McCormack, Burt Reynolds, Colm Meaney ... see more see more... , Lolita Davidovich , Maury Chaykin , Ron Eldard , Ryan Northcott , Michael Buie , Kevin Durand , Scott Grimes , Judith Ivey , Rachel Wilson , Mike Myers , Joshua Silberg , Regan Sean O'Byrne-Macelwain , Jim Fox , Phil Esposito , Doug McLeod , Little Richard , Adam Beach , Cameron Bancroft

In this comic drama about fame, sports, and small-town life, Mystery, Alaska is a small town in one of the least accessible parts of the coldest state in the union. It's a town where everyone knows ea... read more read more...ch other and there isn't much to do. In places like this, small things tend to become very important, and in Mystery, the one thing that keeps everyone sane is hockey. Most of the men of Mystery are obsessive hockey fans, and a local hockey league has sprung up, with pools of neighborhood talent facing off on the ice every week. When a national sports magazine does a story on the hockey fans of Mystery, Alaska, someone at the National Hockey League gets an idea for a publicity stunt: send the New York Rangers to Mystery to play the local all-stars in a nationally televised game. Most of the locals are thrilled; the game will give the people of Mystery a chance to bask in the limelight and make their sleepy town a household word. On the other hand, in a small town where everyone knows everyone else's secrets, this event could cause everyone to start airing their dirty laundry in public, with the whole world watching. Mystery, Alaska was directed by Jay Roach, who enjoyed considerable success with the two Austin Powers films, and stars Russell Crowe as John Biebe, Mary McCormack as his wife Donna, Burt Reynolds as Judge Burns, and Lolita Davidovich as Mary Jane. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

65% liked it

31,353 ratings

Critics

38% liked it

81 critics

R, 1 hr. 55 min.

Directed by: Jay Roach

Release Date: October 1, 1999

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DVD Release Date: May 9, 2000

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Stats: 937 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (937)

  • stormyweather980
    September 14, 2009
    stormyweather980
    Ever since I saw the previews for it a couple of years ago, I knew I had to see "Mystery, Alaska." One thing that surprised me was that my mom even liked it and she HATES watching any kind of sports. Another thing, I haven't ever been that much of a hockey fan myself. In my whole... read more life, I probably haven't watched enough hockey to account for more than two whole NHL games. I'm an NBA and MLB fan instead. However, I liked "Mystery, Alaska" A LOT!
    An amateur, but very skilled hockey team from a small town in Alaska called Mystery, get national attention after a former resident writes an article praising them. Surprisingly, this earns the now not so mysterious team from Mystery, Alaska, a game against THE New York Rangers. Will the Mystery team that is led by the town sheriff (Russell Crowe) and is coached by the town's strict judge (Burt Reynolds), have a chance against professionals who get paid millions of dollars to play the game they love?

    Let me make it short, I have never been a hockey fan in my life, but I really enjoyed this movie a lot, and my mom doesn't like any sports, and she even liked it. Even if you're not a hockey fan in the least sense or even a sports fan, give "Mystery, Alaska" a shot. It doesn't have any spectacular special effects or anything fancy, and that's good because it didn't need it. But let me tell you, this movie never gets boring the whole time and it features great acting from everybody, especially Burt Reynolds and Russell Crowe. NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2001. I liked this movie and I don't even like hockey.
  • deano
    September 3, 2008
    deano
    I love ice-hockey in comedy film since Slap Shot and The Mighty Ducks series, but this is a hilarious tale of romance, passion and the ultimate power play.
  • superclerk25
    November 2, 2007
    superclerk25
    It was the usual sports movie. The underdog takes on the top dog.
  • sanjurosamurai
    January 25, 2007
    sanjurosamurai
    very good movie
  • dreamfaeries
    November 7, 2006
    dreamfaeries
    I liked it.
  • crossbladezero
    June 16, 2011
    crossbladezero
    Here's a mystery for you: "Why are sports movies so boring?" Oh wait, that's no mystery. The reason is that sports, in general are boring enough without someone trying to back it up with whatever dramatic storyline you can possibly relate to the sport at hand. I can't believe tha... read moret no one is doing a sports drama that deals with parkinson's, which is more compelling and realistic than most of the stuff these people come up with. I don't care if you think your wife doesn't love you just because she laughed at her high school boyfriend, Russell. Ironically, this film really isn't that boring. Hey, it's all paced pretty smoothly to me after "Tin Cup", which was basically over 2 hours of Kevin Costner doing pretty much nothing other than lightly tapping a ball into a hole with a club.

