Old School. Biblically Independent.
By Dustin Rowles | News | December 15, 2025
By now, you are probably aware of the available details surrounding the deaths of Rob Reiner and his wife, Michelle. It is a horrible tragedy. I’m not here to talk about that, however. I want to reflect on the incredible career that Rob Reiner has had.
A friend of mine once said that there are maybe ten perfect films in the entire history of cinema. Rob Reiner directed one of them - The Princess Bride, and he came awfully close with a few others: Stand By Me, When Harry Met Sally, This Is Spinal Tap, and A Few Good Men. He sandwiched one of the better Stephen King adaptations, Misery, in between. For good measure, he also directed Aaron Sorkin’s West Wing predecessor, The American President, and Ghosts of Mississippi.
He didn’t find as much success after the 2000s, directing mostly forgettable romcoms (Rumor Has It, And So It Goes, Alex and Emma), and his last hit was 2007’s The Bucket List. But in the tradition of his All in the Family character, Meathead, he continued to be an outspoken political advocate for liberal causes (so outspoken, in fact, that I initially feared his murder might have been politically motivated).
And even before he directed some of the all-time greatest comfort films, Reiner was best known for eight seasons of All in the Family, and he continued to work throughout his career, appearing in New Girl, Throw Momma from the Train, Sleepless in Seattle, and even The Wolf of Wall Street.
He had a hell of a career, and as a political advocate and co-founder of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, Reiner also helped overturn the ban on same-sex marriage in California. Before marrying Michelle, he also spent a decade married to Penny Marshall, and even flirted with running for office in the early aughts. We should all be so lucky to live a life as full as that of Reiner, a tremendous actor, director, and human being. His loss is a devastating one to the Hollywood community.
Our condolences to his family, friends, and the entire entertainment industry. May his memory be a blessing.
