The Ref (1994)
78%RT Audience Score: 73%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Undeniably uneven and too dark for some, The Ref nonetheless boasts strong turns from Denis Leary, Judy Davis, and Kevin Spacey, as well as a sharply funny script
If you’re looking for a Christmas movie that’s not all sugar and spice, The Ref might be just what you need. It’s got Denis Leary as a cat burglar who takes a bickering couple hostage on Christmas Eve, and things get even more chaotic when their dysfunctional family shows up. It’s not all laughs, though – there’s some drama and even a bit of grace thrown in. Plus, Kevin Spacey and Judy Davis are both great as the couple, and there’s a sardonic police chief and a drunk Santa thrown in for good measure. Just don’t expect a heartwarming holiday tale – this one’s more like a darkly comedic nightmare before Christmas.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language
Year of Release
1994
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:NA
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Runtime:1h 33m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 9, 1994 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 4, 2004
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Denis Leary, Judy Davis, Kevin Spacey, Robert J Steinmiller Jr., Glynis Johns, Raymond J Barry, directed by Ted Demme, written by Marie Weiss, Richard LaGravenese, comedy, R rating, box office gross $11.3M, produced by Ronald M Bozman, Richard LaGravenese, Jeff Weiss, reviewed by Kelly Vance, Jason Bailey, Jeff Shannon, Kenneth Turan, Michael Wilmington, Steven Rea, Rachel Wagner, Felix Vasquez Jr., David Sterritt, Candice Russell, sound mix Dolby, Surround, Christmas movie, holiday film, dysfunctional family, marriage, cat burglar, Connecticut home, hostage situation, family dinner, dark comedy, slapstick, witty script, Denis Leary’s quickfire motormouth wit, Kevin Spacey’s soft-spoken character with a sharp tongue, Judy Davis’ character’s transformation from calm and collected to spiteful and rude, Glynis Johns’ portrayal of a gruff and controlling mother, Robert J Steinmiller Jr.’s portrayal of Jesse Chasseur, Raymond J Barry’s sardonic police chief, family stereotypes, character-driven plot, top-notch dialogue
Worldwide gross: $11,439,193
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $23,142,922
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,662
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 2,523,765
US/Canada gross: $11,439,193
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $23,142,922
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,361
US/Canada opening weekend: $3,044,097
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $6,158,590
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,061
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $11,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $22,254,379
Production budget ranking: 1,314
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $11,983,983
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$11,095,441
ROI to date (est.): -32%
ROI ranking: 1,576
Judy Davis – Caroline Chasseur
Kevin Spacey – Lloyd Chasseur
Robert J. Steinmiller Jr. – Jesse Chasseur
Glynis Johns – Rose Chasseur
Raymond J. Barry – Lt. Huff
Director(s)
Ted Demme
Writer(s)
Marie Weiss, Richard LaGravenese
Producer(s)
Ronald M. Bozman, Richard LaGravenese, Jeff Weiss
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (55) | Top Critics (18) | Fresh (40) | Rotten (15)
Demme and the screenwriters take care to fill out the scenario with vividly drawn characters such as Raymond J. Barry’s sardonic police chief and Robert Steinmiller Jr.’s Jesse.
June 6, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Kelly Vance
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
It’s not just a Denis Leary vehicle. It’s a real movie, with drama and grace and intelligence (and slapstick and drunk Santa gags and crude laughs).
January 4, 2017
Jason Bailey
Flavorwire
TOP CRITIC
It’s miraculous casting, and the Australian Davis — for my money the finest actress around, bar none — is simply uncanny in her command of East Coast gentility combined with razor-sharp timing and comedic expression.
December 6, 2013 | Rating: 3/4
Jeff Shannon
Seattle Times
TOP CRITIC
The Ref benefits from having actor’s actors like Davis and Spacey in the leads.
December 6, 2013
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
It’s not a bad idea, but it’s not a good movie, either.
December 6, 2013 | Rating: 2/4
Michael Wilmington
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
Whether it’s a function of sloppy editing or sloppy writing, few of these supporting players and their accompanying subplots pay off.
December 6, 2013 | Rating: 2/4
Steven Rea
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
If you are in the mood for something different at Christmas than The Ref might be a fun choice for you.
March 21, 2019 | Rating: C+
Rachel Wagner
rachelsreviews.net
A film so bleak even Krampus had to watch “Elf” immediately afterwards to regain his Christmas spirit. Rude, loud, funny and (apart from the home invasion by a gun-toting jewellery thief bit), pretty realistic about families and the festive season.
December 5, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Sarah Cartland
Caution Spoilers
A genuinely hysterical anti-holiday comedy.
December 29, 2013
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed
This is a funny idea, but the movie is too thinly written to build any real credibility, and the cast rarely seems in tune with the vapid vulgarities that dominate the dialogue.
December 6, 2013
David Sterritt
Christian Science Monitor
The Ref is a powerfully funny adult comedy. It skewers marriage, suburban values and the trendy belief that everyone is a victim of something.
December 6, 2013
Candice Russell
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
The trouble with The Ref is that it keeps running out of steam, so it seems to develop a new plot wrinkle every seven minutes. Typically, it’ll run through the new idea until it runs out of steam again, then invents yet another one.
December 6, 2013 | Rating: 2.5/4
Stephen Hunter
Baltimore Sun…
Plot
Denis Leary plays an unfortunate cat burglar, who is abandoned by his partner in the middle of a heist, and is forced to take an irritating Connecticut couple (Kevin Spacey, Judy Davis) hostage. He soon finds that he took on more than he bargained for when the couple’s blackmailing son and despicable in-laws step into the picture. Before long they’re driving him nuts with their petty bickering and family problems. The only way for him to survive is to be their referee and resolve their differences, before he can be nabbed by the police.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The Ref boasts strong turns from Denis Leary, Judy Davis, and Kevin Spacey, as well as a sharply funny script.
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