It's cynical, mean-spirited and, at least at first, viciously funny.
Comment
12/04/06
The Ref (1994)
79
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:39
Fresh:31
Rotten:8
Average Rating:6.6/10
Consensus: Undeniably uneven and too dark for some, The Ref nonetheless boasts strong turns from Denis Leary, Judy Davis, and Kevin Spacey, as well as a sharply funny script.
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Reviews for The Ref
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03/26/09
[Judy Davis and Kevin Spacey] play this strident high comedy duet with a self-sustaining brio that easily puts them on the level of the stars of Twentieth Century, The Awful Truth, The Philadelphia Story, and His Girl Friday.
12/19/05
Almost good. Emphasis on the 'almost.'
04/22/03
No review available.
09/25/04
No review available.
05/14/04
Staying clear of any mean-spirited attitudes, The Ref is a film to warm the hearts and touch the nerves of dysfunctional families everywhere.
05/20/03
As a starmaking vehicle for Leary, The Ref may do the trick. He's a prowling, muttering bundle of nervous energy, which is essentially a variation his MTV character. And he's very funny.
01/01/00
...[The Ref is] the sort of movie that improves on repeated viewings.
05/24/03
This is one holiday party you'll want to miss.
01/01/00
Top CriticVery entertaining.
06/06/03
No review available.
06/25/05
This is a smart witty film- Leary is fantastic, Spacey a blast and Davis brilliant!
10/17/03
Dennis Leary's shining hour. His stand-up persona's greatest moment and it was all down hill from there.
12/21/04
No review available.
06/20/04
In his first starring role, comedian Leary makes his ranting career criminal strangely sympathetic.
02/09/06
No review available.
03/25/05
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.
01/01/00
Top CriticThis is not a seamlessly constructed movie, but as long as you're not expecting great art, it's unlikely to disappoint.
01/01/00
Top CriticOne of the most underrated comedies of the 1990s
10/07/04
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