MYSTERY, ALASKA
US, 1999, 116 minutes, Colour.
Russell Crowe, Hank Azaria, Burt Reynolds, Mary McCormack?, Michael McKean?, Lolita Davidovich, Ron Eldard, Maury Chaykin, Colm Meany, Judith Ivey, Mike Myers.
Directed by Jay Roach.
Mystery, Alaska is a film about ice hockey. It is set in Mystery, Alaska, a remote small town in the Alaskan mountains. The focus of enthusiasm and life in the town is ice hockey.
The film is directed by Jay Roach, who worked on Ally McBeal? with the co-writer of this film, David E. Kelly. Roach also directed the very successful films Meet the Parents as well as the three Austin Powers films. Mike Myers himself appears in a cameo role as a self-important ice hockey television commentator.
While the games are important, and the focus of the film is a visit by the New York Rangers to play against the Mystery team, the film also focuses on the different personalities in the town and their interactions. The cast is led by Russell Crowe as the sheriff, becoming the oldest member of the hockey team. Burt Reynolds looks very severe as the judge in the town, a man frustrated by his not being in the teams in the past, able to act as coach, yet very critical of his son. Judith Ivey appears as his wife. Hank Azaria appears as Charlie, the journalist who found no place in Mystery, especially because he couldn't play hockey. He returns as the executive producer of the television show of the match between Mystery and the New York Rangers. Mary McCormack? is Russell Crowe's wife and Lolita Davidovich is the wife of the mayor, Colm Meany.
1. An entertaining sports and human story? The popularity of ice hockey in North America? The training, the games, the tactics, the ethos, the excitement, the skills?
2. The title and the focus on the town, the remoteness of Alaska, the cold, the snow and ice? Ice hockey as the sport? The small number of people in the town and their knowing one another: the mayor and his control, the judge and his influence, Bailey as the lawyer, John the sheriff, the others who owned the shops and the businesses? Their all combining for the love of hockey? The return of Charlie, wanting to put Mystery on the map as well as gain prestige for himself (and, as John suggests, possibly make a fool of Mystery if they were defeated in the match)?
3. Charlie and his personality, resentment against Mystery, his continued infatuation with Donna, his arriving in the helicopter, the plan, his own role, liaising with the people of Mystery? The set-up for the game, the television coverage? The Rangers taking the case to court, the game being cancelled? Charlie and his seeming failure? The match back on, his antagonism towards John and John freezing him out? The truth about his possible motives? His being in the television studio, listening to the commentator, changing heart, coming out to lead the fans for Mystery? The reconciliation with John, the farewell to Donna, his sense of achievement?
4. John and Donna, staying in the town, their family, John as sheriff? Playing the games, his influence in the town, Connor's arrest after the shooting in the shop? The discussions with the judge? His being ousted from the team, offered the post of coach? Relying on the judge to coach? Bailey’s death and his speech? Charlie's arrival, the clash, the touch of jealousy, his hostility towards Donna, his getting the article from the paper, Dear Abby, crossing out most of the words and giving it to her? The game, his sons, his captaincy? Morale-boosting during the break? The success? The farewell to Charlie? The future in Mystery?
5. Walter as the judge, his severity with his son, discussing his son's poor play? The tension at the meal table? His wife and trying to be calm? The hearing of the case, his severity, his rebuking the people about the match? His sending Bailey to New York to win the case? The discussions with John, coaching, the captaincy? His confrontation with his angry son, the match, the coaching, his seeming sense of defeat, urging them on? His relationship with his wife, his son? The daughter and her relation to Stevie, sexuality, confiding in her mother, not wanting the judge to know?
6. The mayor, his leading of the town, the committee, ousting John from the team? Mary-Jane? and her relationship with Skenk, the adultery? The mayor discovering the truth, her admitting it, their having to talk? The mayor and his hurt, getting over it, Mary-Jane's support? Skenk's coming to the door and apology? Working together for the match and its success? His dismay when the match was called off? The outlay? His persuading Little Richard to sing the anthem slowly so that the visitors would freeze?
7. Connor, the encounter with the man from the supermarkets, the gun, the injury by the ricochet, the foulmouthed attack by the visitor? His suing Connor, the court case, Bailey and his explanations, Bailey and his reading out the expletives of the visitor? The town winning the case?
8. Bailey, friendship with John, his illness, defending Connor, the judge sending him to New York, the strong pleading of the case in the court, his reaction to the contempt of the New York lawyer, the appeal to the judge, his collapse and death? The finale with John putting the puck at his grave?
9. The younger members of the team, Stevie and his abilities, his relationship to the judge's daughter, the sexual encounter, his being knocked out an preoccupied by sex? His skill in the game, he and Connor going away from Mystery to further their careers?
10. Skenk, the man about town, adultery, relationship with Sarah, talking about her, the locker-room talk getting back to her, her hitting him on the head, applauding when he was hit during the game? His pessimism about ending up like a drunk like his father?
11. The comedy of the situation, the characters, the New York Rangers, bigger than the others, the other members of the team and their reaction, playing hard, the seriousness of some of the themes? The issues of small towns and their ethos and survival?
