The Ref (1994)

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A burglar evades police by taking a bickering couple hostage in their own home on Christmas Eve in this dark comedy from director Ted Demme (Blow, Beautiful Girls) and co-screenwriter Richard LaGravenese (The Fisher King). The Ref is nothing if not a casting coup. Stand-up comic Denis Leary headlines as the burglar, but the film is really much more of an ensemble piece than a star vehicle. Kevin Spacey (American Beauty) and Judy Davis (Naked Lunch) are terrific, anchoring the film as the volatile couple whose hatred for each other is stronger than any fear they should have for Leary. Prim and proper Glynis Johns (Mary Poppins) gets to show her nasty side as Spacey’s controlling mother, and the rest of the cast is no less effective — filled with a caliber of talent that includes the likes of J.K. Simmons and Christine Baranski.

While Leary does fine in the ensemble, it might have been nice if the script were more tailored to his sensibilities. He never gets as angry as Davis or Spacey, and never really gets to take center stage. One could also accuse The Ref of going a bit ‘soft’ in the final act, with Leary’s character endearing himself to the audience and becoming an accidental marriage counselor for Davis and Spacey. But even if this dark comedy caves a little to the Christmas spirit, it’s commendably character-driven, the dialogue is crisp, and it’s cast to the nines.