'Mystery, Alaska' checks Goliath into boards

In a "drinking town with a hockey problem," the opportunity to skate against the New York Rangers might seem like a dream come true. In Mystery, Alaska, a charming new film by Jay Roach (Austin Powers, Austin Powers II), a small-town pick-up hockey team is given just that chance when a local journalist plants it on the cover of Sports Illustrated. While the hockey scenes are breathtaking and the witty banter entertaining, the storyline is predictable and clichéd, earning it a place among some good past sports comedies but failing to elevate it to greatness.

COURTESY HOLLYWOOD PICTURES The homeboys of 'Mystery, Alaska' face off against the New York Rangers.

When failed-hockey-player turned-sports-journalist Charlie Danner (Hank Azaria) returns to his hometown after having covered the town's hockey obsession for Sports Illustrated, he bears an invitation from the NHL to play an exhibition game against the Rangers. Although the team has never done anything but scrimmage in fast-paced, pick-up pond hockey, the town accepts the challenge, and former player and town sheriff John Biebe (Russell Crowe) returns to the ice as the team's coach. While the town's frozen pond is being turned into a professional hockey rink complete with scoreboard and Zamboni, the Rangers players sue the league over its decision to schedule such an exhibition game. When they lose, they are forced to face off in sub-zero temperatures against a team of sheriffs, storeowners, and town clerks. Judge Burns (Burt Reynolds), the town judge and a former college hockey star, is appointed the team's new coach, giving Biebe the chance to serve as the team's captain.

For the most part, the film is an entertaining David versus Goliath story of a town obsessed with a sport that revolves around a Saturday pick-up game. Despite lacking professional experience, the small-town team keeps the match close. While not in the least surprising, the movie's plot, with a script by David E. Kelley and Sean O'Byrne, is rather enjoyable. Biebe, who was once considered too old to play the game, has a tremendous outing versus the Rangers and two of the Mystery players are even hired by New York to play for one of their minor-league teams. While extremely clichéd, the message is clear and heartwarming: with enough spirit, a small town can compete with the big boys.

But should you manage to miss the message, it is thrown at you over and over again. Connor Banks (Michael Buie), who owns a small local grocery store, opens fire on a representative from a large national supermarket chain when he attempts to make plans to bring a larger store to Mystery. Banks is brought to trial and acquitted when it is discovered that the victim publicly slandered the entire town. The townspeople also realize a conviction could cost them their star center for the big game.

Yet the movie falters when it strays too far from hockey by exploring the relationships between Biebe and his wife (Mary Mc-Cormack), and Judge Burns and his son. In the former case, Biebe's wife is tempted by Danner, her high school boyfriend, to leave Mystery for a grander life outside Alaska. As she tells the audience, "This town is tough on women." While McCormack is a fine actress, she is misused in Mystery; the film is as much about the difficulties women face in small-town America as it is about the advantages of outdoor hockey. Given how many snide remarks are directed at the male athletes, it often seems as if the movie was written by an embittered woman. Similarly, Burns' insistence on his son's continuing education seems only to come up when his son does not play well. As soon as he develops into a better hockey player, Judge Burns no longer feels the need to push for his son's studies.

The strength of this movie is its humorous ensemble cast. Skank Marden (Ron Eldard) sleeps with every woman in town including the mayor's wife (Lolita Davidovich), while Stevie Weeks (Ryan Northcott) wakes up after being knocked unconscious to inform the audience of his sexual deficiencies. Maruy Chaykin gives a touching performance as the town's sole attorney, Bailey Pruitt, whose "heart grows every time he meets someone he likes." Pruitt dies on the floor of a New York City courtroom, while arguing that the Rangers should be forced to play the exhibition game. The film also features cameo appearances by Mike Myers as a color commentator whose opinions sway back and forth at a comical pace, and Little Richard, who performs both the United States and Canadian national anthems in an attempt to freeze the Rangers in their skates.

Vividly brought to life by Roach's direction, the town of Mystery, which was constructed from scratch for the film, is a pleasant, if not romanticized, vision of small-town America. The town is alive with a friendly community of people brought together by an amateur hockey team. While not profound in its message, Mystery, Alaska does not pretend to be an exceedingly deep film. Rather, it is a pleasing reminder of the strength and charm of a small community.

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