Mystery, Alaska

A salty, sardonic update of the good old-fashioned, American feel-good movie, director Jay Roach's delightful character dramedy centers on a talented hockey team in a snowbound, Arctic Circle hamlet that gets to take on the New York Rangers in an NHL publicity stunt. Around this traditional, triumphant underdog story, a dozen small-town stories are deftly juggled, with the whole shebang coming across like a joint work by Frank Capra and Robert Altman. Everything builds toward the inevitable last act--the big game--which is as exciting and fun as a sports movie finale can be. The cast includes recent Oscar-nominee Russell Crowe, Hank Azaria, Burt Reynolds, Mary McCormack and Ron Elard. Recommended. (R. Blackwelder)