In his first starring role, comedian Leary makes his ranting career criminal strangely sympathetic.
Comment
02/09/06
The Ref (1994)
79
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
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.
Reviews for The Ref
Top CriticClick to read the article
03/26/09
Top CriticWhat makes most of this work is the brio of the acting, though the direction by Ted Demme and the script by Richard LaGravenese and Marie Weiss certainly don't hurt.
11/27/07
It's cynical, mean-spirited and, at least at first, viciously funny.
12/04/06
Top Critic[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
No review available.
06/25/05
No review available.
03/25/05
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.
11/19/04
One of the most underrated comedies of the 1990s
10/07/04
No review available.
09/25/04
No review available.
06/20/04
No review available.
05/14/04
No review available.
01/13/04
Just because The Ref isn't your typical Christmas movie doesn't mean you should skip it. In fact, it should be just the opposite.
12/24/03
This is a smart witty film- Leary is fantastic, Spacey a blast and Davis brilliant!
10/17/03
Very entertaining.
06/06/03
...[The Ref is] the sort of movie that improves on repeated viewings.
05/24/03
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
Top CriticLatest News for The Ref
December 18, 2006:
RT's Top Yuletide Comedies -- Christmas Countdown, Day One
Welcome to RT's Five Days of Christmas Countdown, where we serve up a different list each day of the best holiday flicks around. Today, feast your eyes on the Top Christmas... More...
July 13, 2005:
Trailer Bulletin: Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
If you remember the goofy ol' teaser for "Ice Age," then you'll probably get a kick out of the all-new trailer for "Ice Age 2: The Meltdown." Yes, it's more... More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Fresh Links
Featured
RT on YouTube 
Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.
RT on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.
IGN RSS Feeds