There are only a handful of directors in the history of cinema whose entire career has seen as much success as Rob Reiner’s first ten years as a director. Reiner, who won an Emmy for his work on Norman Lear’s Seventies sitcom All in the Family before he even picked up a camera, turned to directing with his feature debut, This is Spinal Tap; A film with a difficult production process that practically created the mockumentary genre and not one of Rob Reiner’s best films, which is one of the best comedies of all time.
After “Spinal Tap”, Rob Reiner reached the peak of his career in the eighties and early nineties; Oji, who has rarely seen filmmaking in Hollywood like him; “Stand By Me” is an example of a true coming-of-age film, “Misery” is considered one of the best film adaptations of Stephen King’s works, “The Princess Bride” is a classic fantasy adventure film, “When Harry Met Sally” basically defines the romantic-comedy genre, and less of a courtroom drama based on “A Few Good Men.” (A Few Good Men) is coming. Rob Reiner made his best films in less than ten years. Movies that are not just good movies, they have shaped the memory of a nation, are entrenched in American popular culture and define the standards of their genre.
Rob Reiner is not usually known as an “author”; But he had a lot of honesty in his filmmaking, which gave his works a classic quality; It is as if his films have always existed. In Reiner’s hands, each of these films have become classics that people unconsciously quote; Terms such as “This goes to eleven” or “Bucket List” which did not exist before Rainer’s films, but since then, have found a place in the language and popular culture of the American people.
Although Rob Reiner did not lose his integrity in filmmaking, his films did not achieve the same success and popularity after 1992. Rainer’s 1994 children’s film North was widely criticized. This is the point in Rainer’s life when his presence in the Hollywood scene became less; Maybe because, in his own words, he didn’t want to play studio games anymore; Rather, he wanted to create stories that he really liked to narrate. Although few people have looked at Rob Reiner’s films since 1994, some of his later works are better than people give them credit for, and contain traces of the star that Reiner once was.
In a bittersweet coincidence, Rob Reiner’s latest film was a sequel to his first. 40 years after “Spinal Tap” and after all the lawsuits, Reiner and the story’s rockstar comedians – Christopher Guest, Michael McCain and Harry Shearer – reunited and made the sequel, “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues”, which was released this year.
The shocking death of Rob Reiner and his wife, in a year when we lost David Lynch, Diane Keaton, Robert Redford, Udo Kier, Tatsuya Nakadai, Val Kilmer and many others, leaves a new warmth in our hearts. But it is not especially Rob Reiner’s right that his fruitful life should be remembered with his tragic death. In these dark days, we honor the memory of Rob Reiner with his best films.
Rob Reiner’s best movies; Director of Memories and Dreams
10. Spinal Tap II: The End Continues
- Release year: 2025
- Actors: Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner
- Score of website users IMDb to the movie: 66 out of 10
- Rating of Rotten Tomatoes website to the movie: 6.5 out of 100
Watching “Spinal Tap 2” after the sad news of Rob Reiner’s death is a strange experience; A sequel that, according to Rainer himself, was never supposed to be made. But after Harry Shearer won a lengthy legal battle to reclaim the rights to the 1984 classic Spinal Tap, the director found himself back between Garmabe and his Golestan buddies asking, what should we do with Spinal Tap now? One of them brought up the idea of a sequel in which the now-aged rock stars would reunite for one final concert.
The result is like a long and emotional goodbye; Especially since Rainer himself did not know that this movie was going to be his last movie. Rob Reiner, Christopher Guest, Michael McCain and Harry Shearer show with “Spinal Tap 2” that no matter how old you are, it’s never too late to rock and roll. They even let Paul McCartney and Elton John into their Stonehenge and turned things up to eleven. The fact that Rob Reiner’s latest film is a sequel to his first film seems to complete the cycle of his life and gives the whole story a bittersweet experience.
