Rob Reiner’s Film Collaboration With Son Draws Renewed Attention After Murders

Nearly a decade ago, father and son worked together on an independent film that focused on addiction and family conflict.

Honoree Rob Reiner, second left, poses with his wife Michele, left, and children Jake, center, Romy, and Nick at the 41st annual Chaplin Award Gala at Avery Fisher Hall, April 28, 2014, in New York. Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File

Nick Reiner, 32, the son of filmmaker Rob Reiner, is being held in a Los Angeles County jail on Monday after authorities arrested him on suspicion of killing his parents at their home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Police have not released further details about the investigation, and court records show no prior criminal cases involving Nick Reiner in Los Angeles County. It remains unclear whether he has retained legal representation. Representatives for the Reiner family have not responded to requests for comment.

The case has cast renewed attention on a period nearly a decade ago when father and son publicly discussed rebuilding their relationship following years of personal struggle. In 2016, Rob Reiner and his son collaborated on the independent drama “Being Charlie,” a project they described at the time as both creative and personal.

“It forced us to understand ourselves better than we had,” Reiner told The Associated Press in 2016. “I told Nick while we were making it, I said, ‘you know it doesn’t matter, whatever happens to this thing, we won already. This has already been good.’ We’ve worked through a lot of stuff.” 

The film followed a young man grappling with addiction and family conflict and was inspired in part by experiences drawn from the writers’ lives. Although not autobiographical, the story reflected themes the Reiners had openly acknowledged during the film’s promotion.

In a YouTube interview released around the same time, Nick Reiner spoke candidly about his relationship with his father during his teenage years. “We didn’t bond a lot,” he said, later agreeing that working together on the film helped them “feel closer.”

Rob Reiner had said he was initially unaware that his son, along with a friend he met during treatment, had begun developing a project centered on recovery. With his guidance, the concept evolved into a feature-length drama. Cary Elwes portrayed a prominent public figure in the film, while actor Nick Robinson played the title character.

“I maybe didn’t handle it the best way,” Reiner said in his 2016 interview. “I listened to a lot of people who had a desk and a diploma. I didn’t really think about my kid and what he needed.”

Nick Reiner told People at the time of the film’s release that he had returned to Los Angeles after years away. “I’ve been home for a really long time, and I’ve sort of gotten acclimated back to being in L.A. and being around my family,” he said, adding, “But there was a lot of dark years there.”

“Being Charlie” remains Nick Reiner’s only acting credit. He maintained a largely private life before and after the film’s release.

The Reiner family includes two other children, Jake and Romy Reiner, both of whom have worked in the entertainment industry. Rob Reiner also has a daughter, Tracy Reiner, from his first marriage to actor and director Penny Marshall.

Authorities have not disclosed a timeline for further court proceedings as the investigation continues.