You may know Rob Reiner as the director of one of those movies you swear you’ll get around to someday. Or maybe he directed your dad’s favorite movie, or your mom’s favorite movie or maybe just one of those movies you know the name of but don’t know anything about. But as the director of perhaps the best movie in every genre, Reiner’s work ranges from legal drama to mockumentary to romcom and pretty much everything else in between. 

The tragic murder of Rob and Michele Reiner in December 2025 may unfortunately overshadow the director’s work in the minds of many. But every part of his filmography stands on its own as a pinnacle of both whatever genre he was working in and of filmmaking in general. I only have the time and space to cover four of his films, but this is far from the be-all end-all of his catalogue, and I highly encourage you to search out more of it on your own.

This is Spinal Tap

Considered “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress, This is Spinal Tap chronicles the trials and tribulations of English rock band Spinal Tap, except Spinal Tap isn’t real, “and there’s no Easter Bunny either!” The dialogue in Reiner’s directorial debut is broadly improvised and largely genius. Multiple artists, such as Ozzy Osbourne and Nirvana, reported on the film’s accuracy from a musician’s perspective, with Dave Grohl calling it “the only rock movie worth watching.” The cast played all their own instruments on the soundtrack, and Rob Reiner himself appears as documentary filmmaker Martin “Marty” Di Bergi. 

Coining the term “turning it up to 11,” This is Spinal Tap has firmly established its place in pop culture history. If for no other reason, watch it to add a couple more references to your vocabulary.

The Princess Bride

Let it be known that my opinion on The Princess Bride is far from unbiased; I am near evangelical about this film. If you haven’t seen it already, you should, because it’s incredible. Separate from a discussion of Rob Reiner’s work, The Princess Bride is Amazing with a capital A. The Fantasy Epic is a genre basically nonexistent in the 21st century, but it was sort of everywhere in the 1980s. My other favorite, which isn’t under the purview of this article but I must mention anyway, is Jim Henson’s Labyrinth, worth it for the puppets alone, and for David Bowie, if puppets don’t do it for you (which they should).

A cult classic, The Princess Bride is hysterical, romantic and visually gorgeous. Supported by a framing device of a grandfather reading a fairytale to his grandson, the film traces the story of Princess Buttercup, her true love Wesley, the Dread Pirate Roberts, her arrogant fiancé Prince Humperdink and a peanut gallery of minor characters, each one funnier than the last. Maybe you’ve seen Mandy Patinkin’s character Inigo Montoya declare, “You killed my father, prepare to die,” in the midst of a comedic adventure romp, but the endlessly quotable moment is surprisingly poignant, displaying just how well this film balances the tightrope of dynamic comedy performances and a deeply emotional narrative. Many a movie will try, but I believe that nothing will ever beat “as you wish” for the most romantic line of all time –– prove me wrong. 

A Few Good Men

This movie features 90s Tom Cruise, Demi Moore and a small Noah Wyle appearance for those like me chronically obsessed with The Pitt; really, what more could you ask for? Meticulously paced, A Few Good Men draws you into a legal case surrounding the death of a U.S. Marine in Guantanamo Bay. The characters are given room to breathe, but the plot is never allowed to drag; there is not a second in this film where your finger itches for the skip button. This is not usually a genre I’m that invested in, and I’ll admit that I don’t actually like Tom Cruise that much, but A Few Good Men is a good enough movie that those two normally quite significant facts don’t matter at all. While the good guys in this movie, Cruise and Moore, are good, it’s the villains that are truly great. To avoid spoilers, I will simply say that the whole two-hour run is worth it just for Jack Nicholson’s final speech

When Harry Met Sally

We all know When Harry Met Sally. It’s THE romcom, it’s on every romance watchlist and 80s aesthetic moodboard. Billy Crystal’s white wool sweater is a thing of dreams and Meg Ryan’s hair? Well, enough said. But did you know that, when Wellesley alum Nora Ephron was writing the screenplay for the film, she conducted interviews with Rob Reiner and producer Andrew Scheinman to inform the basis of the character of Harry? Pieces of dialogue were taken from these interviews and used in the film, and the concept for the film itself came from Reiner, who wanted to make a film about friends who avoid having sex to prevent the destruction of their friendship, but have sex regardless. 

If you’ve already watched the film, you’re probably ready for a rewatch, and if you haven’t, I know that pretty much everyone in your life is screaming at you to watch it. So I don’t need to tell you to watch When Harry Met Sally — or any of Reiner’s films, for that matter.

But I will anyway.