Director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michelle Singer Reiner leave behind not only an immeasurable cultural contribution, but a trail of kindness and selflessness.
The couple were found dead in their home in Los Angeles with a homicide investigation launched – but, no matter the circumstances, I’ll always remember Rob in particular as a great director and an even better person.
In an industry often embroiled in competition and scandal, Rob Reiner stood out as a creative with a heart that spilled from his films out into the real world, dedicated to real social change.
Whether it was friendship turning to love, enduring romance, courage and reconciliation, or forging one’s own identity, Reiner always demonstrated humour and warmth.
Few films elicit an emotional response as strong as his 1986 classic Stand By Me, often being dubbed a timeless masterpiece in Reiner’s career as well as its star-studded cast.
The coming-of-age flick, adapted from Stephen King’s novel, masterfully blends themes of lost innocence, nostalgic friendships, and poignant individual struggles, including grief, familial shame, and abuse.
The dead body the children discover one fateful summer’s day is shocking for more reasons than one, acting as a metaphor for growing up and facing the harsh reality of adulthood that never fails to invoke tears.
Even when I first watched this as a child, I was overcome by emotion witnessing Gordie Lachance, Chris Chambers, Teddy Duchamp, and Vern Tessio’s plight, brought to tears despite not understanding the broader themes of the film.
As an adult, now with children of my own that I witness growing up every single day, the impact of Stand By Me hits home even harder.
It is far more than teenage humour and comedic moments, but a heartbreaking rumination on so many emotional themes and a deep longing for optimism.
Watching fuelled not only my passion for the work of Stephen King and cinema as a whole, but it also changed how I looked at aging, found family, and nostalgia surrounding childhood.
Cementing Reiner as a director who could effortlessly blend an emotional punch with a witty one-liner, Stand By Me remains, for me, a particular standout among an unmatched run of hit films in the 80s and 90s.
Beginning with his feature debut, music mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, Reiner followed this with the heart-warming classics such as The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, and The American President.
While those schmaltzy rom-coms warmed my heart and put a smile on my face, I was also impressed when Reiner showcased his range with dramas such as Flipped and Ghosts of Mississippi, as well as 2015’s Being Charlie, which he worked on with son Nick based on the latter’s experience with drug addiction and homelessness.
Even in his coldest and most misanthropic works, such as the Kathy Bates-starring thriller Misery, Reiner went out of his way to foster close relationships with his cast and crew, even on the most difficult shoots.
For me, what made these films so successful was Reiner’s kindness and compassion, dedicating his platform to raising awareness for marginalised voices.
In 1999, Reiner was dubbed ‘a champion of children’s issues’ when he was appointed chairman of the Campaign For Tobacco-Free Kids, shining a light on early childhood and the importance of tobacco control in early childhood.
He played an integral part in the passage of California’s Proposition 10, designed to fund early-childhood development and anti-tobacco programmes.
Reiner tirelessly worked with the California Children and Families Initiative, as well as Parents Action For Children and the I Am Your Child Foundation, spearheading a series of First Years Last Forever videos shining a light on the importance of parent-child interactions and early development.
Outside of this, Reiner tirelessly advocated for equal rights, working with the American Foundation for Equal Rights, and raising awareness of climate change.
As I watched Reiner’s later career in recent years, with notable guest acting appearances in The Wolf of Wall Street and the Bear, it was that commitment to social justice that really stood the test of time.
He told the Jewish Chronicle in 2012: ‘The most important thing is that you be a good person and you live by the golden rule of do unto others. If you live by that, that’s all I care about.’
A mantra he lived by until the very end.
Former US President Barack Obama and current California Governor Gavin Newsom pointed out in glowing tributes how much he had done for others, not just in the world of film, but in activism.
His impact on cinema is, of course, monumental, but his tireless dedication to making the world a better place across decades, even when it feels like the Earth is on fire, is a truly remarkable quality of his character, and one that still remains so rare.
The tragedy of his and Singer Reiner’s death is unfathomable, and he leaves behind a legacy of kindness and charity that is an example of how fame and a platform should be used in the public eye, to be kind to each other and spread as much love as humanly possible, through our stories as well as our actions.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
