Mystery, Alaska (1999)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Jay Roach

Writers (WGA):

David E. Kelley (written by) &
Sean O'Byrne (written by)

Release Date:

1 October 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Sport

Tagline:

A Small Town on the Outskirts of Greatness

Plot:

This comedy is about the residents of a small town who get over-excited when their hockey team gets chosen to host a televised event

Plot Keywords:

Small Town | Alaska | New York | Underdog | Adultery

Cast

Russell Crowe	...	John Biebe
Hank Azaria	...	Charles Danner
Mary McCormack	...	Donna Biebe
Burt Reynolds	...	Judge Walter Burns
Colm Meaney	...	Mayor Scott Pitcher
Lolita Davidovich	...	Mary Jane Pitcher
Maury Chaykin	...	Bailey Pruitt
Ron Eldard	...	'Skank' Marden
Ryan Northcott	...	Stevie Weeks
Michael Buie	...	Connor Banks
Kevin Durand	...	'Tree' Lane
Scott Grimes	...	'Birdie' Burns
Jason Gray-Stanford	...	Bobby Michan
Brent Stait	...	Kevin Holt
Leroy Peltier	...	Ben Winetka

Also Known As:

Disney's Hockey Project (USA) (working title)
Pond Rules (USA) (working title)
The Game (USA) (original script title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and sexuality.

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | Malaysia:18PL (uncut) | Malaysia:U (cut) | USA:R (No. 36293) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Germany:6 | New Zealand:M | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:M18 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Finland:S

Filming Locations:

Alberta, Canada

Company:

Baldwin/Cohen Productions

Trivia:

The entire New York Rangers roster is fictional. Many players on the actual Rangers roster at the time refused to be in the film.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Bailey dies in New York, it's winter in Mystery, Alaska, yet when his body is returned to Mystery, he's buried right away. This is generally impossible, as the ground is frozen solid and hard as concrete, and those that are die in Alaska during the winter are interred after the thaw. Sometimes that means up to 7 months between death and burial.

Quotes:

Sarah Heinz: Mother walrus going "Thwap, thwap, thwap"?
Matt 'Skank' Marden: What?
Sarah Heinz: You wanna hear a "Thwap"?
[Heinz hits Skank with a shovel]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Inside the Actors Studio: (#10.6)" (2004)

Soundtrack:

Lightning Strike Me Down

Nice Comedy with Hockey

I liked this film. Not loved it, but liked it. One because of it's cast (Russell Crowe, Hank Azaria, Burt Reynolds, Mary McCormack, Lolita Davidovich and Mike Myers), two because of it's association with hockey (also because it associates with my favorite NHL team The Rangers) and three because of it's few (yet good) scenes. Jay Roach also comes into his first real film that is not a parody (he directed the 2 Austin Powers flicks). Plot involves Azaria, who is a Sports Illustration writer who can (and will) bring the New York Rangers to the small (yet powerfull) hockey team in the community of cold Mystery, Alaska. Great character development provided by writer David E. Kelly (who makes a jump from Lake Placid and Ally McBeal). Not in the best of the year film category (because of a few flaws) but it isn't terrible either, especially because of Mike Myers cameo as a Canadian sportscaster. A-