The Ref (1994)
- Directed by
- Ted Demme
- Genre
- drama film, comedy film, crime film, Christmas film
- Country
- United States
- Runtime
- 1h 37m
- Rated
- R
- Rating
- 6.6 of 10 from 378 voters
- Elsewhere
- IMDb
The catalogue in 3D
The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this film is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.
How it feels
A burglar on the run takes a married couple hostage on Christmas Eve. He ends up stuck refereeing their endless arguments while also dealing with the husband's nosy relatives.
sarcastictensedarkly comicclaustrophobicirreverentcynicalfast-pacedbittersweet
What happens
The Ref (Hostile Hostages in some countries) is a 1994 American black comedy film directed by Ted Demme, written by Richard LaGravenese and Marie Weiss, and starring Denis Leary, Judy Davis, and Kevin Spacey. The plot centers on a burglar who, while evading capture from the police, is forced to take a bickering, dysfunctional family hostage on Christmas Eve. The burglar finds himself having to act as a de facto marriage counselor, or "referee", between the squabbling husband and wife, a situation that becomes more complicated when the husband's relatives drop by for Christmas dinner. The film was released by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution on March 11, 1994 and was a box office disappointment, though positive reviews praised its dark humor, dialogue, and performances. It later found a wider audience through home video and cable television airings, becoming a cult movie and an alternative to traditional Christmas movies during the holiday season. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)
More like this
A Christmas Romance (1994)
Trapped in Paradise (1994)
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Home of Angels (1994)
Forrest Gump (1994)
Die Hard (1988)
Mixed Nuts (1994)
'R Xmas (2001)- More like this film, on a shelf you can walk up to.It's the lit case on the top shelf.