Movies like The Ref
If you like "The Ref" you are looking for dark comedy, humorous and witty movies about / with christmas, hostage, dysfunctional family, farce, holiday, robbery and marriage counselor themes of Comedy, Crime and Drama genre shot in USA.
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1. Identify all themes of interest from this film (block below).
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The Ref (1994)
29K
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min.
Story:
Caroline and Lloyd are a married couple constantly at each other's throats, masters at crafting acid-tongued barbs at the other's expense. Indeed, they are so obsessed with belittling each other that they never stop -- not even at gunpoint. The gunman is Gus, a thief on the run from the police, who kidnaps the couple as an insurance policy, planning to use their home as a hideout. But their incessant bickering proves more than Gus bargained for, forcing him -- for the sake of his own sanity -- into the unenviable role of peacemaker. To make things even worse for Gus, he discovers that he has taken the couple hostage the night of their big Christmas party, and the guests are already on the way. Not wanting to leave Lloyd and Caroline unattended, Gus opts to attend the party, pretending to be the couple's marriage counselor. This naturally leads to a series of comic confusions, as the hostage crisis and marital tensions head towards their inevitable conclusion.
Style:
dark comedy, humorous, witty, talky, funny, hilarious, light, semi serious, black comedy, christmas classics ...
Plot:
christmas, hostage, dysfunctional family, farce, holiday, robbery, marriage counselor, marital crisis, extramarital affair, manhunt, blackmail, dinner, new year, stockholm syndrome, mansion, father son relationship, teenage boy, mother in law daughter in law relationship, husband wife relationship, argument, selfishness, dysfunctional marriage, career criminal, breaking and entering, husband wife conflict ...
Time:
90s, 20th century, 18th century
Place:
connecticut, usa
Movie in categories
Most similar movies to The Ref
The list contains related movies ordered by similarity. Recommendation engine sorted out realistic, humorous, clever and funny films with plots about chase, storytelling, dialogue, runaway, mentor, catastrophe and husband wife relationship mostly in Comedy, Crime and Drama genres. Some movies like The Ref: Faithful (1996), Ruthless People (1986), Double Whammy (2001), Suicide Kings (1997), Money for Nothing (1993). The matching attributes are highlighted in bold.
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min.
Story:
A depressed housewife whose husband is having an affair contemplates suicide, but changes her mind when she faces death by a killer hired to do her in.
Style:
witty, melancholic, semi serious, black comedy, clever ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
loneliness, female protagonist, runaway, woman in danger, greed, crumbling marriage, family problems, self discovery, professional killer, marriage, professional, adultery ...
Time:
year 1996, 90s, 20th century
Place:
new york, usa
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Comedy, Crime
Country: USA
Duration: 93 min.
Story:
A couple, cheated by a vile businessman, kidnap his wife in retaliation, without knowing that their enemy is delighted they did.
Style:
black comedy, dark comedy, raunchy comedy, funny, hilarious ...
Plot:
kidnapping, videotaped sex, greed, extramarital affair, husband wife relationship, farce, businessman, misunderstanding, ransom, revenge, fashion, stockholm syndrome ...
Time:
80s, 20th century
Place:
usa, los angeles, seattle, santa monica california
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 93 min.
Story:
Ray Pluto has many problems. He is satirized in the tabloids as the "loser cop." His partner is starting to seem suspiciously attracted to him. A pair of screenwriters across the hall keep bugging him for help. The superintendent of his ...
Style:
humorous, suspense, entertaining, semi serious, realistic ...
Plot:
murder, hitman, serial killer, adaptation, investigation, couple relations, police detective, stupidity, law enforcement, doctors and patients, power relations, male female relationship ...
Place:
usa, new york, brooklyn new york city, new jersey
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min.
Story:
Christopher Walken shines in this cult-favorite dark comedy as Charlie, a former mobster who is abducted by five privileged young men (Sean Patrick Flanery, Johnny Galecki, Jay Mohr, Jeremy Sisto, Henry Thomas) desperate to raise a $2 million ransom ...
Style:
dark comedy, suspenseful, black comedy, suspense, neo noir ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
kidnapping, mafia, dark humor, twists and turns, hostage, crime gone awry, manipulation, gangster, organized crime, mobster, profanity, stupidity ...
Time:
90s, year 1997, 20th century, 70s
Place:
usa, atlantic city, atlantic city new jersey, new york
Similarity:
100%
Movie in collections
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min.
Story:
When unemployed dockworker Joey Coyle finds $1.2 million that fell off of an armored car, he decides to do the logical thing: take the money and run. After all, he says, finders keepers. He turns to his ex-girlfriend Monica, who works in an ...
