Rob Reiner: a truly good man

I’m heart-broken. Like so many, the devastating news that Rob Reiner, whose work shaped how I see movies, storytelling, and life itself, was taken from this world along with his wife in a violent tragedy. My heart goes out to their family, friends, collaborators, and all who loved them.

Rob’s work made us laugh, cry, scream, and think - one hell of a package.

I first remember Rob on television as Meathead — Archie Bunker’s liberal son-in-law on All in the Family. I was a kid, knew practically nothing about politics, and just remember thinking: for all the acid baths that sprayed off Archie’s tongue, this guy stood his ground. It wasn’t just comedy — it was courage under fire. 

I laughed in a whole new way with This Is Spinal Tap. It didn’t just poke fun at rock culture; it carved open a new way of seeing the world through improvisation, satire, and a kind of joyful, absurd truth. It turned mockumentaries and me up to eleven.

With When Harry Met Sally… he captured the sticky, hilarious, sometimes painful truth of relationships. I watched it over and over, seeing myself and the people, across multiple generations, I loved in every beat, pause, defense, wisecrack and confession. It was smart, funny, and tender in a way that made you feel seen. I’ll always want more of what she’s having.

And then Stand By Me, a film that somehow saw into me. Every step of that journey to find a dead body felt alive with fear and wonder and loss. It wasn’t just an adaptation — it was a revelation. It gave Castle Rock to the world and, in so many ways, offered a new lens on my favorite author, Stephen King — one that respected his heart as much as his imagination. Watching a young Chris (River Phoenix) comfort his best friend Gordie (Will Wheaton) and helping him restore value in his life after Gordie’s parents failed him was and is devastatingly beautiful, honest and heartbreaking. PS - if you want a great laugh, listen to his audio commentary. There's a crew member named Katie somehwere that's still laughing.

I screamed, and still cringe, thinking of Misery...and the hobbling. Terrifying. Brilliant. Rob didn’t just direct that masterpiece, he gave us Kathy Bates in a performance so fearless it took her to an Oscar and beyond. He saw and amplified greatness in so many of his performers as well as the material. This, his second Stephen King adaptation, ushered in Castle Rock Entertainment (in honor of King’s mythical town), and the quality of these films changed the way people looked at what Stephen King wrote. At an early stage of development with Shawshank Redemption, Rob was considering directing and tapped Tom Cruise to play Andy Dufresne. As it turned out, the then young and unknown writer Frank Darabont said he’d rather direct it himself. Rob agreed and Castle Rock produced Shawshank, which has been the top-rated film on IMDB for the last 19 years. 

With A Few Good Men, he taught us to look at power, institutions, and truth (even when we have a hard time handling it). He reminded us that law, honor, and moral conviction aren’t abstract concepts — they’re choices, and they matter. That film influenced my understanding of debate, courage, and accountability. And through that voice and razor-sharp dialogue, Rob helped bring Aaron Sorkin’s genius to a wider world.

I got to meet Rob once, at UCLA, where I was studying screenwriting. He was hosting a Q&A for The Story of Us — a film that wasn’t perfect, but was earnest and well-intended. I was editing my first film at the time, trying to do too much - something I figured he understood. He had a laugh at my attempt to explain this when I used the idiom “wearing too many hats” - asking me if a sombrero or fedora was my weapon of choice. 

I blushed at the laughter, then asked: “How do you know when you’re done with a project?”

He paused, really considered the question, and answered with profound honesty:You don’t know. You could work on something forever. At some point, you put it down and move on, hoping you’ve done well enough. That simple truth has stayed with me through every edit, every rewrite, every cut of my work.

Rob Reiner’s films continue to give us so much to laugh with, think through, feel alongside. They invite us to see ourselves, our flaws, our fears, our joys, with honesty and empathy.

And now, in the wake of this unimaginable tragedy, what we have left is his work, his legacy, and the way he changed us.

Thank you, Rob. For the laughter, tears, and courage - and the stories that will continue to live long after us.

We are heart-broken and grateful. And in that gratitude, your voice still echoes, your stories still speak, and we will carry them forward.