Mystery Alaska
FILM REVIEW Mystery, Alaska A Barren WastelandBy Amy MeadowsDirected by Jay RoachWritten by David E. Kelley and Sean O’ByrneWith Russell Crowe, Hank Azaria, Mary McCormack, Burt Reynolds, Colm MeaneyI never thought I had the capacity for such a statement, but since watching Mystery, Alaska, I have started to consider The Mighty Ducks as a masterful piece of cinema in comparison. From Jay Roach, director of the Austin Powers movies, and David E. Kelley, the creator of many a Boston-based television series, including Ally McBeal and The Practice, Mystery, Alaska is allegedly about “a small town on the outskirts of greatness.” Well, all I can say is that it certainly is on the outskirts of something. Human decency?The movie is about a small-town hockey team (made recently famous by a feature in Sports Illustrated) that takes on the New York Rangers. This outside challenge exposes many quirks and conflicts within the locals. While preparing for the proverbial big game, the nontraditional players must cope with the influx of the outside world: media, commercialism, and even Mike Myers.Unfortunately, Mystery, Alaska is not very well put-together.
Many subplots and the general aimlessness of the theme dilute the effectiveness of the movie in general. There are so many simultaneous story-lines that the entire plot comes across as superficial. One minute the movie may be about a strict father trying to control his children’s lives, the next it may be about a hockey player having to skate around completely naked for the sake of his team’s honor, and the next it may be about the town’s Don Juan being shoveled over the head by a jilted lover. In one scene, for example, a character comments, “I play hockey and I fornicate because they are two fun things to do in cold weather.” In context, I suppose this may have been amusing; however, as it stood, it made the entire scene seem disjointed and the characters tense and strained.Between being a complete gross-out comedy and a quasi-nostalgic look at the corruption of small town America, the movie is stretched thin, and oscillates between these two modes. Yet, there is not enough substance to carry both elements in one movie.
Since Jay Roach and David E. Kelly are involved, the movie could be likened to a conversation between Austin Powers and Ally McBeal. It is hard imagine how forced and contrived the speech would be, but maybe it would be somewhat like this movie: very brash and confused. More than just maintaining its themes, the movie could have stood some editing. The R rating is certainly deserved by this movie (because of its gross-out aspects), and the film could have been simultaneously improved in content and cohesiveness if it was just edited with more thoughtfulness.The character aspect of the movie is just as much of a mixed bag as the plot. Many of the characters who have bit parts in the movie - Beth Littleford as a stuffy reporter whose fake nose freezes the second she steps into the Alaskan air and Mike Meyers as a temperamental sports correspondent - are amusing, almost parodying the movie’s self-importance.Russell Crowe, who was amazing in L.A.
Confidential, brings an equal amount of emotional intensity to Mystery, Alaska in the role of the beleaguered team captain. Unfortunately, this is just another subplot and his intensity comes across as hollow; one actor cannot carry the entire emotional weight of a movie. Burt Reynolds, on the other hand, is as intense as to be downright laughable. Every single time he came on screen as the ultra-strict Judge, I had to suppress my urge to laugh. Again, it is partially a problem with the movie being deficient of a unifying plot, and the Judge storyline is just another one of the subplots. Reynolds’s character acts without motivation and without sufficient background for the audience to really feel anything (except, of course, amusement).Slightly annoying to me personally was the painfully manipulative use of background music. The music is mostly either in complete conflict with the action or it over-sentimentalizes the scene.
A movie should rely on the acting, the force of the plot, and on many other intrinsic factors in order to produce an effect in the audience. Relying on music to do this does not work.In short, I left the theater feeling extremely unsatisfied for my two hours of time. The resolution of the movie and its numerous subplots could basically be summed up as, “there was a big hockey game and everything is fine now.” Just ten more minutes with the resolutions of all of the subplots would have made me at least feel like I had watched something other than a soap opera (it did contain more story-lines and over-seriousness than can be addressed). In fact, it would not have taken that much time, money or even creativity to make this movie a whole lot better, and I cannot imagine why the filmmakers let such a creature loose in movie theaters. They must believe that the audience has such a short attention span that they would not notice the gaping holes in the plot, preferring instead the quick (and botched) treatment of many subplots.
My personal recommendation for this movie is that if you suddenly find yourself with eight extra dollars and just have to see a movie about hockey, rent The Mighty Ducks, pretend that they players are middle-aged instead of teenagers, and ponder ways to spend your remaining five bucks.
This article's plot summary may be. Please by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise. ( September 2014) Sheriff John Biebe, who is married to Donna, is one of the townsfolk who play in 'the Saturday Game'—a weekly hockey game played on an. The entire town, which is hockey-mad, turns out every week to watch. After the game commences, we see young Stevie Weeks in the stands, kissing Marla Burns, daughter of the town's judge.
When the judge sees what is going on, he raps Stevie on the head and reprimands them both. Donna arrives with the latest edition of, which features an article on the town and the Saturday Game. The article serves also to explain the nature of the Saturday Game, as well as to introduce some of the prominent team members.
It also refers to John as being 'slow in the feet', but concludes with a statement that on the ability to skate, the Mystery team rivals any team in the (NHL).That evening, while having supper with his family Judge Burns and his son Birdie get into an argument about the game, with the judge saying that Birdie doesn't play well because he doesn't pass. In an effort to change the subject, Mrs Burns mentions that Price World may be interested in moving in to Mystery, which would threaten all the local businesses. During the next week, John is called into the Mayor's office to be told that he is being dropped from the Saturday game, in favour of Stevie Weeks.Skank Marden and the mayor's wife, Mary Jane, have been having an affair. At the school, where he is a teacher, he protests to her that she should have told him about John Biebe being dropped from the team. The mayor then enters, and Skank expresses his disgust at the decision.John sees Stevie Weeks at the diner and offers him congratulations.