Style:
light, intense, humorous, realistic, detective ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
money, corruption, stolen money, chase, runaway, heist, friends, disorder, nothing goes right, dishonesty, criminal, gangster ...
Time:
year 1993, 90s, 80s
Place:
philadelphia, new jersey, california
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Comedy, Crime
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 108 min.
Story:
A diamond advocate is attempting to steal a collection of diamonds, yet troubles arise when he realizes that he is not the only one after the diamonds.
Style:
funny, dark comedy, black comedy, raunchy comedy, dramatic ...
Plot:
heist, femme fatale, zoophilia, satire, manipulation, plan gone wrong, eternal love, psychotic, outlaw, swindle, diamond, female thief ...
Time:
80s, 20th century, year 1988
Place:
europe, britain, tower bridge london, london, england ...
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 81 min.
Story:
A high-powered attorney duct tapes her adulterous husband to the toilet ... right before their home is invaded by burglars.
Style:
not serious, witty, humorous, realistic, cynical ...
Audience:
girls' night, chick flick
Plot:
marriage, love triangle, infidelity, family problems, love and romance, dishonesty, woman, hostage, mistress, couples, robbery, love ...
Time:
year 2009, 21st century
Similarity:
100%
74K
Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 123 min.
Story:
Two bank robbers fall in love with the girl they've kidnapped.
Style:
funny, humorous, entertaining, hilarious, feel good ...
Audience:
boys' night, girls' night
Plot:
heist, robbery, prison, friendship, bank robbery, bored housewife, on the run, stockholm syndrome, hostage, caper, home invasion, unhappy marriage ...
Time:
year 2001, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
oregon, california, usa, mexico
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime
Country: USA
Duration: 98 min.
Story:
Advertising executive Nick Beame learns that his wife is sleeping with his employer. In a state of despair, he encounters a bumbling thief whose attempted carjacking goes awry when Nick takes him on an involuntary joyride. Soon the betrayed ...
Style:
funny, action comedy, humorous, hilarious, entertaining ...
Plot:
desert, revenge, husband wife relationship, friendship, robbery, profanity, mistaken identity, reckless driving, advertising executive, criminal, security guard, criminal heroes ...
Time:
20th century, 90s, year 1997
Place:
arizona, los angeles, usa, new jersey, seattle
Similarity:
100%
737K
Genre: Comedy, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 103 min.
Story:
Eight-year-old Kevin McCallister makes the most of the situation after his family unwittingly leaves him behind when they go on Christmas vacation. But when a pair of bungling burglars set their sights on Kevin's house, the plucky kid stands ...
Style:
funny, light, humorous, not serious, slapstick comedy ...
Audience:
kids, family outing, pre-teens, family friendly, girls' night ...
Plot:
christmas, holiday, home alone, mischievous children, child, children, youth, home invasion, child protagonist, kids and family, childhood, when the parents are away ...
Time:
20th century, 90s, year 1990, year 2016, 80s
Place:
chicago, illinois, north america, usa, france ...
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 120 min.
Story:
Instead of flying to Florida with his folks, Kevin ends up alone in New York, where he gets a hotel room with his dad's credit card—despite problems from a clerk and meddling bellboy. But when Kevin runs into his old nemeses, the Wet Bandits, ...
Style:
feel good, funny, humorous, hilarious, cute ...
Audience:
kids, family outing, pre-teens, family friendly, girls' night ...
Plot:
holiday, christmas, children, hotel, home alone, winter, childhood, vacation, child, airport, young heroes, christmas time ...
Time:
90s, 20th century, year 1992
Place:
new york, florida, manhattan new york city, miami, chicago ...
Similarity:
100%
167K
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: Germany, USA
Duration: 92 min.
Story:
A miserable conman and his partner pose as Santa and his Little Helper to rob department stores on Christmas Eve. But they run into problems when the conman befriends a troubled kid, and the security boss discovers the plot.
Style:
black comedy, funny, dark comedy, sexy, cynical ...
Audience:
girls' night, kids, adult
Plot:
dark humor, christmas, profanity, christmas eve, bully, alcohol abuse, bullying, casual sex, misfit, anti hero, christmas season, cons and scams ...
Time:
year 2003, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
usa, arizona, miami, milwaukee wisconsin, north america ...
Similarity:
67%
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min.
Story:
Frank O'Brien, a petty thief, and his 7-year-long girlfriend Roz want to put an end to their unsteady lifestyle and just do that last job, which involves stealing a valuable painting. Frank takes Roz to an island on the coast of New England, ...
Style:
humorous, light, suspense, road movie, romantic ...
Audience:
date night, girls' night
Plot:
heist, happy ending, couples, justice, gangster, painting, betrayal, partner, disorder, cons and scams, couple relations, nothing goes right ...