9. The Sure Thing
- Release year: 1985
- Actors: John Cusk, Daphne Zangia, Tim Robbins, Anthony Edwards
- Score of website users IMDb to the movie: 7 out of 10
- Rating of Rotten Tomatoes website to the movie: 83 out of 100
Right after the success of his first film, Spinal Tap, Rob Reiner moved on to the romantic road movie Sure Thing; Starring young actors like John Cusack (who was 17 years old at the time, even younger than his character) and Dephanie Zangia. “Definitely” was both a box office and critical success, and was praised for using the traditional romantic comedy format in a teen-themed film in an era when movies like “Porky’s” were much more mainstream. In those years, teen movies like “Porky” and “Revenge of the Nerds” (Revenge of the Nerds) either went towards vulgar comedies, or like “Sixteen Candles” (Sixteen Candles) and “The Breakfast Club” (The Breakfast Club) by John Hughes, they were completely emotional stories. Rob Reiner managed to combine both genres for his story with “Definitely”. The film, which practically launched Cusk’s career, has a straightforward story and, with Reiner’s simple and intimate direction, makes for a lovely experience.
“Certain thing” tells the story of two students who set off for a trip to the other side of the country during Christmas vacation. Gabe (John Cusack) is unfortunately traveling with a girl named Alison (Daphne Zangia) who hates him and they have to put up with each other all the way to Los Angeles. As you can expect, their fights and arguments gradually lead to emotional sparks between the two young people.
8. The Bucket List
- Release year: 2007
- Actors: Morgan Freeman, Jack Nicholson, Alphonso Freeman, Beverly Todd
- Score of website users IMDb to the movie: 7.3 out of 10
- Rating of Rotten Tomatoes website to the movie: 40 out of 100
In “Wish List” we are also dealing with a road trip; But this time it’s about two strangers who have a terminal illness and go on a road trip to complete their wish list before they die. While you can see some of the major problems with Reiner’s late work in The Wish List, this buddy comedy succeeds with its simple story.
There are some genuinely funny moments in the duo’s journey, and it sticks to its premise with a bittersweet ending that’s both heartbreaking and heartwarming. What makes the movie the most spectacular is the pure duo of Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, whose friendship and gossip were beautifully portrayed by Reiner. It is not an easy task to have two great actors like Freeman and Nicholson in the forefront of your film and everyone is satisfied with the film. This is a skill that Reiner had and could draw out the sincerity and sincerity of any actor.
The most important point is hidden in the title of the film itself. Today, everyone is familiar with the word “bucket list”; But few people remember that it is the 2007 film by Rob Reiner that coined the term for the wish list; A term that has become so popular in popular culture that it is difficult to imagine that this term did not exist one day. Once again, a sign of the lasting legacy of Rainer and his films, which remain in our memories far beyond a cinematic experience.
7. The American President
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- Release year: 1995
- Actors: Michael Douglas, Martin Sheen, Annette Bening, Michael J. Fox
- Score of website users IMDb to the movie: 6.9 out of 10
- Rating of Rotten Tomatoes website to the movie: 91 out of 100
A reteaming of Reiner and A Few Good Men screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, The President takes that political courtroom drama into another genre: the romantic comedy genre. Practically an early draft for Aaron Sorkin’s next hit, The West Wing, this lovable romantic comedy marks the writer’s first attempt at examining the inner workings of the presidency. But without Rob Reiner, it would not be possible for “President of America” to become such a wonderful movie. In “President of America”, Michael Douglas plays the role of the president who lost his wife and is seeking re-election. He is still popular and popular; But none of these fill his loneliness. This is where Annette Bening comes in; A passionate and intelligent environmental lobbyist whom Douglas falls in love with.
“The President of the United States” has a legendary approach to the world of politicians; A completely fictional story in which presidents and politicians want only the best for their country and for the world; A world where an ordinary woman and the president can have sex. However, no one can bring this fantasy to perfection better than Rob Reiner.
Douglas and Benning make a great duo, and the film strikes a great balance between romantic sentiment and smart government politics. “The President of the United States,” Reiner’s last perfect film, can make you believe that maybe one day politics will be fair again.
