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Every person’s definition of funny is a little different, which is why it’s cool that Netflix has an impressive variety of movies representing a broad genre. If you’re looking for something to make you laugh, you can choose a smart, critically-acclaimed classic or a brainless comedy that critics hated.
High-minded satire or expertly timed farts: Many of the best comedies blend highbrow and lowbrow, but, at the end of the day, the best comedy is the one that makes you laugh the most.
Barbie (2023)
The movie that absolutely slayed the zeitgeist in 2023 is also, perhaps surprisingly, a ton of fun. Greta Gerwig’s Mattel-based fantasy includes some trenchant commentary, but also incredibly funny sequences involving horses, dream houses, and the skills required to be good at beach. You can stream Barbie here.
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024)
Though it’s not necessarily saying an awful lot given a couple of lackluster sequels, the fourth Beverly Hills Cop movie is almost certainly as good as the series has been since the first movie way back in 1984. Here, Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy, of course) returns to SoCal when his old partner (Judge Reinhold) warns Foley that is estranged daughter (Taylour Paige), a defense attorney who went up against the wrong people, is in danger. Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser, and Bronson Pinchot all return from the original film, joined by Axel’s new partner played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. As legacy sequels go, this one’s better than it has a right to be. You can stream Axel F here.
Friday (1995)
Craig and Smokey (Ice Cube and Chris Tucker) are just a couple of guys hanging out hoping for something to do. They should’ve been careful what they wished for, as this one impossible Friday will see them involved with burglaries, shoot-outs, and excessively horny pastors. It’s not always in the best taste but, as in the best buddy/stoner comedies, it’s all in goofy fun. You can stream Friday here.
Bad Trip (2021)
I’m not a fan of hidden camera-style comedy, which often feels mean-spirited and superior in mocking people for the crime of not being in on the joke. Bad Trip, with Eric André, Lil Rel Howery, and Tiffany Haddish, makes a couple of innovations to the form: it adds an overarching narrative and, more importantly, it approaches everything with heart. In one of the best sequences, André’s Chris gets some love advice from an older guy on a bench that inspires him to burst into song, a musical moment that takes him across the street and into a nearby mall—the kind of thing that happens a million times in the movies, but here the startled, annoyed, and confused reactions make perfect sense. The movie even ends with footage of the pranked people learning that they’re in a movie, and their delight is funny in and of itself. You can stream Bad Trip here.
The Addams Family (1991)
Director Barry Sonnenfeld and company have a ton of fun in expanding Addams Family lore into a full-blown tribute to weirdness—just when we needed it most. Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, and Christina Ricci head the stacked cast. The sequel is even better. You can stream The Addams Family here.
We Have a Ghost (2023)
Christopher Landon, writer/director behind innovative comedy-horror movies like Happy Death Day and Freaky (and the next Scream movie), helms this similarly fun but more family-friendly entry. Anthony Mackie is in the lead as Frank Presley, who, with his family, buys a cheap fixer-upper, only for his son Kevin (Jahi Winston) to discover a ghost (played by David Harbour) unliving in the attic. So far, familiar territory, but Kevin wants to help their new ghost while dad only wants to make money—and so, their ghost goes viral. You can stream We Have a Ghost here.
The Money Pit (1986)
Though slightly less known than other comedies in the ’80s pantheon, this very loose remake of Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House is filled with impressively constructed sight gags carried off by leads Tom Hanks and Shelley Long. In a bind, the young boyfriend-girlfriend couple learn of a mansion for sale for an absolute pittance (well, $200,000, which was real money in 1986). Even though it’s not entirely in their price range, it seems too good to be true. Which, of course, it absolutely is, and their efforts to renovate the place themselves push their relationship well past the breaking point. It’s all pretty relatable if you’ve ever owned a house of any size. You can stream The Money Pit here.
Ted (2012)
Seth MacFarlane’s stoner buddy comedy has no business being as funny nor as charming as it is, but here we are. Mark Wahlberg plays John Bennett, whose childhood wish for his favorite teddy bear to come to life came true, and it’s no secret: The whole world knows about Ted (voiced by MacFarlane). John’s girlfriend Lori (Mile Kunis) starts to feel that John spends way too much time smoking pot with his stuffed best friend—we’ve seen that plot before, but it’s cleverly done here, and the movie has just enough heart to sell the stakes. You can stream Ted here.
Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday (2016)
This genuinely sweet Pee-Wee movie wound up being Paul Reubens’s swan song for the indelible character. If we have to say goodbye, there couldn’t be a send-off than a movie that begins with a joyous, Rube Goldberg-inspired intro that wouldn’t feel out of place in the Playhouse, and sends Pee-Wee off on a journey across an America that could only exist in Reubens’ imagination. With Joe Manganiello as his companion and quasi-romantic interest, it also feels like a real exploration of the character that never loses its sense of whimsy and fun. You can stream Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday here.
