The Ref: Just Your Standard Christmas Movie
The Ref. Touchstone Pictures (1994). Image by Nick M. W.
By R. J. F.
Santa will be none too pleased with this one.
Where is Denis Leary? It seems as if he’s dropped off the face of the earth. Or, maybe it’s that I haven’t watched anything he’s been in for a long time. I used to like his tough talking comedy. Those were the days when he would film a comedy special with a cigarette dangling out of his mouth, as he paced back and forth across the stage criticizing the world at large. He had a good career in comedy and was getting roles in movies, but he’s hard to find these days, and he seems to have vanished.
Considering his old standup, it’s odd to think that he made a Christmas movie, but The Ref isn’t your average holiday romp in the snow; it’s more like he is playing himself in a movie that happens to take place during the holiday.
Leary plays Gus, a career criminal who robs houses. He’s hitting up wealthy homes during the Christmas holiday, but things get messed up when he tries to rob a home with an elaborate security system. He’s left with no choice but to hold hostage Caroline and Lloyd, played by Judy Davis and Kevin Spacey, until he can figure out how to escape without getting arrested. Gus is instantly filled with regret when he realizes that he has chosen a couple that is on the verge of divorce and must spend Christmas Eve playing their faux therapist, as well as dealing with their annoying family. And, oh yeah, Caroline and Lloyd’s son, Jesse, gets caught up in the mix, too, with a totally off the wall storyline all his own.
The holiday’s tend to heighten the already tense feelings that people have with their immediate and extended family, especially if they are people you don’t get along with. I imagine that a couple who is already on the brink of divorce would have an un-joyous time during the holly jolly season of Christmas. Mixing marital animosity with nosy family members is kind of a recipe for disaster.
Lloyd’s mom, played by Glynis Johns, has an intense dislike for Caroline and is happy that the couple is thinking about getting a divorce. I can’t decide if it’s funny or uncomfortable when Lloyd’s mother brings up the fact that Caroline had an affair in front of the entire family, only to have Caroline chastise Lloyd for running to his mommy over their marital woes. It’s both cringeworthy and humorous.
Johns plays the perfect mother-in-law and mother from hell with her biting comments and perfectly timed side-eyes to all of her kin. Eventually, the entire family gets fed up with the criticism and stands up to dear old mother. I remember watching this movie with my dad and him laughing his ass off when Lloyd sarcastically tells his mom, “You know what, Mom? You know what I’m going to get you next Christmas? A big, wooden cross. So anytime you feel unappreciated for all your sacrifices, you can climb on up and nail yourself to it.” The way that Spacey delivers this line is perfect, as he angrily stands over his mother in front of a Christmas tree while holiday tunes play in the background. This sudden development of self-confidence is exactly what the audience wants to see from his character, and Caroline digs it, too.
The Ref is kind of an odd holiday movie choice to watch during the season. A hostage situation, blackmail scandal, hostile family fights, a marriage on the rocks, a drunk and belligerent Santa Claus roaming about, robbery, and a foul-mouthed uninvited guest brandishing a gun isn’t exactly what most would consider a festive flick, but somehow it works. This might be because it’s not the typical, feel-good bullshit that’s thrown out in Christmas movies. So, if you’re in the mood for a holiday film that doesn’t revolve around being nice, giving, and sentimental, this one might be for you.