    But seriously though, while the film is certainly more exciting than most sports flicks, it does still have slow spots and like most slow films, it's vulnerable to other flaws. Here, these flaws include a mild lack of development, a somewhat inconsistant sense of humor, a deal of fall-flat jokes, some vile dialogue, (I'm not a whimp, I'm just saying that what Crowe's character's wife sarcastically said to express her excitement about the town getting a Zamboni was some ol' high school freshman bull) a bit of an out-of-place score, ceesiness, melodrama, forced plot points, predictability, a lot of cliches and an atmosphere that's too clean for the mature content. Still, as flawed as the film is, it remains pretty decent. For this, we have to thank a decent storyline, some nice cenimatography, fair performances and a solid and heartwarming ending, Hallmark-tastic though it may be. Ultimately, "Mystery, Alaska" is a cliched, melodramatic and gratuitously mature mess, but the well-ended story and performances are compelling enough to make it a decent watch.
  • chadroesti
    March 9, 2009
    chadroesti
    Mystery Alaska, where you can ice skate to school or ride your snowmobile or go roll around naked in the snow and then jump in the hot tub (you know you want to do it!). The biggest thing that goes on in this town is Hockey. Every sunday, the best players in town (voted on by t... read morehe city council) play schoolyard hockey on natural ice with the whole town watching. They don't get paid, but they get a certain noteriety and status in the town if you are good enough to play. Russel Crowe plays the town sheriff/team captian when (as a result of a sports illustrated column) a former resident and former bf of Crowe's wife shows up and sets up a exhibition game with the town team against an actual professional team (Rangers). The town goes apeshit and the team starts kicking ass to get in shape to try and pull off the "Any given Sunday" scenario. The results damn near tear the team and town apart until the game actually arrives. Crowe and Burt Reynolds (as the coach) are great and the results are fun to watch. Recommended.
  • leekyle1968
    March 4, 2008
    leekyle1968
    ok hockey movie one of the few times rusell crowe didnt get on my nerves
  • qtmemoe
    May 6, 2007
    qtmemoe
    A great Hockey film.
  • ryanbahl
    August 10, 2008
    ryanbahl
    besides slapshot, this is one of the all-time best hockey movies out there. although the town seemed sort of unrealistic in that people iceskated everywhere and everyone was amazing at hockey it was still a great hockey movie. the characters were perfect and the game agaisnt the ... read morerangers was very cool! it was sort of odd to see russel crow as the captain of the hockey team becuase i was ready for him to lead the hockey players in a revolt agaisnt the roman gladiators. i would have rather seen different actors in the movie but the ones that were in it still did a good job protraying alaskans in a small town. Hank Azaria's character annoyed me, and im not sure if he was meant to do that or not, and so did mike myers character. i thought it was a great serious movie and had comedy aspects in perfect parts of the movie, like skank the guy on the team who slept around all the time, including the mayor's wife, which later, took a comedy aspect and turned it into a serious part of the movie with the perfect transition. the ending was sad at first but after a few minutes took a more supportive and fufilling ending.

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Critic Reviews

Joe Baltake
January 1, 2000
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee

This is an attractive, talented, most companionable cast. Full Review

Lou Lumenick
January 1, 2000
Lou Lumenick, New York Post

Doesn't quite achieve its goal, but this overgrown little movie does offer solid laughs, engaging performances and a captivating setting.

Peter Stack
January 1, 2000
Peter Stack, San Francisco Chronicle

Mystery, Alaska is a raucous come-from-nowhere sports movie that scores big. Full Review

Steven Rosen
January 1, 2000
Steven Rosen, Denver Post

Mystery, Alaska has affection and understanding for small-time life.

Jessica Winter
January 1, 2000
Jessica Winter, Village Voice

Director Jay Roach has filmed possibly the first hockey match bereft of a single semiaerial shot. Full Review

Stephen Holden
January 1, 2000
Stephen Holden, New York Times

Conveys some of the thrill and ferocity of ice hockey while skillfully folding together multiple personal dramas. Full Review

Robert Koehler
January 1, 2000
Robert Koehler, Variety

Mild and underwhelming. Full Review

Jay Boyar
January 1, 2000
Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel

Hockey film leaves you cold.

Jay Carr
January 1, 2000
Jay Carr, Boston Globe

Kelley is obviously aware that to make the move from TV to films he must fill his scripts with greater depth and density.

Susan Wloszczyna
January 1, 2000
Susan Wloszczyna, USA Today

If you drop the "c" in hockey you get a perfect description of Mystery, Alaska.

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Facts

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    • "Skank" Marden: No, no... We're sleeping together, for God's sakes.
    • Mary Jane Pitcher: Skank, we're commiting adultery!
    • "Tree" Lane: I'm a big guy!
    • Stevie Weeks: I'm a premature ejaculator!
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Mystery, Alaska Trivia

  • What NHL team goes to alaska in Mystery Alaska?  Answer »
  • In Mystery, Alaska, the NHL team that came to Mystery to play hockey was The Dallas Stars?  Answer »
  • Who plays the cameo role of the game announcer in Mystery, Alaska?  Answer »
  • In the movie, Mystery Alaska, Hank Azaria's character gets drunk and does what?  Answer »
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