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998)
One of Bollywood’s most beloved rom-coms. Shah Rukh Khan’s Rahul Khanna has had little on his mind but taking care of his daughter, Anjali, for the eight years since her mother died. Anjali’s mom left behind letters for her daughter, one to be read each year on her birthday, and when she comes to the final one, learns that her dad was very nearly in a relationship with a different woman when he was in college. Naturally (under romantic comedy rules), Anjali decides that her dad needs a girlfriend and that she’s going to hook him up with his old potential flame. The second half of the film gets a bit more serious, but the goofy complications of the earlier part of the film are frequently very funny in the way that only ‘90s rom-coms can be. You can stream Kuch Kuch Hota Hai here.
Smokey and the Bandit (1977)
A rarely equalled road movie full of fast cars and bootleg beer, Smokey stars Burt Reynolds as a driver running interference for a truck running 400 cases of Coors from Texarkana to Atlanta. In his 1977 Pontiac Trans Am, he’s dodging Sheriff Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason), while kicking off an unlikely romance with runaway bride Carrie (Sally Field). A classic blend of comedy and fast-driving action. You can stream Smokey and the Bandit here.
50 First Dates (2004)
It’s not the kind of movie that was ever going to win Oscars, but this pairing of Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler (following The Wedding Singer) did similarly well at the box office, riding on the charms of its two leads. This one has a premise that’s equal parts brilliant, goofy, and offensive, as it involves a young teacher with a type of amnesia that resets her short-term memory each day. At first, the necessarily short-term nature of their relationship is appealing to the commitment-phobic marine veterinarian who falls for her, but eventually he vows to win her over anew each day. You can stream 50 First Dates here.
Bad Words (2013)
Jason Bateman’s directorial debut is an acerbic, wonderfully nasty comedy that plays as a parody of any of those cute movies where an adult bonds with a kid. Here, Bateman plays way against type as Guy Trilby, who enters a kids’ spelling bee on a technicality: Since he never graduated eighth grade, he’s still eligible. He eventually bonds with one of his competitors (Rohan Chand) after raiding the kid’s hotel mini-bar, teaching him how to steal and drink over an evening hanging out. There’s a bigger mission in Guy’s determination to go far in the competition, we ultimately learn, but it doesn’t make him a nicer person. You can stream Bad Words here.
She’s Gotta Have It (1986)
In a very narrow sense, Spike Lee’s 1986 debut makes the case that Black characters (and audiences) have as much claim to the young adult sex comedy genre as anyone else—but Lee has never been an imitator, and She’s Gotta Have It adds a sexual frankness that feels particularly innovative and forward-thinking. Like many 80s-era films that tackle sexuality, there are disturbing moments here that place an asterisk on the film’s reputation, but it’s still a daring, smart, and often funny debut from one of America’s most important directors. You can stream She’s Gotta Have It here.
Do Revenge (2022)
Camila Mendes and Maya Hawke star in this dark teen comedy, loosely based on Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train, that also takes aim at the teen comedies of yore. Think Scream, but for fans of She’s All That and Mean Girls. That’s a lot of references, I know, but the movie is filled with them—mostly for the better. And even still, the comedy is biting enough that it stands on its own among classics of the “high school is hell” genre. You can stream Do Revenge here.
Dolemite is My Name (2019)
Eddie Murphy gives one of the best performances of his career in this take on real-life comedian Rudy Ray Moore from Hustle & Flow director Craig Brewer. Moore was a stand-up (also a singer, actor, producer, and rap pioneer) who decided to take his popular pimp character Dolemite to the big screen, leading to a trilogy of Blaxploitation classics. The film has a ton of fun with the stereotypical elements of Moore’s biography and the era trappings, positioning Moore as a more savvy Ed Wood of the 1970s. You can stream Dolemite is My Name here.
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)
While nothing can top actual Eurovision for laughs, thrills, and pure joy, given that we have to wait a full year between competitions, The Story of Fire Saga is a goofy and fun way to fill the time. Rachel McAdams and Will Ferrell star as plucky Icelandic best friends, and leads of the band Fire Saga, who have dreams of taking home the prize for their country—even though people back home only want to hear them the traditional Ja Ja Ding Dong. The original music is wacky and fun, in the best spirit of Eurovision. You can stream Eurovision Song Contest here.
Glass Onion (2022)
After crafting a superb mystery-comedy in Knives Out, writer-director Ryan Johnson returned with this sequel that almost tops the original, and certainly outdoes it in size and scope. Daniel Craig is back as slow-talking, quick-thinking detective Benoit Blanc, this time taken to the island of a billionaire and faced with, as expected, multiple murders to solve. Like the original, the movie balances zippy pacing and entertainingly over-the-top characters with some wildly on-point social satire. The supporting cast collects the entire A-list, and two cameos mark the final screen performances of Steven Sondheim and Angela Lansbury. You can stream Glass Onion here.
