The Ref (Hostile Hostages in some countries) is a 1994 American black comedy film directed by Ted Demme, starring Denis Leary, Judy Davis, Kevin Spacey and Glynis Johns.
Plot
On Christmas Eve in an affluent Connecticut hamlet, Lloyd and Caroline Chasseur are in a marriage counseling session with therapist Dr. Wong. Caroline has had an affair, and Lloyd is miserable and blames the behavioral problems of their 15-year-old son Jesse on his wife's coddling of him. Caroline, meanwhile, calls out Lloyd for his inability to stand up to his domineering mother, Rose.
In the same town, cat burglar Gus is in the midst of stealing jewelry from a mansion. His plan goes awry when he accidentally sets off the alarm and is chased out by a guard dog. His getaway car, driven by his partner Murray, is no longer there. At a convenience store, he runs into Lloyd and Caroline and takes them hostage, ordering them to drive him to their house. Along the way, Caroline and Lloyd keep arguing, with Gus having to repeatedly intercede and tell them to shut up.
At the Chasseur house, Gus has Lloyd and Caroline tied up while they continue to bicker. Knowing that Murray usually seeks refuge at seedy bars, Gus calls the local bar and manages to get in touch with him. He instructs Murray to steal a boat for their getaway. The police set up roadblocks and impose a curfew to look for Gus, while two officers go door-to-door. Lt. Huff, the police chief, is less than concerned because the town rarely sees criminal activity like this.
Jesse, who has been away at a military school, arrives home earlier than his parents expect. Unbeknownst to them, Jesse has been blackmailing the school's commanding officer, Siskel, with photographs of an affair. He is stashing the money with plans of running away. Gus has Jesse tied up along with his parents. Jesse, unhappy with his home life, pleads to join Gus into a life of crime. Gus calls Jesse out on his naivety and tells the boy he should appreciate his comfortable upbringing.
As the police search for Gus expands, he is forced to continue hiding out in the Chasseur home while waiting on Murray. Complicating matters are visiting neighbors, such as George, who is dressed up as Santa Claus and arrives to deliver a fruitcake for the family. Later, Lloyd's family—his brother Gary, sister-in-law Connie, their two children Mary and John, and Rose—arrive to celebrate Christmas Eve. Rose is extremely wealthy and bullies everyone in the family. To hide any suspicion that Lloyd and Caroline are being held hostage, Gus pretends to be Dr. Wong and tells Lloyd's family his presence is needed as part of "experimental therapy". Jesse is tied up and gagged upstairs in his parents' closet. During the family dinner, Caroline and Lloyd are unable to stop fighting, and Caroline demands a divorce. Gus' pointed comments goad Lloyd to stand up to his wife and his mother. Everyone finds out who Gus really is after Rose attempts to go upstairs; he puts a gun to her head.
Siskel turns up at the door and reveals how he is being blackmailed. Jesse manages to untie himself, and his parents discover his hidden money. George, still dressed as Santa, but now very drunk, returns to the home, protesting why he never gets a gift in return. He spots the gun and realizes who Gus is but gets knocked out. The state police arrive, and Lloyd, having a change of heart, decides he cannot "spend [his] life sending everyone [he] care[s] about to prison." He instructs Jesse to take Gus to the docks using a path through the woods. Gus, in George's Santa suit, makes it safely to a boat where Murray awaits.
Back at home, the couple's bickering drives away the police. Having aired out their differences throughout the evening with Gus' assistance, they make up and decide to stay together. Their reconciliation is interrupted when John informs them that "grandma Rose is eating through her gag."
Cast
Production
Richard LaGravenese co-wrote the film with his sister-in-law Marie Weiss. It was inspired by their families. For example, the dinner scene: "Both Marie and I are Italian Catholics who married into Jewish families, so we do have those big holiday dinners," LaGravenese said. Weiss began writing the script in 1989 after she and her husband moved from New York to California. Inspiration came from an argument she had with him and she thought, "Wouldn't it be great if there were a third party to step in and referee?" She wrote several drafts and consulted with LaGravenese in 1991 and they took it to Disney. The studio approved the project within 20 minutes. LaGravenese spent a year revising the script until he finally got "tired of doing rewrites for executives."
