Throughout the ’80s and the early ’90s, Rob Reiner could do no wrong. From Spinal Tap to Stand By Me to The Sure Thing to The Princess Bride to When Harry Met Sally… to Misery to A Few Good Men, Reiner went from ever-capable comedy writer/director to awards-winning filmmaker.
Then he made North, one of the most ill-advised, poorly-received films ever made. For a moment he regained his reputation with the solid political rom-com The American President, starring Michael Douglas and Annette Bening (which has aged well), and a modest attempt at race commentary (Ghosts of Mississippi).
Since then, however, there’s been nothing much. Harry Met Sally rip-offs (The Story of Us, Alex & Emma) and silly dramedies (Rumor Has It…, The Bucket List). His prolific nature faded and the quality of films more so.
And yet, there remains hope. Hope in the form of Flipped, a coming-of-age tale about a young boy and the girl who annoys him; annoys him in such a way that he can’t stop thinking about her.
Reiner seems to have returned to the stuff that made him great in the first place: young love.
Watch the trailer below (via Pajiba):
What do you think? Will Flipped remind us why Reiner is great?