When I think of all time runs for directors, I immediately jump to Rob Reiner who’s run of 9 films from 1984-1995, features multiple masterpieces, multiple quality films and only one dud. Some people like to talk about how Kubrick never made a bad film, and I agree, but Kubrick only made so many films over multiple decades. This is what makes Reiner's achievement here so unprecedented. One might also refer to Hal Ashby or Coppola and their seventies films, both excellent outputs containing, again, multiple masterpieces and many other quality films. But today we’re talking about Reiner, so let’s go through theses 9 films, including masterworks in mockumentary, fantasy, thriller, legal drama, romance, rom-com and coming of age. There’s not many directors that you can say have made multiple films which are often regarded as the greatest works of there genres, Reiner is however one one of those directors.
This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
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Quite possibly the greatest mockumentary ever made. Although there were films of the same ilk before, Reiner and Christopher Guest with Spinal Tap invented the modern comedic mockumentary. If I was to put any against it I would have to look to TV, with works such as Ricky Gervais The Office, or the future films of Christopher guest and his band of merry actors with comedy classics like Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show and A Mighty Wind. But this effortlessly tight comedy masterpiece and it’s whacky characters are forever indelible in the world of music and film alike, and will forever be legends of the comedy world.
The Sure Thing (1985)
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The second lowest rated film on this nine film run, but this is another shining example of quality. Albeit nowhere near the pure perfection of our later rom-com entry, this John Cussack vehicle is a nice purification of Cussack’s odd charisma and charm, playing up elements that we would later see more solidified in Cameron Crowe’s Say Anything and Stephen Frear’s High Fidelity. A fine film, placed here more so to talk about the run starting with Spinal Tap without pretending it didn’t exist.
Stand By Me (1986)
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Quite possibly the greatest coming of age film ever made. This first of our two Reiner/Stephen King adaptations, is the ultimate film in that ever rich genre in the world of adolescent films. There’s an overall atmosphere to the film that is classic King grit and Reiners choice to not dilute any of it speaks volumes to the skill and craft of this film and our director in discussion. Through the eyes/voice of a wonderfully nostalgic Richard Dreyfuss, we view our four leads. All four of which are just tops in there roles. Will Wheaton, Corey Feldman and Jerry O Connel are all great, but the true star of the film is River Phoenix. There is no doubt that Phoenix unfortunate passing adds to the power of the film, but if it was not for the fact that Phoenix was so damn excellent in the film, then that power would not be there to be harnessed anyway. A beautiful elegy to a time that passes everyone by.
The Princess Bride (1987)
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Quite possible the greatest…well, what is it? It’s fantasy is flawless, it’s comedy is hilarious, it’s drama is tense, it’s horror is horrifying, it’s romance is beautiful and it’s heart is still pounding. Working with a pitch-perfect William Goldman adaptation of his own novel, who after-all would expect anything short of perfection with a Goldman script, Reiner builds an entire world and populates it with more incredible performances than you know what to do with. The power of this film has somewhat always overwhelmed me, it’s never been a film that I’ve completely been enamoured with, but I can still stand back and see the undeniable quality of the piece and completely understand the reason it is so devoutly loved by so many.
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
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Quite possibly the greatest rom-com of...no, it is. IT IS the best rom-com ever made. I have wrote on the film many times before on this blog so I’ll keep it relatively brief, but for me there is just no doubt that this is the finest rom-com ever made. Working from Nora Ephrons purely genius script, Reiner directs Meg Ryan (Always charming, delightful and ungodly beautiful) and Billy Crystal (Always funny and effortless, and sneakilly handsome). A rom-com should never suffer from a balancing issue between its comedy and its romance, in this film there has never been a better balance.
Misery (1990)
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Quite possibly the greatest thriller ever made, or at least one of the best. Our second Stephen King adaptation here is a painfully taut filming of Kings thriller masterwork Misery, following James Caan trapped in the house of one of the great movie villains in Kathy Bates's Annie Wilkes. It really doesn’t matter how many times you view this film, the set pieces are still just as tense as ever, with you sweating just as much as our dear Paul Sheldon, played with fervent cunning and anger by Caan. The film, like Jaws and Halloween before it, strives in its majestic simplicity with another marvelous script from William Goldman. A true and undiluted thriller king of a a film and another genre tackled and mastered by Reiner. You seeing my point about this guy yet?
A Few Good Men (1992)
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Quite possibly the greatest legal drama ever made. Reiner juggles and forms Aaron Sorkin’s wunderkind script into one of the all time dramatic blockbusters. Imbuing it with a soaring direction and a truly stellar cast and crew, the film soars itself above the trappings of the genre and flees from scene to scene never letting up its breakneck pace and unravelling of plot points. The cast is star after star, all on their best form (bar a miscast Demi Moore); Nicholson and Cruise show in one climatic scene how to shout, it’s a lot more than raising your voice, one must infuse the volume with fury and power and both Cruise and Nicholson have fury and power enough to spare. An ultimate film of the 90s and as aforementioned the entire legal drama genre.
North (1994)
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The dud. The less said here, the better, unfortunately. A big old mess. Bruce Willis in a bunny costume. Just skip a year and meet the incomparable Annette Benning instead.
The American President (1995)
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Quite possibly the most underrated romance film ever made. Although many could categorise the film as another Reiner rom-com, I consider this a pure true Hollywood romance movie. There is comedy and the comedy is great, with another Aaron Sorkin script you’d expect no less. But the romance between a flawless Annette Benning and Michael Douglas as one of the best movie presidents of the era, is painfully underrated in the cannon of the genre, to the point that this is often my go to recommendation when it comes to romance films. I just long for more and more people to see this glorious film.
And so concludes this run down of perhaps the greatest run of all time time. I have personally always felt that Reiner is underrated as a director and that his talent is taken for granted, I hope that we get more Reiner films with that effortless quality of that incredible run. I hope. I hope.
-Thomas Carruthers
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