The Ref

Director: Ted Demme Ted Demme

Overview

"Judy Davis, Kevin Spacey, and Denis Leary star in the 1994 crime comedy The Ref. Released on DVD from Disney, it is presented with a widescreen anamorphic transfer and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound in English and French. English closed captions are available. There are no special features on this disc whatsoever."

Product Details

Release Date:	03/04/2003
UPC:	0786936208887
Original Release:	1994
Rating:	R
Source:	Walt Disney Video
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:37:00

Special Features

Closed Caption;Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound; French-language track; Widescreen (1.85:1)

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Denis Leary	Gus
Judy Davis	Caroline
Kevin Spacey	Lloyd
Robert J. Steinmiller Jr.	Jesse
Glynis Johns	Rose
Christine Baranski	Connie
Raymond J. Barry	Huff
Richard Bright	Murray
Adam LeFevre	Gary
Phillip Nicoll	John
Ellie Raab	Mary
Bill Raymond	George
John Scurti	Steve
Jim Turner	Phil
Rutanya Alda	Linda
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
Charles Kerr	Town Citizen
Derek Keurvorst	Town Citizen
Caroline Yeager	Town Citizen
J.K. Simmons	Siskel
Max Piersig	Cadet
Victor Erdos	Cadet
John Benjamin Hickey	Old Baybrook Policeman
Jimmy Burke	Old Baybrook Policeman
Chris Phillips	Old Baybrook Policeman
Stephen Hunter	Old Baybrook Policeman
Arthur Nascarella	State Trooper
Vincent Pastore	State Trooper
Tony Craig	State Trooper
Robert Collins	State Trooper
Peter Krantz	State Trooper
Robert Kroonenberg	State Trooper
Philip Akin	State Trooper
Marilyn Smith	1st Santa Family Member
Richard Blackburn	1st Santa Family Member
Mark Cregan	1st Santa Family Member
John E. Campbell	1st Santa Family Member
Cecilley Carroll	1st Santa Family Member
Denise Pidgeon	2nd Santa Family Member
Chas Lawther	2nd Santa Family Member
Lance Paton	2nd Santa Family Member
Timm Zemanek	3rd Santa Family Member
Jane Moffat	3rd Santa Family Member
Jacelyn Holmes	3rd Santa Family Member
Howard Feuer	Actor
Derek Kuervost	Town Citizen
B.D. Wong	Dr. Wong
Dave Stewart	Composer,Composer

Technical Credits

Richard LaGravenese

Marie Weiss

Ted Demme	Director
Ron Bozman	Producer
Jerry Bruckheimer	Executive Producer,Producer
Howard Feuer	Casting
Bob Hall	Special Effects
Richard LaGravenese	Producer,Screenwriter
Arthur Langevin	Special Effects
Branko Racki	Stunts
Don Simpson	Executive Producer,Producer
Jeff Weiss	Producer
Marie Weiss	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

That its plot resolves itself too cleanly does not matter -- The Ref is an actor's film. Kevin Spacey and Judy Davis are uncommonly gifted performers whose verbal battles in this film are as scathing as any screen couple in history (Burton and Taylor in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? are the obvious comparison). Their performances are emotionally intricate. The characters do not listen to each other anymore, but they certainly still hear the resentment, frustration, and anger in their mutual insults. Gifted screenwriter Richard LaGravenese's literate dialogue keeps the barbs simultaneously painful and hysterical. Denis Leary's character is the key to the film. He is just as annoyed by these characters as the audience. Fans of Leary's hyper-verbal style will not be disappointed. While his character possesses a superior verbal acuity, he has met his equals in the ultimate bickering couple. The three drive each other into a comedic, verbose frenzy. By no means perfect, comfortable, or heartwarming, The Ref is a smart, biting look at marriage, acted with gusto by the three leads. One is tempted to believe that had The Ref been released after American Beauty, it would have found a larger audience for its challenging, acidly funny tone.