6. A Few Good Men
- Release year: 1992
- Actors: Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Aaron Sorkin
- Score of website users IMDb to the movie: 7.7 out of 10
- Rating of Rotten Tomatoes website to the movie: 84 out of 100
There are two approaches to seeing “A Few Good Men”: one is as a serious drama about truth, justice and the military, which if you approach it with this view, the film almost fails. A Few Good Men, with Aaron Sorkin’s incredibly earnest screenplay and memorable courtroom scenes, offers neither a completely fresh story nor a new or deep perspective. But if you look at the film from the second point of view, everything is different.
On the second approach, A Few Good Men is a fun, mid-budget movie that delivers the kind of adult thrills that Hollywood movies of recent years have completely failed to deliver. If you go back and read the reviews that came out when this Oscar-nominated courtroom drama was released for Best Picture, you’ll see that they all have one thing in common: a lament for the edgy but entertaining style of film that was so common in Hollywood back in the day. Now that more than 30 years have passed since the release of “A Few Good Men”, this loss is felt even more.
In that sense, A Few Good Men isn’t one of Rob Reiner’s best movies, which is one of the best ever; The kind of movies that never stop providing well-crafted melodramas and frames to sink into. But Reiner shows off his greatest strength in this film: acting from his actors. Working from Aaron Sorkin’s captivating screenplay, Reiner proves why actors have always loved working with him. He gives his talented actors space and knows how to get out of their way to mix the good moments of the script with their magic. Reiner’s art is unique in this regard. Tom Cruise said about Rob Reiner and his collaboration in “A Few Good Men”:
“He (Rob Reiner) loves actors. He loves what he does. At one point, we see him looking at a close-up of someone and saying his dialogue under his breath. He does not even realize that he is doing this. “He is someone who demands, almost forces, that his actors be great.”
This passion and Reiner’s classic filmmaking style is exactly what is used in “A Few Good Men”. Where Tom Cruise takes the role of Jack Nicholson’s cocky colonel as a smart lawyer, Reiner’s unassuming staging makes the verbal back-and-forth between the two even more exciting. In “A Few Good Men” Tom Cruise and Demi Moore form the moral axis of the film against the villain Jack Nicholson with his entertaining performance. But for Reiner, it’s not all about a fun movie; “A Few Good Men” preaches the truth, honesty, and responsibility that America was once built on, but desperately needs today.
5. Stand by Me
- Release year: 1986
- Actors: River Phoenix, Will Wheaton, Corey Feldman, Kiefer Sutherland, John Cusk
- Score of website users IMDb to the movie: 8.1 out of 10
- Rating of Rotten Tomatoes website to the movie: 92 out of 100
The 1980s gave us many movies about the friendship of teenage boys, but “Stay By My Side” is one of the few movies from that era that still remains in our memories. Part of its legacy comes from the four young but great actors at the center of the story: the sensitive Gordie played by Wil Wheaton, the tough but kind Chris played by River Phoenix, the quirky Teddy played by Corey Feldman, and the sweet Vern played by Jerry O’Connell. Rainer cared about children and took them seriously. This was another facet of his genius; Genius that you don’t see in any other movie like “Stay by my side”. A movie that basically defined a generation. He directed his young actors, especially Phoenix and Wheaton, to give completely natural performances. As if we already knew them. They bring a lot of humor and emotion to this adaptation of Stephen King’s short story, The Body, about four friends who go looking for a body in the woods near their town.
Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, this is another project often overlooked among Rob Reiner’s best films. No matter how similar your childhood was to the adventures of the “Stay By Me” kids, the film’s clever storytelling will make you feel like their story is a part of your own personal memory. The touching ending of “Stay By Me” with a song by Ben E. King with the same name can make anyone cry.
A large part of the legacy and longevity of “Stay By Me” comes from the deep sense of nostalgia and longing that Rob Reiner injects into the film; A sentiment that ends with an adult version of one of the boys (Richard Dreyfuss) looking back with palpable sadness. Perhaps the reason why we relate to this film is that Rob Reiner himself strongly related to the film. He told The Guardian in 2021: “‘Stay By Me’ means more to me than any other film I’ve ever made. This was the first time I made a film that reflected my personal feelings; It had a mix of melancholy, humor and nostalgia… I injected the music I was listening to and the feelings I had about my father into the film. When the film was released and received, it gave me credibility.”
