I WON'T SHED A TEAR

“The Bible says, ‘In the midst of life we are in death,’” — Mr. Quidaciolu (Stand By Me).

The tragic irony of director Rob Reiner being murdered in practically the same way as Chris Chambers (River Phoenix) in his coming-of-age movie Stand by Me is obvious, but jarring nonetheless. As a hugely successful comedy actor and film director, Reiner’s demise would seem more fitting for one of the other characters from that same film—Gordy LaChance, for instance, who grows up to become a professional writer.

Somewhere amongst the sobering melancholy of certain scenes in that teen masterpiece, Reiner created enough tender moments of humanity to now help audiences familiar with his work process his own death, which by all reports was truly violent and shocking. It’s a testament to his range as a director that he could encompass so many emotional tones, such that those who truly love his work will find comfort in the wisdom of his direction, where he proved himself to be a true natural when it came to guiding actors and telling universal stories for the big screen.

One scene in particular comes to mind, where young Gordy LaChance (Wil Wheaton) remembers his dead older brother, Denny (John Cusack), via a flashback while buying some supplies for the adventure he’s about to embark on with his gang of friends. Reiner’s ability to capture the dead Sunday-afternoon atmosphere of the family home—as the absence of his brother permeates the awkward space between Gordy and his parents, like the silence between each chime of a grandfather clock—is perfection. There’s no room to breathe in that place of mourning, explaining why the call to adventure, both in real life and in Gordy’s desire to tell stories, is so potent for him. The desire to escape small town life is palpable.

What a body of work Reiner has left behind. In terms of balancing commercial success with high craft expertise, he was almost without equal during his famous seven-movie run between 1984 and 1992, which included such classics as This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, Stand by Me, When Harry Met Sally, Misery, and A Few Good Men.

And in capturing a universal sense of childhood, he is also almost without equal. Stand by Me depicts both the banality and the profundity of long summer days spent with friends, questioning where your uncertain lives are headed.

Though Reiner lived as full and successful a life as any, his brutal end will cast a shadow over the joy he brought to the world through his movies. It will be a little harder to laugh quite as much at This Is Spinal Tap, and we will feel a little less light of heart when When Harry Met Sally and The Princess Bride reach their narrative conclusions.

Nevertheless, we can only ever measure our happiness against our sorrow.

As the storekeeper says to Gordy in Stand by Me, while referencing the passing of his older brother, “In the midst of life, we are in death.”

And in the words of Ben E. King:

I won't cry
I won't cry
No I won't shed a tear
Just as long
As you stand
Stand by me

Rest in peace, Rob Reiner — and thank you for the movies.