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{{Short description|1999 US comedy-drama film by Jay Roach}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Mystery, Alaska
| image = MysteryPoster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Jay Roach]]
| writer = [[David E. Kelley]]<br>Sean O'Byrne
|
| starring = {{Plainlist|
* [[Russell Crowe]]
* [[Hank Azaria]]
* [[Mary McCormack]]
* [[Lolita Davidovich]]
* [[Ron Eldard]]
* [[Colm Meaney]]
* [[Maury Chaykin]]
* [[Burt Reynolds]]}}
| cinematography = [[Peter Deming]]
| editing = [[Jon Poll]]
| music = [[Carter Burwell]]
| studio = [[Hollywood Pictures]]<br>Baldwin/Cohen Productions<br>Rocking Chair Productions
| distributor = [[Buena Vista Pictures Distribution]]
| released = {{Film date|1999|10|01}}
| runtime = 119 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget = $28 million
| gross = $8.9 million
}}
'''''Mystery, Alaska''''' is a 1999 American [[sports film|sports]] [[comedy-drama]] film, [[film director|directed]] by [[Jay Roach]], about an amateur [[ice hockey]] team from the fictional small town of Mystery that plays an exhibition game against the [[National Hockey League]] (NHL)'s [[New York Rangers]]. It stars [[Russell Crowe]], [[Hank Azaria]] and [[Burt Reynolds]], with [[Mary McCormack]], [[Lolita Davidovich]], [[Ron Eldard]], [[Colm Meaney]], [[Maury Chaykin]], [[Scott Grimes]] and [[Kevin Durand]] in supporting roles. It was shot in Canmore, [[Alberta]], mostly in what is today known as Quarry Lake Park.<ref>{{"'}}Mystery, Alaska' Sports a Few Surprises" by Edvins Beitiks (''[[San Francisco Examiner]]'', 10/1/99) and "Jay Roach, Man of Mystery" by Joshua Mooney (Entertainment News Wire), both stored online at [http://www.maximumcrowe.net/maxcrowe_mapress.html http://www.maximumcrowe.net/maxcrowe_mapress.html], Retrieved 19-Sep-2013</ref>
==
In Mystery, Alaska, "the Saturday Game", a weekly hockey game, is played on an [[pond hockey|open pond]]. The entire town turns out every week to watch. The latest edition of ''Sports Illustrated'' features an article which says that in the ability to skate, the Mystery team rivals any team in the [[National Hockey League]] (NHL).
The mayor tells one of the players, Sheriff John Biebe, that he is being dropped from the Game, in favor of teenager Stevie Weeks. Meanwhile, Connor Banks, the team's best player, gets into an argument with a representative checking out the town for Price World (a business chain embodying a threat to local business). Connor fires a shot to frighten him, but the bullet ricochets and hits the rep in the foot. Because of the 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.
The mayor wants John to coach: Judge Burns, Birdie's father, has refused to do so. John says that he does not know how to coach.
Connor Banks' arraignment is brought before Burns, and his attorney Bailey Pruit accepts a trial date for the following week. Connor does not want a trial so soon because, if he loses, he will 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 of his disparaging the town. The jury delivers a "not guilty" verdict. Amid much jubilation, Burns angrily addresses those assembled, saying that they have exalted the hockey game above what is right, disgracing themselves and his courtroom. Birdie confronts him in his chambers, feeling that Burns has always been ashamed of him for staying in town to play hockey, instead of going to college.
It emerges that the Rangers players are not keen to play the match, which they disparage as a joke. Crew from the TV network want to call the team the Mystery Eskimos, to which John and the mayor take offense. John asks Burns to coach, to no avail.
The Rangers players file a grievance with their players' union, so they are no longer coming. Burns tells Bailey that there is a hearing in New York over the legal dispute. He says that it might be useful for Mystery to have a presence, and suggests legal arguments Bailey could use.
At the hearing, Bailey makes an impassioned plea for the game to continue. However, he suffers a fatal heart attack while arguing the case. Before dying, he wins the case, and the game is back on. John confronts Burns, saying that since he sent Bailey to New York, he now has to take over coaching. Burns agrees only if John comes back on the team as captain.
The Rangers players arrive and are greeted by the mayor and townsfolk. John must deal with Charles "Charlie" Danner, the article's author and a native of Mystery, driving drunkenly on a Zamboni. They talk, and Charlie reveals his bitterness towards Mystery, which he believes has rejected him.
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. In the second period, 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. The game is over, with the score 5 – 4 for the Rangers. Both the Mystery team and spectators appear deflated until Burns claps, after which even the Rangers players applaud them.
The following day the Rangers leave. Stevie Weeks and Connor Banks fly out with them, having been given minor league contracts. Afterwards, John places the game puck on Bailey's grave.
