Mystery Alaska

They take their game pretty seriously in Mystery... a committee of five select the team from the town`s best players, and for the last thirteen years sheriff John Biebe (Russell Crowe) has been a player... but just when the team is about to meet its greatest challenge, John is dropped for the talented youngster Stevie Weeks (Ryan Northcott). You see Team Mystery was written up in Sports Illustrated by a former local boy played by Hank Azaria and now they`re being pushed into a promotional match against the New York Rangers. The town`s judge - Burt Reynolds - is opposed to the whole idea, he can only imagine the embarrassment when they lose badly, but there`s no possibility of repressing the excitement of this event for the town.

Directed by Jay Roach who directed the Austin Powers movies - Mike Myers has a cameo in this film - Mystery Alaska has very much the feel of a telemovie - it was written and produced by David E. Kelley who`s been responsible for some very successful television series like Ally McBeal, Chicago Hope and The Practice. Russell Crowe is once again very good, as are most of the performers, but much of the film feels contrived or too familiar, although they do resist a major cliche at the end. It`s a likeable film without being a terribly exciting one.