Unfrosted (2024)
Critics were split right down the middle on this one, with some absolutely hating it while others gave it near raves (it’s been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie…so there’s that). Some of your reaction might have to do with your tolerance for Jerry Seinfeld, who directed, produced, co-wrote, and stars in the movie as Bob Cabana, a rough analogue for the real-life William Post—the guy who lead the team that created the Pop Tart. It’s a sharp and brightly colored satire that takes a heavily fictionalized look at the corporate conflict between various cereal companies all trying to create toaster pastries at once. So what is the deal with Pop Tarts? You can stream Unfrosted here.
Hit Man (2024)
Glen Powell (who co-wrote this dark comedy alongside director Richard Linklater) stars as Gary Johnson, a withdrawn New Orleans professor who’s roped into a side gig at which he’s surprisingly good: impersonating hired assassins to help out the police. People looking to hire a killer come to Gary believing that he’s a hit man, only to find that they’ve been entrapped. Things get complicated when he’s approached by Madison (Adria Arjona), a woman with an abusive jerk of a husband she wants bumped off. Suddenly not so clear as to whose side he’s on. You can stream Hit Man here.
Anyone But You (2023)
This loose spin on Much Ado About Nothing stars Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell as a couple who meet, initially hit it off —and then immediately piss each other off, such that neither really wants to see the other again. Until, of course, they need wedding dates (that old thing!) and find themselves surrounded by scheming friends who plot to get them back together. It’s not wildly out there as rom-com premises go, but it’s briskly directed and boasts strong chemistry between the leads. You can stream Anyone But You here.
The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021)
The heart of this Netflix animated movie is the relationship between aspiring college-bound filmmaker Kate Mitchell and her technophobic father Rick, which explodes into intra-family conflict at the outset and quickly spirals into global warfare against a rogue AI—which honestly seems less silly now than it did just a couple of years ago. With the rest of the family caught in the middle, Kate and Rick are forced to find middle ground while the world falls apart around them. Stellar voice performances from Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, and Maya Rudolph ground the movie in such a way that the mile-a-minute plot and outrageously funny situations still feel somehow real. You can stream Mitchells vs. the Machines here.
Wendell & Wild (2022)
Wendell and Wild are a couple of demons (voiced by Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele) who meet their match in Kat (Lyric Ross), a punk-loving teen with few friends other than Raúl (Sam Zelaya), a sweet trans boy who’s also a talented artist trying to expose the injustices of their town’s messed-up prison system. From The Nightmare Before Christmas/Coraline director Henry Selick, the movie expands upon the spooky possibilities of those earlier films, crafting something both scarier and funnier, with playful jokes ranging from a possessed stuffed-animal named Bearzebub, a hair cream for balding men that can raise the dead, and a worm in a candy apple that’s responsible for numerous deaths. You can stream Wendell & Wild here.
You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (2023)
Adam and a whole lot of his fellow Sandlers appear in this movie from the YA bestseller by Fiona Rosenbloom. Whether that knowledge appeals to you or not, the elder Sandler takes a backseat here playing a dorky dad in favor of Sunny Sandler’s Stacy, and her best friend Lydia (Samantha Lorraine). It’s a solid teen comedy that gets plenty of laughs out of the awkward messiness of growing up. You can stream You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah here.
They Cloned Tyrone (2023)
Stylish, funny, and very fast-moving, this genre mashup spins plenty of plates, and mostly manages to keep them from crashing down. John Bodega stars as Fontaine, a drug dealer in a world just this side of our own (there’s definitely some Blaxsploitation influence in the dress styles). Following a showdown with one-time Pimp of the Year Slick Charles (Jamie Foxx), Fontaine is shot dead before waking up in his own bed with nothing, seemingly, having changed. Teaming up with Slick Charles and sex worker Yo Yo (Teyonah Parris), he leads the three of them into an unlikely web of scientific conspiracy. It shouldn’t work, but the stellar cast and assured direction from Juel Taylor sell it. You can stream They Cloned Tyrone here.
The Archies (2023)
The Archie gang has proven itself to be remarkably adaptable: from a wholesome family-friendly comic, to zombie horror, to whatever the hell you’d classify Riverdale as. So this bubbly, ’60s-set Indian version doesn’t even feel like that much of a stretch. The movie’s Riverdale is a harmonious Anglo-Indian enclave, home to Archie Andrews (Agastya Nanda), rich Veronica (Suhana Khan), and bookish Betty (Khushi Kapoor), all recreating a version of that time-tested love triangle. It’s cute, funny, and sincere, with plenty of very charming musical numbers. You can stream The Archies here.
