Rating: 
Summary: Home-Town Spirit...Great job by Crowe
Review: Cute little movie about Alaskan small town community bonds together for their men when they host a hockey game against, incredibly, The New York Rangers! This is the breakout/sleeper role I remember Russell Crowe in, he plays captain of the Mystery, Alaska Team who don't really have a chance except for all that home-town spirit on their side and of course, they are used to the -20 degree weather! Has that 'northern exposure-feel' to it. Not a 5 star but, definitely a 4. See this movie and you may just want to see it again!
Rating:
Summary: No Mystery - Just Great Moviemaking!
Review: Mystery Alaska was one of the best comedies to come along in 1999. In the best ensemble film fashion a truly eclectic cast forms the very core of the story that is Mystery, Alaska. Hank Azaria turns in a spectacular performance as "the ugly duckling" - a character not too popular who escaped the town for fame and fortune in television sports. He garners the small town some big time noteriety when the announces that the New York Rangers will challenge a game against the locals pond hockey team. Typical small town chaos ensues as all prepare for the big event.
Russell Crowe, Burt Reynolds, Lolita Davidovich, Ron Eldard, Colm Meaney, Mary McCormack all turn in fine performances contributing nicely to the oddities inherent in any small town.
While the story can seem a bit forced formulaic, David Kelly's script and Jay Roach's directing bring a freshness and satisfaction that made this one of 1999's best sleepers.
A most watchable feel good movie.
Rating: 
Summary: TEAM SPIRIT AND MORE
Review: What makes MYSTERY ALASKA such a joyful movie experience is its heart, and the remarkably good cast. In the vein of such films as ROCKY, the story of the Mystery Alaska team facing the New York Rangers is merely a means to the end. What this movie is really about is pride, loyalty and the sense of courage to go against seemingly unreachable odds and come out with your pride and honor intact. This is not a "Russell Crowe" movie, although the Oscar winner is superb as John Biebe. This is a group effort and the cast has some shining moments: Ron Eldard (The Runner) plays Skank, the team's sexually active member, who is screwing the mayor's wife (Lolita Davidovich). In a memorable scene, Eldard confronts the Mayor (Colm Meany) and apologizes to him, with a sense of sincerity you hadn't seen before. One expects Meany to throw a punch or yell and scream; watch to find out how it plays out. Lolita Davidovich and Meany also have a tense but touching moment when she tells him why she slept with Eldard; Crowe and Mary McCormack as his wife share several touching scenes that show how deep a love can go; Burt Reynolds as the gruff judge/coach has a shining moment when he addresses the townspeople in a trial of a player who shot a visiting department store magnate in the foot; Maury Chaykin as Bailey Pruitt has key scenes and a very poignant one in the courtroom; Judith Ivey as Reynolds's wife has a wonderful moment when she's discussing sex with her teenage daughter (Rachel Wilson). The movie is full of nice scenes, and refreshing changes of pace thanks to the screenplay by David E. Kelley (Picket Fences). Even Hank Azaria as the homeboy producer avoids the expected cliches of his role---one can tell he really did love Beibe's wife.
A real surprise of a movie, one that should entertain and make you feel good.
Rating:
Summary: Slapshot Meets Bad News Bears Meets Our Town Meets Fargo
Review: "Mystery, Alaska" juggles quite a few cliches, but it does so with wonderful charm and a constant nudge in the ribs. A small town in the frozen North of Alaska, Mystery loves its hockey beyond all reason. The famed "Saturday Game," played each week with religious fervor, has been brought to the pages of Sports Illustrated by a Mysterian (Hank Azaria) who has left the town for bigger and better things -- although it may be because everyone in town says he plays hockey "like a homosexual" (this is an example of the surprisingly frank and profane language Mysterians like to use, which can be jarring in what is otherwise a sweet movie). The team, led by John Biebe (Russell Crowe in a nice understated performance), is your typical bunch of loveable small-town lugs, each given either one defining characteristic (babe hound, son struggling with sense of inadequacy, hot young prodigy nervous about playing with the "big boys," etc.) or is mere entertaining window dressing. Otherwise content with the local fame brought by playing in the Saturday game, the guys are exhilirated and terrified to learn that the NHL wants the New York Rangers (at the time, a good team!) to visit Mystery to play the locals as a publicity stunt. Biebe, who is also the town sheriff, is our lens into this quirky town going through this tumultuous development. A fixture of the Saturday Game for years, he is surprisingly demoted and asked to coach. One of his best players 'accidentally' shoots a representative from Price World, a Wal-Mart clone. Another player cuckolds the mayor of the town. And Azaria returns to make overtures to Biebe's wife. The tranquil little burg has never seen such excitement. All of this unfolds in a lighthearted manner and builds to the "big game" against the Rangers -- which is only brought about by the untimely demise of a lovable local resident. The game is handled very well, with the proper "underdog" notes played, but not overly so. The hockey action flows quickly, and feels like a game rather than someone filming a pretend game (a common problem in sports movies -- the action is not realistic enough). One problem - we rarely see Russell Crowe actually skate, which undercuts his status as the team leader and reminds us that he's a Hollywood star in a hockey film. Perhaps the movie's most inspired moment is the mayor's unique way of invoking Mystery's home-ice advantage during the national anthem (with a hilarious cameo by Little Richard - yes, you heard me). Watch also for a great cameo by Mike Meyers, who has worked with director Jay Roach on the Austin Powers films. In the end, all loose ends are tied up nicely . . . and perhaps too conveniently for some. Nothing in the movie is a great shock, but that's life in a small town for you. While in many respects a good family movie, the language and humor is definitely not for younger viewers. And the "romantic" overtures of Skank, the team horn-dog, can be quite shocking to some. Still, a good movie and a fun time.
Rating:
Summary: One of Russell's Best
Review: I loved this movie. It was one of my first Russell Crowe movies. I am not a sports fan but even if you are not you can enjoy this movie. The romance and humor that flows through it, is wonderful.
Rating:
Summary: Ryan Northcott
Review: As a professional hockey player and someone who has loved the game for over 30 years... this movie is all hockey. Superb acting from all... Great hockey throughout. Over the years, I've heard, "Oh, Slap-Shot is the ultimate hockey movie." Hog-wash! ... Mystery Alaska should be remembered as the all-time greatest hockey movie, and being that hockey is the all-time greatest sport... Mystery Alaska is by far the all time greatest sports movie!!! .
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