4. Misery
- Release year: 1990
- Actors: Kathy Bates, James Kahn, Lauren Bacall
- Score of website users IMDb to the movie: 7.8 out of 10
- Rating of Rotten Tomatoes website to the movie: 91 out of 100
“Misery” is lost among the long list of Stephen King’s books and seems a strange choice for a film adaptation. But in 1990, in the hands of Rob Reiner, this strange choice turned into a wonderful black comedy thriller. Part of this success is due to the structural changes Reiner made in the story. “Misery” is about a romance novelist, Paul Sheldon (James Caan), who gets stuck in a remote cabin with a woman named Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), who claims to be his biggest fan.
The twist that Rob Reiner makes is in Annie Wilkes’ character’s madness, revealing it slowly, rather than in a final surprise. This change allows Kathy Bates, the Academy Award winner who quickly became a star with “Misery,” to play Annie in a mysterious, sometimes sinister way, with a wonderful sense of humor that never diminishes the horror of the character. Kathy Bates, who was almost unknown at the time, rocked the movie world by playing the terrifying Annie Wilkes, the number one crazy fan of the famous author James Caan, and eventually, “Misery” became the only movie based on the works of Stephen King to win an Academy Award; Mind you, neither Kubrick’s “The Shining” nor even “The Shawshank Redemption” managed to get it.
Today, with the culture of crazy fandom and the blurring of boundaries between artists and their fans, “Misery” is not a horror movie that remains a prophecy. Rainer’s direction, along with William Goldman’s screenplay, has been able to depict the irony of this horror story in a humorous way; As we laugh at Annie’s annoying behavior, we wonder what she would do with a man imprisoned in her own home.
3. The Princess Bride
- Release year: 1987
- Actors: Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Billy Crystal, Wallace Shawn
- Score of website users IMDb to the movie: 8 out of 10
- Rating of Rotten Tomatoes website to the movie: 96 out of 100
“The Prince’s Bride” has always been the talk of the circles since 1987 and is so fresh in our collective memory that even though it has been published for years, it seems like it came just yesterday. Of course, this action and romance story with a lot of fantasy and adventure had disappointing sales at the box office when it was released; But decades later, it became a cult classic. According to reports, the likes of Norman Jewison, Robert Redford, and even Francois Truffaut have stepped forward to adapt the original source of inspiration—a book of the same name from 1973 by William Goldman; But in the end it was Rob Reiner who caught the author’s attention. The first actor he brought into the film was his friend Billy Crystal, whose presence helped establish the sharp yet intimate tone of the entire film.
The story, told like a bedtime story, is about a farm boy named Westley (Cary Elwes) who becomes a pirate and must rescue Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright) from the evil Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon). Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin), who seeks revenge for his father’s death, and Physique (Andre de Giant), who just wants to help, join him in this mission. Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love and miracles and romance all come together to make one of Rob Reiner’s best films that still holds up nearly 40 years later.
This movie is an example of a perfect movie; A perfect blend of fairy tales with a hint of irony and metaphor that delivers both fantasy and comedy in one entertaining cinematic experience. The entire cast adheres to the humorous yet emotionally heartfelt atmosphere of The Prince Bride, especially its incredible supporting cast of Mandy Patinkin as the legendary Indigo Montoya and Andre de Giant as the lovable Physique, who add comedy and laughter to the film’s straightforward story.
Without seeing the movie, you might say what a repetitive story; But in the end, you will be eager to see if these two will get together and live happily ever after. Today, it is difficult to even imagine that another director could have made The Prince Bride. You can watch this movie over and over without it getting repetitive and that’s the art that Rob Reiner brings to the movie.