Time:
90s, year 1996
Place:
usa, new england, nova scotia, boston, rhode island
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 122 min.
Story:
Lester Burnham, a depressed suburban father in a mid-life crisis, decides to turn his hectic life around after developing an infatuation with his daughter's attractive friend.
Style:
melancholic, thought provoking, sexual, dark comedy, sexy ...
Audience:
teens, chick flick, kids, girls' night, teen drama ...
Plot:
midlife crisis, dysfunctional family, existentialism, age difference, obsession, loneliness, coming of age, older man younger woman relationship, dysfunctional marriage, youth, adultery, suburbs ...
Time:
90s, 20th century, year 1999, year 2013
Place:
usa, america, los angeles, iran
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Thriller
Country: Argentina, Uruguay
Duration: 93 min.
Story:
A peaceful Christmas Eve is interrupted when a thief breaks into a villa. When the family’s little daughter mistakes him for Santa Claus and asks him to fulfill her Christmas wish, he will be forced to perform a miracle that will redeem secrets ...
Style:
entertaining, humorous, captivating, black comedy, dark comedy ...
Plot:
infidelity, santa claus, adultery, cheating wife, thief, christmas eve, heist, mistaken identity, heist gone wrong, robbery, making a wish, attempted robbery ...
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Comedy, Crime
Country: USA
Duration: 105 min.
Story:
Enid only looks like she's sleeping. In fact, she's dead. Shortly after Enid caught her husband Harry in bed with her sister June, a row ensued, whereupon June accidently killed Enid. June's problem now is to hide the truth from the ...
Style:
dark comedy, laugh out loud, independent film, semi serious, realistic ...
Plot:
dark humor, infidelity, redneck, caught cheating, police officer, shootout, murder, sibling relationship, couples, injustice, investigation, chases and races ...
Time:
80s, 20th century, 1950s, year 1959, 90s ...
Place:
new mexico
Similarity:
23%
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 112 min.
Story:
An opportunistic young man working as a servant to a European countess uses his sexual talents to better his station in life.
Style:
independent film, clever, dark comedy, black comedy, humorous ...
Plot:
gay, lgbt, murder, corruption, greed, revenge, hotel, serial killer, inn, rural setting, older woman younger man relationship, social climbing ...
Time:
1940s, 20th century, post world war two, 70s
Place:
austria, europe, central europe, prussia, bavaria ...
Similarity:
21%
Genre: Comedy, Crime
Country: USA
Duration: 85 min.
Story:
Mike and Lenny are two buddies who dream of getting out of the trailer park. Out of desperation they resort to burglary as a means of financing Mike's college education. Their dream is jeopardized one summer day when their ploy to shoplift Near ...
Style:
semi serious, realistic, humorous, entertaining, dark comedy ...
Plot:
nothing goes right, unfaithful wife, family relations, ambition, parents and children, disorder, youth, teenage life, single parent, small town, seductive woman, fight ...
Time:
90s
Place:
illinois, usa
Similarity:
21%
Movie in collections
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 92 min.
Story:
A shady lawyer attempts a Christmas Eve crime, hoping to swindle the local mob out of some money. But his partner, a strip club owner, might have different plans for the cash.
Style:
dark comedy, neo noir, black comedy, suspenseful, intense ...
Plot:
stripper, christmas, strip club, femme fatale, robbery, murder, gangster, mobster, dark humor, organized crime, voyeur, crooked lawyer ...
Time:
year 2005, 21st century
Place:
usa, kansas
Similarity:
20%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 87 min.
Story:
There's nothing wrong with the Marshetta family that a little felony can't cure. Rupert doesn't want to follow in his father's blue-collar footsteps, so he and his quirky friend kidnap his father for ransom, only nobody wants him ...
Style:
retro, independent film, semi serious, realistic, offbeat ...
Plot:
kidnapping, older woman younger man relationship, kidnapper, age-gap relationship, motorcycle, mine, family relations, dysfunctional family, missing person, buddies, youth, family problems ...
Time:
80s
Place:
pennsylvania, usa
Similarity:
20%
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: Germany, USA
Duration: 88 min.
Story:
Brad and Kate have made something of an art form out of avoiding their families during the holidays, but this year their foolproof plan is about go bust -- big time. Stuck at the city airport after all departing flights are canceled, the couple is ...
Style:
humorous, funny, entertaining, feel good, romantic ...
Audience:
date night, chick flick
Plot:
christmas, holiday, christmas time, couple relations, dysfunctional family, family bonds, new year, nothing goes right, in-laws, family drama, brothers, marriage ...
Time:
2000s, 21st century
Place:
san francisco, usa
Similarity:
20%
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 87 min.
