VinceWylde Too many people get to far into sub plot, development, etc., and miss a fun movie with a good story. Mystery Alaska is just that, a fun movie with a good story. It's a plausible story, developed on real people with real personalities.The Boys of Winter take on The New York Rangers in a game that will take place on a pond instead of a rink. It's all about speed and passing, which eliminates the prima-donna antics and technicalities that usually accompany pro-sports in general. The plot isn't too fantastic, and stays grounded in reality.Characters of Note: Skank Martin - Local 30 something that "fornicates and plays hockey because they're the two most fun things in cold weather". He also runs his tongue a little reckless...Tree - Big oaf with bigger heart. He's a bit simple minded, but he checks like a freight train.Judge Burns - Tough guy with some inner demons he's fighting, but there's a heart in there somewhere if he can just find it underneath the ashes....One complaint: What with the constant use of the phrase, "For God sakes?" It was a bit distracting.

billsccc I had no idea at the time that I would enjoy a movie about hockey, and I was right, because this movie had nothing really to do with hockey.It's a great character based movie about a small town that makes it big and the reason the town makes it big is because of it's people. It's a great rocky type movie that makes you root for a small town and it's wonderful characters. Russell Crowe is excellent as well as the entire cast and a great turn by Burt Reynolds as the town judge and coach. This is a very well crafted, witty , warm and realistic and just a charming movie overall. Don't let the hockey fool you, this is a movie about people and a quite enjoyable movie I may add.

CKCSWHFFAN I am NOT a sports fan.I saw this film in the theater.Saw it for Russell of course.LOVE THIS HAIR CUT IN THIS. A BIG SMILE HERE :) A good film.Cast pretty good. Too much on side stories on minor characters. Stevie & the girl. Who cares? Mayors wife following around. Yeah, and?Mike Myers cameo character had the best line in the film, I just love it."They're done like dinner." I always laugh at that one."The Partirdge Family" get mentioned. Good.Liked the Sarah character hitting the cheating guy in the head with the shovel. He deserved it!! Not the best film ever made, but enjoyable.Russell, as always, did a great job.

policy134 It is weird to think that Russell Crowe was part of this rather low key sports drama since most of his films have been of a higher order. I almost forgot that before he made L.A. Confidential he was relatively unknown in the U.S. and it was only when he was nominated for an Oscar for "The Insider" that his movies became big events.That aside, this is an immensely entertaining little movie and Crowe has a very sympathetic character here. His character has many things in common with characters in other sports movies like Walter Matthau in "Bad News Bears" and most of these movies have a strict formula. They usually revolve around underdogs and here we get a local hockey team who gets a chance to play against a NHL team, the New York Rangers. There are not many ways to tamper with this formula and indeed "Mystery, Alaska" does not stray from it. Instead we get very enjoyable hockey action and the usual rivalry between the better hockey player and the one who thinks he should be the star. In this case the part is filled out nicely by Ron Eldard, who is not a household name, at least not here in Denmark, but he has made a few films that stuck with me, one of them being the revenge drama "Sleepers". Here he has a much larger part and he does well as the arrogant rival to Crowe.The other supporting actors like Burt Reynolds and Hank Azaria are mostly decorative but there is no one who can play smarmy better than Azaria and Reynolds does well as a more dignified character than he has ever played before (check out his senator in "Striptease" to compare). The sole female, Lolita Davidovich, is terribly underwritten but that is typical of this kind of movie.Last there is a cameo by Mike Myers who of course struck gold with the director of this film and this is as it should be. So many directors do the same so why not here. The actual big game is not that extraordinary but there are enough good moments to make this a pleasant viewing experience.