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rob renner Made the kind of movies we’ve all re-watched already. They’re the movies we quote without even thinking about, the ones we hold up as the gold standards of comedy, romance, drama and suspense that we wish were being made today.
Before his death Sunday, it was not unusual or inappropriate to marvel at his incredible string of films from 1984, when he made his directorial debut with the mockumentary “This Is Spinal Tap” through 1995’s “The American President.” Not to mention his comedic excellence in front of the camera, where he rocks even the smallest roles, no matter what he’s saying Tom Hanks About tiramisu in “Sleepless in Seattle” or yelling at Leonardo DiCaprio over his credit card bill in “The Wolf of Wall Street.”
When people lament that they don’t make movies like they used to, Renner’s genre-spanning films from that decade are often the kind they’re talking about. There may not be a Best Picture winner in the group, but that hardly matters. He made films that we remember.
Here are some of the best and where to see them.
“This Is Spinal Tap” (1984)
Christopher Guest’s guitarist Nigel Tufnell said in “This Is Spinal Tap”, “There’s a fine line between stupid and clever”, and Renner’s almost entirely improvised film about the British heavy metal group’s disastrous tour is proof of that. In its unwavering commitment to silliness, it reflected truths about rock ‘n’ roll, the music industry, and ego. Reiner also based his documentary filmmaker character Marty DiBergi in “The Last Waltz” on Martin Scorsese, whom he may have been a little nervous about at first but has grown to love over the years. While Reiner and his friends never dared take credit for the mockumentary, they said they probably created the first “mock rock doc.”
Most memorable line: “These go up to 11.”
Where to watch: Streaming on Roku, TCM, DIRECTV Stream, and HBO MAX. Also available for rent or purchase.
“Stand by Me” (1986)
Based on the story by Stephen King, this classic film follows four 12-year-old boys in search of a missing child in 1950s Oregon. It helped make River Phoenix a star with Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman and Jerry O’Connell, and it came to Renner only because Adrian Lynn was out.
In 2021, Renner told The Guardian that the film meant more to him than any other film he had made. He said, “It was the first time I did a film that reflected my own personal sensibility; it had a mix of sadness, humor and nostalgia.” “I was 12 years old in 1959, so I put the music I heard and the feelings I had towards my father into the film. When it came out and was accepted it validated me.”
Most memorable line: “Later I never had friends like I had when I was 12. Jesus, is anyone there?”
Where to watch: Streaming on Netflix, fuboTV, and Philo. Also available for purchase.
“The Princess Bride” (1987)
Carl Reiner famously gifted the novel to his son William Goldman, which became his favorite and set him on the path to adapt it for the big screen, which many had already tried to do and failed. norman lear Once again came to the rescue (he financed “Spinal Tap”) and gave Reiner the money to make “The Princess Bride”. He assembled a great ensemble with Robin Wright, Cary Elwes, Chris Sarandon, Wallace Shawn, Mandy Patinkin, Carol Kane, Billy Crystal, Peter Falk, and Andre the Giant to bring to life this unique, very clever tale of love, adventure, and storytelling that will have many more lives as a home video staple.
Most memorable line: “Enjoy storming the castle!”
Where to watch: Streaming on Hulu, Disney+, and DIRECTV Stream. Also available for rent or purchase.
“When Harry Met Sally…” (1989)
Renner recruited Nora Ephron to help create an honest look at dating and relationships, which in 12 years became one of the most beloved romantic comedies since Meg Ryan’s Sally and Crystal’s Harry. Rainer’s mother, estelleThe key to the most coveted scene was Katz’s Delicatessen, a place that also gained a new fame.
As the film approached its 30th anniversary, Reiner reflected on its longevity.
“I think when people watch that movie they see some fundamental truths about men and women,” he told The Associated Press. “For me, the dance between men and women is forever.”
Most memorable line: “I’ll have what he’s got.”
Where to watch: Streaming on Roku, STARZ and DIRECTV Stream. Also available for rent or purchase.
“Sorrow” (1990)
Reiner worked again with Goldman to adapt King’s “Misery,” about a famous novelist (James Caan) who finds himself in the care of a crazy fan (Kathy Bates) after a car accident. Warren Beatty was initially attached to star and told Renner that he envisioned it not as a horror film or a thriller but as a prison film. This is also a kind of comedy. When Reiner rewatched the film to talk about it at the TCM Classic Film Festival earlier this year, he said he was also surprised by how many people there laughed.
Most memorable line: “I’m your number one fan!”
Where to watch: Available for purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.
“A Few Good Men” (1992)
The death of a marine at Guantanamo Bay provides the backdrop for a courtroom drama written by Aaron Sorkin, which went to Broadway before the big screen. In Renner’s hands, starring Tom Cruise as a cocky, happy-go-lucky junior lawyer and Jack Nicholson as an intimidating commanding officer, it became a hit that garnered a Best Picture nomination. Nicholson would reunite with Renner 15 years later for “The Bucket List”.
Most memorable line: “You can’t handle the truth!”
Where to watch: Streaming on BBC America, Philo and DirecTV Stream. Also available for purchase.
“The American President” (1995)
Working with another Sorkin script, Renner returned to romantic comedy to tell a story about a widower American President (Michael Douglas) who begins dating an environmental lobbyist (Annette Bening). Roger Ebert wrote in his review, “It’s hard to make a good love story, hard to make a good comedy and even harder to make an intelligent movie about politics. Rob Reiner’s ‘The American President’ does all three happily, and it’s a great entertainment – one of those movies, like ‘Forrest Gump’ or ‘Apollo 13’, that, however briefly, unites the audience in a recapitulation of the American dream.”
Most memorable line: “You fight the battles that need to be fought.”
Where to see: Available for rent or purchase.