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The Ref

Actor(s): Denis Leary, Judy Davis, Kevin Spacey, Robert J. Steinmiller, Glynis Johns
Director(s): Ted Demme
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Movie Details

MPAA Rating: R
Content Advisory: Adult Situations, Not For Children, Profanity
Movie Release: 1994
DVD Release: 03/04/2003
Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned
Audio Tracks: English, French
SwapaDVD Credits: 1
Number of Discs: 1
Run Time: 1 hrs 37 mins
Studio: Walt Disney Video
Total Copies: 18
Genres: Comedy Drama, Crime, Farce, Domestic Comedy

DVD Synopsis

Caroline and Lloyd (Judy Davis and Kevin Spacey) are a married couple constantly at each other's throats, masters at crafting acid-tongued barbs at the other's expense. Indeed, they are so obsessed with belittling each other that they never stop -- not even at gunpoint. Such is the premise of the acerbic comedy The Ref, which shows what happens when this quarrelsome duo is taken hostage. The gunman is Gus (Denis Leary), a thief on the run from the police, who kidnaps the couple as an insurance policy, planning to use their home as a hideout. But their incessant bickering proves more than Gus bargained for, forcing him -- for the sake of his own sanity -- into the unenviable role of peacemaker. To make things even worse for Gus, he discovers that he has taken the couple hostage the night of their big Christmas party, and the guests are already on the way. Not wanting to leave Lloyd and Caroline unattended, Gus opts to attend the party, pretending to be the couple's marriage counselor. This naturally leads to a series of comic confusions, as the hostage crisis and marital tensions head towards their inevitable conclusion. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

Actors

Denis Leary - Gus
Judy Davis - Caroline
Kevin Spacey - Lloyd
Robert J. Steinmiller - Jesse
Glynis Johns - Rose

Editorial Review of DVD

Judy Davis, Kevin Spacey, and Denis Leary star in the 1994 crime comedy The Ref. Released on DVD from Disney, it is presented with a widescreen anamorphic transfer and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound in English and French. English closed captions are available. There are no special features on this disc whatsoever. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Member Movie Reviews

S A A. (Learned2Heal) wrote on 1/22/2008...

2 of 3 member(s) found this review helpful.

I resisted watching this movie at first, because the title is dumb and just not terribly enticing. Then, somehow, I accidentally stumbled on it one day while channel surfing. I was immediately hooked. It is a very intelligent comedy with lots of cool lines and great acting. In fact, this was the first time I saw any of the actors, I think. I began actively seeking out any and all movies with Kevin Spacey and Judy Davis from then on. I also liked Denis Leary a lot in this movie but, sad to say, this remains, to this day, his best vehicle. Since then, I have not really seen anything that he stars in as watchable as this role of his was back then. If you like intelligent comedy, not just snort your coffee through your nose and pie in the face food fights accompanied by lame one-liners, then this movie is for you. The acting is great, the script is hilarious and it grabs you and carries you along from the start to the finish. One of my favorite comedies of all time.