John is then called away because Connor Banks, the team's best player, has just shot someone. While Connor is being read his rights, the deputy explains to John what happened. Connor and a rep from Price World named Mr. Walsh got into an argument; Connor fired a shot to frighten him, but the bullet ricocheted and hit the rep in the foot. Walsh is then seen having his foot treated while swearing angrily about Connor and the town. John is then called away as there is helicopter about to land at the town hall. Charles Danner, the author of the Sports Illustrated article, steps out of the helicopter.
In the mayor's office, he explains to the Committee that as a result of his 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.At a town meeting called to discuss the matter, the mayor re-introduces Charlie, who although originally from Mystery, seems not to have been very popular. Charlie is also revealed to have once been romantically connected with Donna. Initially feelings about the match are mixed but then Birdie indicates his eagerness to play and the game is given a rousing endorsement. Later John is approached by the mayor, and assumes that he will be invited back onto the team.
However, the mayor wants John only to coach: Judge Burns has refused to do so. John says that he doesn’t know how to coach.Connor Banks' arraignment is brought before Judge Burns, with his attorney, Bailey Pruit, accepting a trial date for the following week. Connor informs him that he doesn't want a trial so soon in case he loses, which would mean he would 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 that the sheriff had taken at the time, in which he had disparaged the town. The jury delivers a 'not guilty' verdict on Connor Banks. Amid much jubilation, Judge Burns angrily addresses those assembled, telling them that they have exalted the hockey game above what is right, and that they have disgraced themselves and his courtroom. Birdie confronts him in his chambers and tells him he feels that he was always ashamed of his son for staying in town to play hockey, instead of going to college.Before the next Saturday game, the players watch some NHL hockey on TV, and it emerges that the Rangers players are not keen to play the match, which they disparage as a joke. In the evening, crew from Charlie's TV network arrive. They meet with the mayor and John, informing them that they want to call the team the Mystery Eskimos, which they both take offence to.
While John is arguing with Charlie on the street, Judge Burns arrives. John asks him to coach as he doesn’t know how to, but the Judge turns him down.Preparations for the match continue, with it becoming obvious that it is now becoming much more than a game of pond hockey.The mayor and his wife Mary Jane are discussing the forthcoming game, when he finds a locket which he realizes is Skank's.
He confronts Mary Jane, and says, 'Skank Marden has been in this bed.' They fight, but some days later they reconcile.When the mayor meets Charlie the next morning, Charlie tells him that the Rangers players had filed a grievance with their players' union, and are no longer coming. The mayor punches Charlie, giving him a bloody nose. Judge Burns meets Bailey and tells him that there is a hearing in New York over the legal dispute.
He suggests to him that it might be useful for Mystery to have a presence, and suggests a few legal arguments he could use.At the hearing Bailey makes an impassioned plea for the game to continue. However, while still arguing the case he suffers a fatal heart attack. After the funeral back in Mystery, it is revealed that he won the case, and the game is back on. John confronts the judge, saying that as he sent Bailey to New York he would now have to take over the coaching.
The judge agrees, but only if John will come back onto the team as captain.Under the guidance of the judge, the team is seen training frantically for the match.The Rangers' players arrive by helicopter and are greeted by the mayor and townsfolk, who are all amazed at their size. John is called away to deal with a problem, which is revealed to be Charlie driving drunkenly on a Zamboni. He and John talk, and he reveals his bitterness towards Mystery, which he believes rejected him. John points out to him that bringing the Rangers to Mystery could destroy the town if its team were to lose very badly.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, who impresses the commentators with his speed.
In the second period however, 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, and the game is over, with the score at 5 – 4 to the Rangers. Both the Mystery team and spectators appear completely deflated, until Judge Burns starts clapping for them, after which even the Rangers players applaud them.The following day the Rangers leave, and it is revealed that both Stevie Weeks and Connor Banks have been given professional contracts and fly out with the Rangers.Cast. – Sheriff John Biebe.
– Charles Danner. – Donna Biebe.
– Judge Walter Burns. – Mayor Scott R.
Pitcher. – Mary Jane Pitcher. – Bailey Pruitt. – Matt 'Skank' Marden. Connor Banks. – Stevie Weeks.
– Janice Pettiboe. – 'Tree' Lane. – Brian 'Birdie' Burns.
Mystery Alaska Jersey
– Bobby Michan. – Galin Winetka. Leroy Peltier - Ben Winetka. – 'Tinker' Connolly. – Mr. Walsh. – Marla Burns.
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– Sarah Heinz. – Mrs.
Joanne Burns. – Dr. Henry Savage. – Donnie Shulzhoffer. – himself. – himself.
– himself. – Judge McGibbons. – himself. – himselfCritical reception and box office total Mystery, Alaska received mixed-to-negative reviews.
Mystery Alaska Netflix
Along with the original consensus 'The lack of hockey action and authenticity left critics cold,' ranked the movie with 38%. It had very poor take-ins as well, grossing only $8,891,623, against an estimated budget of $28 million.Accolades The film is recognized by in these lists:. 2006: – Nominated. 2008:: Nominated Sports FilmCultural reference 's cameo as Donnie Shulzhoffer is a play on 's segment '. References.