Greetings, reader!
A giant of cinema was lost last Sunday. Rob Reiner found his way into the hearts of movie enthusiasts everywhere across his prolific career as both an actor and director, while using his platform to speak out for LGBTQ+ rights, education and the environment in a time and place where all three were being trampled on. To celebrate the career of this brilliant filmmaker, I have listed my top five favorite acting performances of his, as well as the top five films directed by him.
Here are my honorable mentions: Directing This Is Spinal Tap! (1984), Playing Dr. Morris Packard in The First Wives Club (1996), Playing Bill on Frasier (1993-2004), Playing Max Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street, Playing the Helicopter Pilot in Misery (1990).
#5 in acting: Himself & Stanley the Dog in 30 Rock (2006-2013)
Reiner was able to do all sorts of serious stuff as a director, but his acting performances were almost always of the comedic variety. Mind you, he had range within that - all five of his acting performances on today's list are humorous ones, but they're all also wildly different from one another.
Kicking things off is this memorable one-episode guest performance from 30 Rock - in a storyline that really only 30 Rock could've come up with, Reiner plays himself but it's a version of himself that is also a congressman, and later in the episode he voices a cartoon dog. It's all pretty great.
#5 in directing: The American President (1995)
Reiner was a frequent collaborator of screenwriter Aaron Sorkin in the 1990's, and honestly, that's up there with Cobain&Grohl and Jordan&Pippen in terms of iconic 90's partnerships.
This Sorkin-written film got exactly the end result it deserved with Reiner's directing - it's a somewhat untypical work for both men in terms of how overflowingly cheesy it is, but a viewer like me will eat that right up. When not taken too seriously, The American President is a fantastic feel-good rom-com, with Reiner really showing how fuzzy his directing can get when the script calls for it.
#4 in acting: Martin DiBergi in This Is Spinal Tap! (1984)
Much like the 30 Rock one, Reiner's acting performance in the immortal mockumentary he directed is one where he's sort of playing himself, but also isn't. Reiner tackles the role of Martin DiBergi, the aspiring documentarian who wants to capture the story of the fictional heavy metal band, and he does so with credibility, sharp comedic timing, and a subtle humor that gives plenty of room for the big personalities that the story centers on.
#4 in directing: The Bucket List (2007)
The only film on the directing portion of today's list that isn't either a Sorkin collaboration or a Stephen King adaptation (both were massive strong suits for Mr. Reiner), this film isn't quite as cheesy as The American President, but a true feel-good viewing experience nonetheless. Reiner balances grittiness and heart with brilliance, in this story of two terminally ill men who escape their cancer ward in order to complete their, well, bucket list. It's a deeply moving film, because if there's one thing Rob Reiner could do like the best of them, it's invoking powerful emotions via film.
#3 in acting: Ace Amberg in Hollywood (2020-2020)
Reiner's acting performances often gave the vibe that even for the old dude that he was, he was a distinctively old soul. Therefore, it makes sense that he fit like a glove into this entertaining miniseries taking place in post-WWII Hollywood, playing the role of a charismatic big-shot film executive by the name of Ace Amberg. His performance oozes its own kind of class and old-timey charm, while also portraying the slimy nature of what a white male film exec in that era (not that this era is much different) would've realistically been.
#3 in directing: Misery (1990)
Oh, hell yeah. Along with Frank Darabont, Reiner was one of the very few filmmakers who truly understood the works of Stephen King in a manner that would always make for a rock-solid adaptation. This is evident in Misery, which was ranked well in my post about the best book-to-film adaptations of all time a few weeks back.
Reiner was a delightfully project-first kind of director, which is ideal when adapting an already-perfect book: many filmmakers make the mistake of making it all about themselves and disregarding the source material to make room for their own extravagant vision, but not this guy - Misery is nothing less or nothing more than what it needed to be (that is, a loyal adaptation of King's iconic thriller). The atmosphere is spot-on, the plot plays out just right, and it's a riveting experience.
#2 in acting: Bob Day in New Girl (2012-2018)
Reiner's recurring role as protagonist Jess Day's father in the sitcom New Girl is a thoroughly memorable one! His chemistry with his on-screen ex-wife (Jamie Lee Curtis) as well as his daughter (Zooey Deschanel) is believable, and his comedic timing always makes for a delightful addition to the show's antics whenever he appears.
#2 in directing: A Few Good Men (1992)
Now this is the stuff. Aaron Sorkin's debut screenplay made for what is arguably the greatest courtroom drama in cinematic history - and that wouldn't have been possible without just the director at the helm. Reiner's style of directing is the perfect vessel for Sorkin's script to reach its full potential, and the atmosphere is dramatic and engaging throughout the entire runtime.
We have Rob Reiner to thank for immortal lines like "You can't handle the truth!" - sure, it's Sorkin who penned it and Nicholson with the delivery, but the director is largely responsible for how the scene plays out and becomes the best version of itself - which this iconic moment certainly was.
#1 in acting: Albert Schnurr in The Bear (2022-)
The most recent acting role I saw from Mr. Reiner is also his very best one, if you ask me. Appearing in just four episodes of The Bear's newest season, Reiner plays business consultant Albert Schnurr, who is just such a fun addition into the dynamics of the show's cast. His scenes with Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson) are a treat, with the comedic chops of the two actors bouncing beautifully off each other. The scene where Albert and Uncle Computer meet each other and hit it off is especially amusing - good stuff, man.
#1 in directing: Stand By Me (1986)
I mean this with no disrespect to the acting skills of the departed - but directing was definitely an even stronger suit for him. As seen on this list, his acting roles were often of the "good enough for this supporting role" variety, whereas his films - different gravy. And standing tall as the epitome of his golden touch for filmmaking is the timeless coming-of-age film Stand By Me.
Adapted from Stephen King's short story The Body, this absolute classic ranked at #71 when I ranked all 1000 movies I've seen earlier this year - that's higher than Schindler's List and Casablanca, to name a few. The specific vibe of the book translates beautifully onto the big screen, with Reiner's elegant directing making sure that every theme of the story can be felt to the maximum by every viewer. The film is funny at times, gripping at others, and just the ultimate bittersweet loss-of-innocence story. Cinema doesn't really get better than this.
Thank you for reading! Tune in on Christmas Day - it's the last Thursday of the year, and as is tradition, that means that I'll be ranking my top 10 favorite movies of the past year.
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