Rob Reiner directed an extraordinary run in the 1980s and early 1990s: This Is Spinal Tap, The Sure Thing, Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery and A Few Good Men. Almost no director has moved between mockumentary, coming-of-age, fairy tale, romantic comedy, horror and courtroom drama that successfully.
He came to directing as an established television actor from All in the Family, and the performances in his films are consistently the best thing in them. Kathy Bates and Jack Nicholson both got their most quoted work under him.
The later career has not sustained it, and Reiner himself has been candid about that. The 1984 to 1992 stretch is enough on its own.