Story:
A rather dull minded bank robber suddenly suffers from a change of heart and decides to give the money back. However, he then learns that getting the money back into the bank is much more difficult than taking it out.
Style:
independent film, semi serious, realistic, humorous, offbeat ...
Plot:
bank, partner, wedding, escape, cons and scams, unlikely criminals, criminal heroes, curses spells and rituals, babies and infants, dishonesty, fall in love, disorder ...
Time:
90s, 20th century
Place:
texas
Similarity:
20%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min.
Story:
The events focus around a crisis hotline business on one crazy night during the Christmas holidays.
Style:
funny, christmas classics, slapstick, humorous, christmas comedy ...
Audience:
chick flick, date night
Plot:
christmas, holiday, farce, christmas eve, new year, xmas, suicide, transvestite, veterinarian, lgbtq, bike, christmas spirit ...
Time:
90s, year 1994
Place:
california, seattle, italy, usa, europe ...
Similarity:
19%
Movie in collections
Genre: Comedy, Crime
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min.
Story:
The Coen Brothers tell the story of a absurd yet likable family with an unproductive couple as the focal point. The couple has gotten themselves into some trouble while kidnapping a baby and give Hollywood one of the most memorable chase scenes to ...
Style:
witty, humorous, funny, dark comedy, cult classic ...
Audience:
kids, toddlers, family outing
Plot:
kidnapping, satire, robbery, parenthood, screwball, baby, american football, adoption, missing child, policewoman, desert, dark humor ...
Time:
80s, 20th century, year 1987
Place:
arizona, usa, phoenix arizona
Similarity:
19%
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: Germany, Canada, UK, USA
Duration: 100 min.
Story:
To remedy his financial problems, a travel agent has his eye on a frozen corpse, which just happens to be sought after by two hitmen.
Style:
humorous, clever, dark comedy, black comedy, cult classic ...
Plot:
dark humor, nothing goes right, kidnapping, murder, snow, disorder, comedy of errors, down on your luck, held captive, life insurance, frozen body, winter ...
Time:
year 2005, 21st century
Place:
alaska, usa, minnesota
Similarity:
19%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 93 min.
Story:
A man must struggle to travel home for Thanksgiving, with an obnoxious slob of a shower ring salesman his only companion.
Style:
feel good, road movie, funny, light, hilarious ...
Audience:
date night, kids, teens
Plot:
thanksgiving, road trip, holiday, train, travel, airplane, on the road, airport, husband wife relationship, railway, buddy, traveling salesman ...
Time:
80s, year 1987, 20th century
Place:
chicago, empire state building manhattan new york city, manhattan new york city, illinois, new york ...
Similarity:
19%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 85 min.
Story:
Craig and Day Day have finally moved out of their parents houses and into their own crib. The cousins work nights at a local mall as security guards. When their house is robbed on Christmas Eve they team up to track him down.
Style:
hood, funny, humorous, stylized, witty ...
Audience:
teens, adult
Plot:
christmas, thief, marijuana, weed, african american, security guard, robbery, pimp, urban, shopping mall, hip hop, voice over narration ...
Time:
year 2002
Place:
california, los angeles
Similarity:
19%
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 103 min.
Story:
Having both lost their jobs, two strangers become unlikely friends after a run in with a would be robber, who is actually a hitman with a grudge against the two.
Style:
hilarious, humorous, dark comedy, semi serious, realistic ...
Audience:
teens, adult
Plot:
survival, gangster, unemployment, friendship, paranoia, hospital, criminal, robbery, gas station, new year, survivalist, hitman ...
Time:
80s, year 1983
Place:
vermont, new york, usa
Similarity:
19%
Genre: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min.
Story:
It's Christmas time and the Griswolds are preparing for a family seasonal celebration, but things never run smoothly for Clark, his wife Ellen and their two kids. Clark's continual bad luck is worsened by his obnoxious family guests, but ...
Style:
feel good, humorous, funny, christmas special, slapstick ...
Audience:
kids, teens, family friendly
Plot:
christmas, holiday, winter, christmas season, parents and children, vacation, dysfunctional family, rottweiler, christmas eve, family gatherings, squirrel, creativity ...
Time:
80s, year 2016, 20th century
Place:
chicago, illinois, usa
Similarity:
18%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 112 min.
Story:
Peter and Katherine Witner are Southern California super-yuppies with great jobs but no center to their lives. When they both lose their jobs and begin marital infidelities, their solution is to start their own business together. In order to find ...
Style:
independent film, satirical, disturbing, melancholic, meditative ...
Plot:
dark humor, suicide, satire, adaptation, crumbling marriage, society, self discovery, filmmaking, love and romance, couple relations, starting over, rise and fall ...
Time:
year 1994, 90s
Place:
california, usa, los angeles
Similarity:
18%
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