The Ref

"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.

I liked the vibe, the theme and the story. The actors were great. Everybody made you felt the tensions in that family. The jokes were good, cruel some but not above the limit. I had those kind of laughs that you have when you watch Home Alone. This is a different kind of Christmas movie and I'm glad I found it. We need more movies like these.

Have you noticed? Lloyd, Kevin Spacey's character in "The Ref" is closely related to Lester, Kevin Spacey's character in "American Beauty" if you see both movies, back to back, you'll notice the astonishing similarities between the two. Twins? Maybe. If they are, or were, poor Lester, a lot of things will become immediately clear. To start with, he had Glynis Johns for a mother. Miss Jones creates such a frighteningly funny portrait of a castrating mother that Lester's emasculation is perfectly explained. Not to mention their choice of spouses, time bombs Judi Davis and Annette Bening This little piece of trivia will add, to the considerable pleasures of this delightful and underrated Ted Demme's dark fairy tale. The opening at the marriage counselor's office is just superb, I can see it endlessly, it never fails to make me laugh. Kevin Spacey and Judi Davis are a couple part Edward Albee part Terence Rattigan. They are priceless. Dennis Leary's energy is contagious and relentless. His best part to date. The clunky sub plot involving their son and, what it appears, like a hurried ending, doesn't spoil the fun. The writing by the brilliant Richard LaGravenesse and Marie Weiss is pure joy. Ideal to see with a bunch of friends.

Brief storyline of the film, the plot idea is relatively simple; Denis Leary plays Gus a professional burglar who after a foiled robbery seeks to make good his escape by taking married couple Lloyd and Caroline Chasseur hostage. Lloyd (played by Kevin Spacey) and Caroline (played by Judy Davis) are however going through something of a marriage crisis and poor old Gus ends up playing referee between the two warring factions of this married couple. Add in a delinquent son, a mother-in-law of humongous bitchy proportions and a drunken Santa Claus and let the mayhem begin! I have to say that the interplay between Learn, Spacey and Davis is simply fantastic with the machinegun like dialogue whizzing back and forth between them, my favourite quote from the film is Leary's character and he said "From now on, the only person who gets to yell is me. Why? Because I have a gun. People with guns get to do whatever they want. Married people without guns - for instance - you - DO NOT get to yell. Why? NO GUNS! No guns, no yelling. See? Simple little equation." The black humour of the film is just brilliant and it's actually what you would expect from Kevin Spacey and Denis Leary film with past films like "Swimming with Sharks" With likewise the stingingly cruel comments from the mother-in-law from hell are a real hoot, as is the bumbling capers of the town's less than competent police force. What makes the film work on another level though is that the arguments and disagreements that have the family at each other's throats are not contrived or unbelievable. Both husband and wife put forward extremely credible points of view that I'm sure having cropped up in the minds of most viewers. This gives the film a lovely poignancy and all that more enjoyable.

Overall, I found this a very funny movie. Judy Davis and Kevin Spacey bounce off each other hilariously, and I found Denis Leary's character just brilliant (and is now one of my favourite comedian) The script is original, the humour is dry, sarcastic and 'laugh out loud' good for a black-comedy so Great stuff!

My favorite line of all time is from this movie- when Lloyd tells his mother next Christmas he's going to buy her a big wooden cross, so anytime she feels unappreciated or un-loved she can climb on up there and nail herself to it! This movie is definitely on my top ten list. The acting is awesome! The timing and delivery of lines is right on! It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but for those of us who love this kind of humor its a sure classic! The casting was superb! I cant see anyone else playing those parts. This is the movie that turned me onto Kevin Spacey- and he is still my favorite actor ever! This is also the funniest movie I've ever seen Denis Leary in. His brand of humor combined with Kevin Spacey's wit is the stuff dreams are made of.