- The Ref
Infobox_Film
name = The Ref
caption =
director =Ted Demme
producer =Jerry Bruckheimer Don Simpson
writer =Richard LaGravenese Marie Weiss
starring =Denis Leary Judy Davis Kevin Spacey
Donna Holgate
cinematography =Adam Kimmel
music =David A. Stewart
editing =Jeffrey Wolf
distributor =Touchstone Pictures
released =March 9 , 1994
runtime = 93 min
language = English
budget = $11,000,000 (U.S.)
imdb_id = 0110955"The Ref" ("Hostile Hostages" in some countries) is a
1994 black comedy film directed byTed Demme .Premise
The movie opens with Lloyd and Caroline Chasseur in marriage counseling on Christmas Eve; the session does not go well and the audience quickly learns of their problems. Caroline has had an affair, and Lloyd is miserable and blames the problems with their son Jesse on his wife.
The movie switches to a criminal named Gus (Leary) having broken into a house and stealing jewelry from the safe; however, he accidentally sets off the alarm, a trap door opens, and he lands in the basement. He is able to get away but his getaway car driven by his partner Murray is no longer there.
While Caroline is in the market Gus spots her and with a gun to her back orders her to take him to her car. He then proceeds to order both her and Lloyd to take him to their house. Along the way the couple continues to argue, with Gus beginning to act as a referee to make them shut up.
Back at the house things continue to get worse as the police have set up roadblocks and there is a reward out for Gus. Lloyd and Caroline continue to argue, their neighbor dressed as Santa stops by, and two police officers go door to door looking for Gus. Gus manages to contact Murray, who is at local bar and orders him to steal them a boat. Soon Jesse comes home and discovers his parents tied up and after breaking loose of his own restraints makes a failed attempt at making Gus release his parents.
Lloyd’s family, consisting of Lloyd’s brother Gary, his wife Connie, their two children Mary and John, and Lloyd’s mother Rose, are introduced into the story. Rose is extremely wealthy and a very cruel person. Gus, seeing no other option, decides to pretend to be Lloyd’s and Caroline’s marriage counselor as he cannot hold everyone hostage. Jesse, however, is tied up upstairs in his parent’s closet.
Things come to head when Caroline and Lloyd are unable to stop fighting, with Lloyd finally having enough stamina to stand up to his wife and to his mother. Everyone finds out who Gus really is after the doorbell rings and Rose attempts to go upstairs; Gus stops her by pointing a gun at her head and ordering everyone to the den. The man at the door is Jesse’s commander from military school, whom Jesse has been blackmailing and which he tells Jesse's parents.
Jesse has managed to untie himself and is discovered with his hidden money; when the doorbell rings again his mom tells him to stay there. When Lloyd, Caroline, and Gus get back downstairs the neighbor from earlier has entered their house and is very drunk and lunges at Gus who knocks him out.
The state police arrive and Lloyd tells Jesse to take Gus to the docks using the path through the woods. Gus steals the Santa suit and makes it safely to the docks and escapes. Back at home the couple have managed to get the police out of their home with their bickering and they make up and plan to stay together.
Cast
*
Denis Leary - Gus
*Judy Davis - Caroline Chasseur
*Kevin Spacey - Lloyd Chasseur
*Robert J. Steinmiller Jr . - Jesse Chasseur
*Glynis Johns - Rose Chasseur
*Raymond J. Barry - Lt. Huff
*Richard Bright - Murray, Gus' Driver
*Christine Baranski - Connie Chasseur
*Adam LeFevre - Gary Chasseur
* Phillip Nicoll - John Chasseur
* Ellie Raab - Mary Chasseur
* Donna Holgate - ReporterExternal links
*
* [http://www.script-o-rama.com/movie_scripts/r/ref-script-transcript-denis-leary.html The Ref - Movie Transcript]
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