2. Spinal Tap (This Is Spinal Tap)
- Release year: 1984
- Actors: Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner
- Score of website users IMDb to the movie: 7.9 out of 10
- Rating of Rotten Tomatoes website to the movie: 98 out of 100
When we talk about the best first films of directors, what titles come to your mind? Sidney Lumet’s “12 Angry Men”? Francois Truffaut’s “The 400 Blows”? “Citizen Kane” by Orson Welles? “Spinal Tap” is in this list. Eight years after shining in the role of Meathead in the series “All in the Family”, Reiner’s first feature film was a work that practically established the entire documentary format and paved the way for sitcoms such as “The Office” and “Abbott Elementary”.
Another reason is that Spinal Tap is insanely funny. This film takes the heavy metal world of the 80s and its rock stars to heart, and its sarcastic criticism hits the mark so much that even the late Ozzy Osbourne didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when he saw it.
The main characters of “Spinal Tap” are a fictional rock and roll group of the same name, whose stupidity is unmatched. The group consists of David St. Hobbins (Michael McCain), Nigel Tufnell (Christopher Guest) and Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer), with Rob Reiner as director Marty DeBergy documenting their lives behind and in front of the stage on their hellish US tour. It is known that “Spinal Tap” does not have a script; Because all the dialogues and summaries you see with these three comedians are improvised. But the pre-production process of “Spinal Tap” has been more difficult than the filming itself, as Guest, McCain, Shearer and Rainer have spent a lot of time researching and storytelling to establish their characters. Spinal Tap’s pure comedy culminates in flawless musical performances and the band’s silly lyrics, once again showing Rob Reiner’s art at playing off his friends.
1. When Harry Met Sally… (When Harry Met Sally)
- Release year: 1989
- Actors: Meg Ryan, Billy Crystal, Carrie Fisher, Bruno Kirby
- Score of website users IMDb to the movie: 7.7 out of 10
- Rating of Rotten Tomatoes website to the movie: 88 out of 100
There was a time when Hollywood constantly made romantic comedies; But by 1989, these films had become disappointing box office hits. But “When Harry saw Sally…” it wasn’t; A funny yet sad, poignant yet entertaining film that reinvented the romantic comedy genre by asking this very modern question: Can men and women simply be friends?
Reiner deftly directs Nora Ephron’s razor-sharp script and the talents of its stars, Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal, in the film and gets two immortal performances from them. He makes a funny and intimate film about the chaotic nature of human relationships. The scene of Harry and Celie having dinner at Katz’s deli is one of the most famous movie scenes, and the phrase “I’ll eat whatever he has” has become ingrained in the public lexicon.
There is a story about “When Harry Saw Sally…” that in Nora Ephron’s original script, Harry and Sally were never meant to meet. The final sequence showed them getting close again after years of not seeing each other and then separating. But, Rainer meets his wife Michelle while making the film and decides to give the story a happier ending. Rob Reiner said about this issue: “I was married for 10 years. “I was single for 10 years and couldn’t figure out how to stay with anyone, and that led to the birth of ‘When Harry Saw Sally…'”
With two incredible leads, “When Harry Saw Sally…” offers an exploration of love that’s sophisticated and grown-up in a way that romantic comedies often aren’t, addressing people’s anxieties about relationships and marriage; Completely human anxieties that are still relevant almost 40 years later. In fact, Reiner makes them come out quite naturally.
Hundreds, maybe thousands, of romantic comedies have tried to recreate the scene where Harry runs to the New Year’s Eve party to tell Sally, “When you know you’re going to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” But none of them have ever been able to recapture the thunderous magic that Reiner was able to create with a great script and cast. While other romantic-comedies were built on the conventions and stereotypes of the time, “When Harry Saw Sally…” is sharp, witty and to the point and based on reality; Based on careful observations of how men and women interact, of the blurred line between friendship and love, of letting someone else see you for who you really are. “When Harry Saw Sally…” goes beyond the traditional romantic comedy with creative twists: interviews with real-life lovers, unexpected 12-year time jumps, and hilarious supporting roles from Bruno Kirby and Carrie Fisher. But it’s the emotional rollercoaster of whether or not Harry and Sally get together, with Rob Reiner’s warm and kind presence behind the camera, that makes this one of the best comedies of all time.
Source: Indie Wire
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