In the wake of Rob and Michele Reiner‘s horrifying murder last Saturday night, the emotional climate is such that I can’t post an honest career assessment piece about Rob without getting kicked, beaten and spat upon.
But from HE’s personal perspective Reiner certainly delivered four unqualified, adult-level, middle-class humdingers over a period of six years — When Harry Met Sally… (’89), Misery (’90), A Few Good Men (’92) and The American President (’95).
His peak period basically ran from the mid ’80s to the mid ’90s, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Reiner leapt upon a fast thoroughbred, and he just rode the whirlwind and grabbed a few brass rings and good on him for managing this hall-of-fame achievement.
This Is Spinal Tap (’84) was funny-nervy and a good break-out film. I found The Sure Thing (’85) shallow, formulaic, sophmoric. I hated Stand By Me (’86), and I never felt all that charmed by The Princess Bride (’87). The unbeatable trio (Sally, Misery, A Few Good Men) was glorious, and then along came the rank embarassment that was North (’94). Reiner rebounded with The American President, and then he lost the magic mojo and hung on with this and that middling feature over the next 30 years. Okay, The Bucket List (’07) wasn’t too bad.