Find Movies & TV
Home
Live TV
On Demand
Explore
Movies & TV Shows
Most Popular
Leaving Soon
Categories
Action
Animation
Comedy
Crime
Descriptive Audio
Documentary
Drama
En Español
Horror
Music
Romance
Sci-Fi
Thriller
Western
Explore
Browse Channels
Featured Channels
NFL Channel
Ion Mystery
CBS Sports HQ
Categories
Hit TV
Crime
Reality
News
Sports
Game Shows
History & Science
Sci-Fi & Action
Movies
Chills & Thrills
Classic TV
Nature & Travel
Comedy
Black Entertainment
Cooking
Home
Kids & Family
Sporting
En Español
International
Gaming & Anime
Lifestyle
Music
Sign In
The Ref
Directed by
Ted Demme
1994
1h 37m
R
Comedy
,
Crime
,
Drama
6.9
74%
73%
Add to Watchlist
A cat burglar is forced to take a bickering, dysfunctional family hostage on Christmas Eve.
More
Watch from these locations
Amazon Video
Buy $20.39
Rent $3.79
AMC on Demand
Buy $9.99
Google Play Movies
Buy $17.99
Rent $3.99
+3 more
Cast of The Ref
Denis Leary
Gus
Judy Davis
Caroline Chasseur
Kevin Spacey
Lloyd Chasseur
Glynis Johns
Rose Chasseur
Robert J. Steinmiller Jr.
Jesse Chasseur
Raymond J. Barry
Lt. Huff
Richard Bright
Murray
Christine Baranski
Connie Chasseur
Adam LeFevre
Gary Chasseur
J.K. Simmons
Siskel
BD Wong
Dr. Wong, Marriage Counselor
John Scurti
Lt. Steve Milford
Bill Raymond
George
Phillip Nicoll
John
Ellie Raab
Mary
Jim Turner
Phil
Herbie Ade
Bartender
Ron Gabriel
Limo Driver
Scott Walker
Prosecutor
Edward Saxon
Reporter
Donna Holgate
Newscaster
Kenneth Utt
Jeremiah Willard
Marilyn Stonehouse
Store Cashier
Victoria Mitchell
Store Customer
Cort Day
Salvation Army Volunteer
Robert Ridgely
Bob Burley
John E. Campbell
Santa Family #1
Rutanya Alda
Linda
The Ref Reviews
Chicago Tribune
Michael Wilmington
It's not a bad idea, but it's not a good movie, either.
Philadelphia Inquirer
Steven Rea
Whether it's a function of sloppy editing or sloppy writing, few of these supporting players and their accompanying subplots pay off.
Entertainment Weekly
Owen Gleiberman
A foulmouthed sitcom of a film.
Seattle Times
Jeff Shannon
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.
Chicago Sun-Times
Roger Ebert
Material like this is only as good as the acting and writing. The Ref is skillful in both areas.
ReelViews
James Berardinelli
This is not a seamlessly constructed movie, but as long as you're not expecting great art, it's unlikely to disappoint.
rachelsreviews.net
Rachel Wagner
If you are in the mood for something different at Christmas than The Ref might be a fun choice for you.
Austin Chronicle
Marc Savlov
Leary rehashes his Bill Hicks persona for the umpteenth time, but if you can get past the blatant rip-off of his shtick, you'll find an inspired, virulent, often hilarious film that apparently was just too much for old Saint Nick.
Decent Films
Steven D. Greydanus
The Ref has a soft heart of domesticity underneath its superficially heartless humor.
Flavorwire
Jason Bailey
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).
Los Angeles Times
Kenneth Turan
The Ref benefits from having actor's actors like Davis and Spacey in the leads.
Variety
Variety Staff
The Ref works virtually none of the miracles of [Richard LaGravenese's screenplay for The Fisher King,] his previous mix 'n' match effort.
Chicago Reader
Jonathan Rosenbaum
What makes most of this work is the brio of the acting, though the direction by Ted Demme and the script by Richard LaGravenese and Marie Weiss certainly don't hurt.
New York Times
Caryn James
Staying clear of any mean-spirited attitudes, The Ref is a film to warm the hearts and touch the nerves of dysfunctional families everywhere.
Rolling Stone
Peter Travers
Demme brings out the comic ease in Leary.
Washington Post
Desson Thomson
This is one holiday party you'll want to miss.
Washington Post
Hal Hinson
The Ref is one of those rare movies that seem to have everything going for it -- a promising director, terrific actors and an original, unapologetically grown-up script -- yet somehow still turns out to be a phenomenal drag.
Chicago Reader
Kelly Vance
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.
Cinema Crazed
Felix Vasquez Jr.
A genuinely hysterical anti-holiday comedy.
Christian Science Monitor
David Sterritt
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.
Take Plex everywhere
Watch free anytime, anywhere, on almost any device.
See the full list of supported devices
Home
Live TV
On Demand
Discover