I absolutely enjoyed this movie. One of my favorites Christmas movies full of laughs but it’s hard to find.

Denis Leary is the ref but not a very good one it seems He plays a burglar Gus, it's Christmas time and he's in the middle of robbing a mansion in Connecticut But what he didn't count on was running into a bickering couple Lloyd and Caroline Gus not only has to make them hostages but also deal with their relatives and their many issues Some nice co-stars include Kevin Spacey, Judy Davis, and Christine Baranski I didn’t like a single character in this, mainly it’s so much bickering back and forth with minor subplots that never flesh out but at least Leary is keeping the whole thing together reading these lines in quick flawless succession

Absolutely fantastic. I love the sarcasm. Language not for kiddos.

This is my Christmas go-to. Love everything about it - dialogue is fantastic and every dysfunctional member of your family is represented. Truly a delight.

Had become one of my favorite holiday movies. Some seriously funny lines.. good fun!

Slap happy comedy that has some real depth. Leary was made for this role.

I love this movie, an every-year holiday favourite - but the unrelenting black humour may turn-off some viewers. The romantic spats between Judi Davis and Kevin Spacey are gloriously nasty, even with a suave, sly (and attractive) nemesis in Denis Leery, Look for the uncredited BD Wong in the first scene, as a marriage counselor, which launches one of the funniest stories in the film, repeated for Davis to emasculate Spacey: a recurring dream in which she is served his penis on a bed of spinach. My favourite scene: the traditional Scandinavian Christmas feast, with all guests expected to wear wreath-like headpieces festooned with lit candles. What could possible go wrong? Great performances throughout, including from veteran Glynis Johns.

Funny funny funny… a great twist on Christmas movies.

Already one of my favorite annual holiday rewatches. Uneven tone, but sharply written and funny acted.

Hysterical, even if there is a great deal of swearing, and deep despite the fantastic premise.

My favourite Christmas movie of all time!

It can't decide on whether it wants its tone to be dark or absurd and has the added side effect of having an unfocused narrative and character arcs that feel rushed but the performances of its lead actors, amusing set-up and funny script make The Ref an entertaining black comedy that provides a decent change of pace from your average Christmas movie, for anyone sick of whimsical crap and debates on whether Die Hard, Gremlins and Batman Returns count as Christmas movies simply because the stories happen to take place in December. I don't see this film as an underrated classic but I do think it's worth watching at least once.

The Ref is absolutely one of my family's favorite dark comedies, especially at Christmas. This is classic Dennis Leary so if you like him then you'll like this. Add in Kevin Spacey and Judy Davis, plus a bunch of quality character actors and this movie is really good. Without revealing any spoilers it's about a small time thief who breaks into the wrong house at Christmas, ends up getting mixed up with a dysfunctional family, and I suppose they are learn the real meaning of Christmas, or something. Look, if you like dark comedies then this is for you. My favorite quote from the movie that gets thrown around quite a bit in the family: "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."

4 out of 5 Denis Leary make this movie...and what this movie is and has become is a holiday cult classic. This dark comedy has scenes that stick with you, and remain years after viewing. There are so many iconic comedy moments that you remember, that just make you laugh..i.e the dinner scene where everyone has candles on their head. The Chemistry between the 3 leads is electric, and it just works. I think with the wrong actors this film would not work. Denis Leary is a very underrated actor, and in a way this was his breakout from the standup, to the big screen. Another thing this film accomplishes, is the care you feel about the characters. You realize he isn't a "bad" guy, he just has made terrible decisions, and it comes full circle. True comedic gold, The Ref is damn fun.

Another boring slow Christmas movie starring some random dudes and Kevin spacey. It's a robber on Christmas. Aka fake American version hans gruber from die hard. Not a fan.

Another boring slow Christmas movie starring some random dudes and Kevin spacey. It’s a robber on Christmas. Aka fake American version hans gruber from die hard. Not a fan.

Oh man this movie was funny. The bickering couple dynamic was spot on in terms of dialogue and acting. The dinner scene was hilariously tense and relatable with our common holiday experiences. This is a movie which escalates at just the right pace to suspend the disbelief and knows exactly when to throw another wrench in the gears. My only complaint is that the ending felt pretty unrealistic - even after a night of shenanigans, I can't really believe that anyone would willingly allow the person who held them at gunpoint earlier to escape.

A criminal botches a job and hijacks an arguing couple getting away. Great ending.

Undone by its premise even if it has some fun bits.

An excellent cast with a problematic story line. Still, enjoyable.