The Ref (1994)

Glynis Johns are Grandmother Rose is hilarious

About as shitty a movie as "8 Heads in a Duffel Bag," but at least that movie had a funnier old-bitch grandmother.

Love, love, love this movie.

R2 What? How do you hate this movie????

R3 Yes. It is hilarious. Caroline is kooky as hell

I've watched some of this. Can't remember much about it, but I did remember hearing that the ending was changed. Originally the thief played by Dennis Leary was arrested and tells the young son, who is going in a similar direction as the theif, that he needs to change his ways or he'll end up like him. But then the ending was changed so the thief escapes with the help of th son, and all's well that ends well, supposedly. What a shitty ending.

Love, love Judy Davis and Glynis Johns in this. When I watched this for the first time it was clear to me that Spacey was gay.

SLIPPER SOCKS!!!

R8 Christine Baranski was hilarious in this too

Raymond J. Barry is hot as fuck as the police chief.

Love this movie. One of my favorites.

Slipper socks! Medium!

R12 Just who do you think you are???

Now this movie would feature an all black cast, an Asian and a tranny.

I have loved The Ref since I saw it in a theater back in 1994. The writing is sharp and the acting, especially by Leary and Davis, is awesome. The therapy session in the beginning is hilarious, as when Caroline tells the therapist about her dream with the penis that's "just garnish." It was shocking to see a very much younger J.K. Simmons in a tiny supporting role. And, yeah, Raymond J, Barry is hot, even at his age in the film.

I remember it, this was VHS era. It was very funny, I wish i had it on dvd.

I want to try some of that Christmas Scandinavian Viking concoction!

Why don’t you. EAT. ME.

Love this movie! One of my all time favorites.

Just realized- Dennis Leary is outstanding in 2 of my all time favorites.

The Ref and Suicide Kings. And all he’s really doing is playing himself. Go figure.

I thought Leary was sexy on this when it came out.

I haven't seen it in years.

"You're a Wong?!" "My father was Chinese." "And your mother?" "Wasn't."

My memory is failing me. It's "my mother was Irish."

Glynis Johns is 99. Think she will make it to 100?

I remember finally going to see Schindler's List at the Chelsea Cinemas before the Oscars. My friend and I were so bored by it that we decided to sneak into another movie after it was over so we could get our money's worth. That movie was The Ref and boy were we glad we did.

R25 What a fun double feature- Schindler's List and The Ref

I loathed the Kevin Spacey/Judy Davis characters and their awful son. I liked the Grandmother a lot better than them.

Iconic movie.

[quote] Iconic movie.

i have never heard anyone anywhere say this was an "iconic" movie. Probably because it's not.

How could you forget me?

Judy Davis, a great actress.

Spacey was so great in this scene.

Judy Davis is mostly known for her biopics and great tragediennes (especially on stage), but for me she's at her best in zany comedies. Such a gift for timing. Johns and Baranski were hilarious too. It's one of my favourite 'alternative' Xmas movies (along with Screwed starring Elaine Stritch/Norm Macdonald, and White Reindeer).

What ever happened to Judy Davis? She's a legitimate and lasting talent, but she never quite cracked the nut of American awards audiences or Hollywood producers.

Does she have a reputation for being difficult?

[quote] Does she have a reputation for being difficult?

CUNT!

Kevin Spacey wants to clear the air about Judy Davis, whom he regards as one of the “great actresses of our time.” The issue is her reputation for being difficult, and he addresses it in an expletive-filled tirade.

“Every single interview I did for ‘The Ref’ was about ‘So, what is she really like?’ ” says Spacey, who played Davis’ husband in that film. “And you just want to say, ‘Shut up!’ I’m tired of reading stories about her reputation. I get to a point where I think the only reason they write these things is that there’s nothing else to write. They can’t figure her out, she doesn’t do that many interviews, they don’t know a thing about her personal life, so they just make this stuff up.”

He (and others who have worked with her, mostly directors) share more on her and her personality in this article:

"What are we, girlfriends?" , still makes me laugh.

"She's a legitimate and lasting talent, but she never quite cracked the nut of American awards audiences or Hollywood producers."

The article at R36's link gives a good idea of why - she's not someone who plays the Hollywood/Show-Biz game, unlike fellow Aussies Nicole Kidman and Cate Blanchett. I'm sure clashing with Lean didn't help matters either, but much of her film work has been in less-than-stellar material (her film with Eastwood is really bad and don't get me started on the Ryan Murphy schlock) but when she gets a strong role she can be amazing. She has also not bothered going the plastic surgery/botox route so she looks her age (67).

I watched a recent Australian film with her called NITRAM, where she plays the mother of a young man with serious emotional issues who winds up going on a killing spree. It's based on a true story, but Davis is excellent as is Caleb Landry Jones as the title character.

Too nasty to be a true Christmas movie. Pretty funny though.

The sarcasm is great in this movie. I have the DVD...will have to watch it. I love the house, too....with the antiques...and the quaint town.

Glynis Johns did make it to 100!!!

[Quote] that movie had a funnier old-bitch grandmother.

I love old bitches