I’d like very much to find something worthwhile in this universally despised 1994 mega-flop, but I’m afraid I can’t: the Rob Reiner directed NORTH really IS that bad. It’s a film you won’t find mentioned in any of the Reiner tributes currently packing the internet, but the concept, involving a spoiled boy’s dissatisfaction with his parents, has taken on a new significance in light of the circumstances of Reiner’s December 2025 demise.
NORTH (1994) Trailer
NORTH marked the end of what seemed like an unstoppable winning streak for Rob Reiner. His feature directorial debut was THIS IS SPINAL TAP (1984), and it was followed by THE SURE THING (1985), STAND BY ME (1986), THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987), WHEN HARRY MET SALLY… (1989), MISERY (1990) and A FEW GOOD MEN (1992), a mighty impressive run that, after the failure of NORTH, Reiner was unable to replicate (with later films like THE STORY OF US, RUMOR HAS IT… and FLIPPED woefully failing to match what came before).
NORTH is an ostensible comedy with a HOME ALONE-ish narrative, adapted from a 1984 book by Alan Zweibel, that’s plain moronic. It’s about North (Elijah Wood), a brat who decides he wants a new family because his parents (Jason Alexander and Julia Louis-Dreyfus) don’t pay attention to him at dinner. A shyster lawyer (Jon Lovtiz) somehow convinces a judge (Alan Arkin) to allow North eight weeks to find a new set of parents, with his actual elders (in another disquieting real-life flash-forward) rendered catatonic by the news.
North somehow becomes a media darling, even though his odyssey doesn’t render him very likeable. Just the opposite, in fact, with the kid coming off as spoiled and entitled in his blithe dismissal of one set of prospective parents after another. He rejects a Texas couple (Dan Akyroyd and Reba McEntire) because they feed him too much, a Hawaiian couple (Keone Young and Lauren Tom) because they feature his naked ass on a billboard, an Eskimo couple (Graham Greene and Kathy Bates) because he doesn’t agree with their cultural traditions, an Amish couple (Alexander Godunov and Kelly McGillis) because they don’t believe in electricity, and a New York couple (John Ritter and Faith Ford) because they’re too perfect.
Kathy Bates, Graham Greene, Elijah Wood
Throughout it all, a man (Bruce Willis) costumed as a bunny in the opening scenes turns up in various guises: a cowboy, a standup comedian, a FedEx driver, etc. Precisely what function this character serves (he’s been dubbed a “guardian angel,” but what exactly is he guarding North from?) I’m not entirely sure, nor am I too clear on the character of Al (Robert Costanzo), who likewise assumes different guises, including that of a hired assassin who tries to shoot North. Not to worry, though, because all this nonsense is revealed to be (Spoiler Alert!) an elaborate dream.
Bruce Willis, Elijah Wood
Rob Reiner’s exalted early nineties Hollywood status is reflected in the film’s worldview. In direct contrast to the underdog characters who headlined Reiner’s previous films, NORTH’s protagonist is a privileged twerp who gets to passively select rather than fight for his destiny. NORTH is very much a film made by a rich man, with a sense of pampered entitlement that all-but melts off the screen.
Another rich person trait displayed in NORTH is laziness. That’s evident in the severely underdeveloped narrative, which is filled with unexplained plot points, unmotivated actions (which the “it’s all a dream” ending failing to justify) and inappropriate elements (the butt crack depiction, etc.) that place the film in the ignominious category of non-family-friendly “family films” from 1994 (MY FATHER THE HERO, BABY’S DAY OUT, etc.).
There’s also a visual palette that, despite the efforts of talented folk like cinematographer Adam Greenberg and production designer J. Michael Riva, is singularly bland and unimaginative, and an impressive cast (which included a debuting Scarlett Johansson) that fails to yield a stand out performance (with Bruce Willis seemingly acting in an entirely different movie than everyone else). You can argue that Reiner had attained enough industry clout in 1994 that he deserved a slackening-off, but NORTH’s effect on his career was catastrophic.
Once again: NORTH is most interesting these days for its prophetic elements. Viewed in 2025, it offers a disquieting reflection of Rob Reiner’s relationship with his son Nick, and an even more disquieting forecast of how that relationship would ultimately play out.
Vital Statistics
NORTH
Columbia Pictures
Director: Rob Reiner
Producers: Rob Reiner, Alan Zweibel
Screenplay: Alan Zweibel, Andrew Scheinman
Cinematography: Adam Greenberg
Editing: Robert Leighton
Cast: Elijah Wood, Bruce Willis, Jon Lovitz, Jason Alexander, Alan Arkin, Dan Aykroyd, Kathy Bates, Faith Ford, Graham Greene, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Reba McEntire, John Ritter, Lauren Tom, Abe Vigoda, Keone Young, Alexander Godunov, Kelly McGillis, Scarlett Johansson, Ben Stein, Jussie Smollett, Richard Belzer, Alan Zweibel