Rating: 
Summary: An overlooked Holiday Classic
Review: The Ref one of my favorite movies, holiday or not. Dennis Leary is at his sarcastic best as a cat burgler trying to survive a bungled job. Not only is he on the run from the law, he is trapped with the family from HELL when he holds hostage Lloyd and Caroline and eventually their whole disfunctional family. Kevin Spacey wasn't a household name yet at this time, but he gives a stellar performance and the whipped, frustrated Lloyd. Judy Davis is also excellent as the neurotic Caroline. Give this movie a try, you won't be sorry.
Rating:
Summary: My favorite Christmas movie
Review: It's true. This is my favorite Christmas movie. Now, be warned, you have to be a fan of smart, talky movies (think of comedies from the thirties and forties). The uniting of Judy Davis, Denis Leary, and Kevin Spacey was inspired, and Christine Baranski and Glynis Johns (one of my favorite stars when I was a kid) provide extra pith to an already pith-laden production. Now you know, of course, that whenever you get Kevin Spacey and Denis Leary in one film there's going to a lot of talking and a lot of ranting, and the rants are truly delicious, topped off with Spacey's line: "The corpse has the floor!" Judy Davis more than holds her own with Spacey and Leary, and B. D. Wong is delightful as the overwhelmed psychotherapist. As everyone gets a number in a musical, everyone gets a rant in The Ref, reminding us again of why two people argue: because they're both right. Give yourself a treat and don't wait for Christmas to watch this one.
Rating:
Summary: Very Funny Farce
Review: We were really surprised at this sleeper of a movie. I had not heard of it before, and since first viewing it, watch it three times. It is a holiday movie, where the holiday is understated. This movie with Kevin Spacey playing the husband is just hilarious. There is a lot of language in the movie, so, be prepared for that. The angst that Spacey and Davis going at throughout the movie is simply hilarious. You wonder how people could hate each other so much. The interplay with Spacey's extended family is really funny. It is like taking a Christmas dinner where the family does not get along, and adding a lot of spice to it. There are so many funny scenes in the movie that you will not know what is coming next. This movie is great for couples and friends to watch together, not a family movie, the language is too stiff.
Rating: 
Summary: What did I miss??
Review: This movie sucked! I was just wondering how this many people could be so wrong! There were very few funny parts and absolutely NO "laugh out loud" funny parts. Save your money folks....or better yet, I have one for sale, only viewed once!
Rating: 
Summary: Leary is at his best
Review: good Denis Leary movie with him taking a family(Judy Davis and Kevin Spacey) hostage so the police wont find him. a good comedy, mostly on Leary's part, he's oh so likable in hatable parts and Davis and Spacey are wacky hostages who drive Leary to the extreme. funny and crazy at the same time. for diehard Leary fanatics
Rating:
Summary: Oooh, cool...
Review: I've never seen a bad review of this movie. I've loved it since the first time I saw it. Indeed, all of the characters are ideally cast and the writing is sharp enough to make you bleed. My favorite line is when Lloyd tells his mother he'll buy her a cross so she can nail herself to it. (I can't remember it verbatim, but you know what I'm talking about.) I'm just glad they've finally begun to produce it on this format so I can add it to my collection!
Rating:
Summary: What did I miss??
Review: This movie sucked! I was just wondering how this many people could be so wrong! There were very few funny parts and absolutely NO "laugh out loud" funny parts. Save your money folks....or better yet, I have one for sale, only viewed once!
Rating:
Summary: A surprising hit....
Review: Honestly, I rented this film not really expecting much. I ended up being very pleasantly surprised. It has an outstanding cast, that really bounces dialogue off each other well, and believe me, you'll be laughing aloud many times. Not only is Dennis Leary funny as a catburglar who breaks into the wrong home(as in a bickering married couple that never shuts up), but Kevin Spacey is great as the fed-up husband. This film transcends the normal throw away comedy fare, and ends up being a very touching, moving piece on how couples can grow apart years after marriage. This is one film that you'll definitely want to own, you'll laugh in all the same parts, making it a true classic comedy!
Rating:
Summary: Ref - vs. - Beauty
Review: With so many reviews, I guess the core materials have been covered. So, into the fray! American Beauty was much hailed, but Ref, essentially an earlier concept of the same movie, went unrecognized, due to its comedic classification. The Ref utilized some of the same cast members, whose performance there, I felt, was superior. Despite the show's sometimes goofy presentation, the issues and emotions had far more depth than the later release. Too, Beauty had a preachy quality, telling you how to live your life. The Ref, doesn't really tell you how; it just says you can't control everything that happens to you - deal with it. Furthermore, Beauty had a flitty feel (perhaps a result of the repetitious musical cues), simply inhanced by one-dimensional characters, who never really connect. The Ref's characters are very similar, on a basic level; and yet, they not only connect, they clash painfully. Even the insignificant townsfolk have layers of unexplored realism. These people are forced to confront their issues, to learn and grow. Beauty's people, on the other hand, seem to drift even further into their own isolated misery, spiting the movies intended message. Leary's role in The Ref is multi fold. Primarily, he is the catalyst of change and the voice of chaos - little effort on his part. Ultimately, while his humor may have removed the film from any Oscar contentions, it also gives the viewer a much needed stress release valve. The drama there is so intense, you get the idea that this family would happily choke the life out of each other. When (like me) Leary goes off on a rant, anger is displaced with negative jocularity, creating an antithetical surrealism. It's like being comforted by the fact that your buddies laugh at you for doing something stupid. The "ref" both makes and breaks the movie. I will concede this however; had I not seen The Ref, my opinion of American Beauty would be higher. You know how it is; everything is relative - good is only good until there is something better (but in this case, better came first).
Rating:
Summary: ref dvd features
Review: for anyone interested in what this dvd comes with, it comes with absolutely nothing. however, it is in widescreen format, not 16x9. this should be enough reason to buy this very funny (holiday?) movie.
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