The Ref

1994
R
1h 37m

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

27K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

Play trailer1:53

Dark Comedy Comedy Crime Drama

A cat burglar is forced to take a bickering, dysfunctional family hostage on Christmas Eve.A cat burglar is forced to take a bickering, dysfunctional family hostage on Christmas Eve.A cat burglar is forced to take a bickering, dysfunctional family hostage on Christmas Eve.

Director
- Ted Demme
Writers
- Marie Weiss
- Richard LaGravenese
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

27K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

1,249

788

Director
- Ted Demme
Writers
- Marie Weiss
- Richard LaGravenese
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win & 1 nomination total

Videos1

Trailer 1:53

Trailer[OV]

Photos85

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Film debut of J.K. Simmons.

Goofs
This film takes place in Connecticut. Several characters mention a county prosecutor throughout the film. Connecticut dissolved all county-level governments in 1960 and thus, there would be no such thing as a county prosecutor. In Connecticut, counties are solely geographic entities.

Quotes
Gus: You know what, lady? I'd like to tie you to the back of a fucking truck.
Rose: You don't have the balls.
[Gus leaps up from his chair toward Rose and is intercepted by Lloyd]
Lloyd: Don't do it! It's not worth it.
Gus: I fucking hate her, Lloyd!
Lloyd: I know, I know.
Gus: What is the matter with you? I thought mothers were sweet and nice a-a-and Patient. I know loan sharks who are more forgiving than you. Your husband ain't dead, lady. He's hiding.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Guarding Tess/Lightning Jack/The Hudsucker Proxy/The Ref/Belle Epoque/Germinal (1994)

Soundtracks
The Holly And The Ivy
Traditional, music first published by Cecil J. Sharp (uncredited), originally arranged by H. Walford Davies (uncredited)
Arranged by Charles Thompson

User reviews140

Review

Featured review

7/10

New Christmas classic!

"The Ref" isn't so much a dark comedy as it is a comedy which turns dramatic in an effective way. Denis Leary's frustration with Lloyd and Caroline is funny for a while. Fortunately, the film doesn't stick to it for the whole 97 minutes. Eventually he recedes into the background as his hostages break through their emotional barriers. If anything, the drama works better than the comedy. Spacey and Davis are heavy hitters, and Leary sets them up expertly. There is truth in their pain, and not some sort of manufactured, independent film, "piano music and sunsets" kind of truth. It takes a referee with a gun and a penchant for cutting through the b.s. To get them to deal honestly with their problems, and I thought it was an original and entertaining ride.