==Cast==
{{castlist|
* [[Russell Crowe]] as Sheriff John Biebe
* [[Hank Azaria]] as Charles Danner
* [[Mary McCormack]] as Donna Biebe
* [[Lolita Davidovich]] as Mary Jane Pitcher
* [[Ron Eldard]] as Matt "Skank" Marden
* [[Colm Meaney]] as Mayor Scott R. Pitcher
* [[Maury Chaykin]] as Bailey Pruitt
* [[Michael McKean]] as Mr. Walsh
* [[Judith Ivey]] as Mrs. Joanne Burns
* [[Burt Reynolds]] as Judge Walter Burns
* [[Scott Grimes]] as Brian "Birdie" Burns
* [[Adam Beach]] as Galin Winetka
* Ryan Northcott as Stevie Weeks
* [[Kevin Durand]] as "Tree" Lane
* [[Brent Stait]] as Kevin Holt
* [[Megyn Price]] as Sarah Heinz
* [[Rachel Wilson]] as Marla Burns
* [[Beth Littleford]] as Janice Pettiboe
* Joshua Silberg as Michael Biebe
* Regan Sean O'Byrne Macelwain as Joey Biebe
* [[Michael Buie]] as Connor Banks
* [[Jason Gray-Stanford]] as Bobby Michan
* Leroy Peltier as Ben Winetka
* [[Shaun Johnston]] as District Attorney Doloff
* [[Cameron Bancroft (actor)|Cameron Bancroft]] as "Tinker" Connolly
* [[Terry David Mulligan]] as Dr. Henry Savage
* [[Mike Myers]] as Donnie Shulzhoffer
* [[Jim Fox (ice hockey)|Jim Fox]] as himself
* [[Phil Esposito]] as himself
* [[Little Richard]] as himself
* [[L. Scott Caldwell]] as Judge McGibbons
* [[Steve Levy]] as himself
* [[Barry Melrose]] as himself
}}
==Production==
In May 1997, it was reported [[Walt Disney Pictures]] had acquired [[David E. Kelley]] penned [[spec script]] ''The Game'' about a small Alaskan town whose ice hockey team that comes to unexpected attention when they suddenly find themselves playing a match against the [[New York Rangers]] and described as a mixture of ''[[Picket Fences]]'' and ''[[The Mighty Ducks (film)|The Mighty Ducks]]''.<ref name="KelleyGame">{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/1997/voices/columns/disney-wins-kelley-s-game-1117341795/|title= Disney wins Kelley's 'Game' |publisher=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=January 1, 2025|archive-date=January 1, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250101180752/https://variety.com/1997/voices/columns/disney-wins-kelley-s-game-1117341795/|url-status=live}}</ref> In August of that year, [[Jay Roach]] was announced as director for the film which was in the process of undergoing a name change to avoid confusion with ''[[The Game (1997 film)|The Game]]'' at [[PolyGram Filmed Entertainment|PolyGram Films]].<ref name="RoachGame">{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/1997/film/news/roach-wins-game-1116678528/|title= Roach wins 'Game' |publisher=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=January 1, 2025|archive-date=January 1, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250101181555/https://variety.com/1997/film/news/roach-wins-game-1116678528/|url-status=live}}</ref> In October, it was announced [[Russell Crowe]] was in talks to star in the film.<ref name="CroweKelley">{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/1997/film/news/kelley-pic-puts-l-a-s-crowe-on-puck-patrol-1116674231/|title= Kelley pic puts 'L.A.'s' Crowe on puck patrol |publisher=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=January 1, 2025|archive-date=|archive-url=}}</ref>
==Reception==
''Mystery, Alaska'' received mixed reviews. {{RT prose|37||82|The lack of hockey action and authenticity left critics cold.|ref=yes|access-date=February 26, 2025}} {{MC film|49|29}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Mystery, Alaska |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/mystery-alaska/ |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=June 12, 2025}}</ref> It had very poor take-ins as well, grossing only $8,891,623, against an estimated budget of $28 million.
==See also==
* [[List of films about ice hockey]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
*{{IMDb title|id=0134618|title=Mystery, Alaska}}
*{{rotten-tomatoes|id=mystery_alaska|title=Mystery, Alaska}}
*{{mojo title|id=mysteryalaska|title=Mystery, Alaska}}
{{Jay Roach}}
{{New York Rangers}}
[[Category:1999 films]]
[[Category:1999 comedy-drama films]]
[[Category:1990s American films]]
[[Category:1990s English-language films]]
[[Category:1990s sports comedy-drama films]]
[[Category:American ice hockey films]]
[[Category:American sports comedy-drama films]]
[[Category:English-language sports comedy-drama films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Jay Roach]]
[[Category:Films scored by Carter Burwell]]
[[Category:Films set in Alaska]]
[[Category:Films shot in Alberta]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by David E. Kelley]]
[[Category:Hollywood Pictures films]]
[[Category:New York Rangers]]
[[Category:Northern (genre) films]]
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