Comedies from the 2010s

Alpha Papa
      2013 | U.K. | Laughs: 5.8 (Watch Once) | imdb: 6.9
      wikipedia | who was involved?

A sacked radio DJ takes the station crew hostage and appoints a trusted colleague (who in fact triggered the dismissal) as negotiator. This is a chance to see the lead character of the UK TV series I'm Alan Partridge in a full-length film. It won't disappoint fans, and it should also entertain those who are unfamiliar with the series. (Last viewed: September 2014)

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Turkish for Beginners (Türkisch für Anfänger)
      2012 | Germany | Laughs: 5.7 (Watch Once) | imdb: 5.8
      who was involved?

A stuck-up pure-breed young German woman finds herself stranded on an island with an attractive young man of Turkish origin, his sister and a Greek-German young man. This is a stupid movie in the best sense of the term. Yes you've seen many "odd couple" storylines before, but the characters are endearing and the movie is quite funny—though not nearly as much as Fck you, Goethe, which had the same lead male actor. (Last viewed: July 2014)

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Suck Me Shakespeer 2 (Fack ju Göhte 2)
      2015 | Germany | Laughs: 5.6 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 6.0
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While this sequel to Fack ju Göhte is not quite as funny as the original and starts weakly, it has time on its side (nearly two hours of it) and builds up to a satisfying comedy overall. In this installment, our ex-convict teacher takes a group of kids to Thailand, where a loot has been sent by mistake. The plot is fairly relaxed and the humor is low-octane, but there were enough funny bits to keep us entertained.

I haven't yet watched the second sequel, Suck Me Shakespeer 3, now the Mexican adaptation, No manches Frida 2. (Last viewed: April 2016)

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X-Large (إكس لارج)
      2011 | Egypt | Laughs: 5.5 (Watch Once) | imdb: 7.3
      wikipedia | who was involved?

Via the internet, an obese man reconnects with his childhood sweetheart. When it comes time to meet, ashamed of his appearance, he pretends to be someone else. Sweet, funny, culturally interesting and easy to watch if you don't mind subtitles. (Last viewed: November 2013)

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Masterminds
      2016 | USA | Laughs: 5.5 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 5.8
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An armored car driver gets seduced into robbing his employer. The cast is excellent and the script gives them plenty to work with. One of the legacies of Meet the Parents is that it is always a pleasure to revisit Owen Wilson as a jerk. The movie entertained us and gave us a few laughs: don't let the low imdb rating put you off, this is a decent little comedy. (Last viewed: June 2017)

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Quo vado?
      2016 | Italy | Laughs: 5.5 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 6.6
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A man who has a job for life in regional government is sent from place to place as the central administration tries everything to make him accept ever more alluring offers for early retirement. This was a great surprise—I love foreign comedies that are easy to follow while revealing lots about the local culture. Apparently as of this movie's release Checcho Zalone had become a dominant figure in contemporary Italian comedy. I'll be sure to check out his other works. (Last viewed: August 2017)

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The Other Guys
      2010 | USA | Laughs: 5.4 (Watch Once) | imdb: 6.6
      wikipedia | who was involved?

Two cops from the C-list find themselves tackling a case that involves powerful and dangerous people. The film has occasional action scenes that I found loud, unnecessary and unpleasant. Apart from that, I enjoyed its offbeat humor and characters. For instance, one of the cops, who is portrayed as a nerdy, unattractive character, turns out to be living in a luxurious villa with a bombshell wife, who he keeps describing as plain. Will Ferrell (who is usually a tad too loud for my taste) shined as an accountant-cop, a role that kept him in check. His partner balanced him well. And it was a good surprise to see Steve Coogan from the British show I'm Alan Partridge. (Last viewed: July 2012)

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Due Date
      2010 | USA | Laughs: 5.0 (Watch Once) | imdb: 6.5
      wikipedia | who was involved?

A classic "odd couple" scenario: fate forces a square business man and an eccentric actor to travel together cross-country. Apart from the one nod to the crass crowd—apparently an obligatory gesture in the 21st century—this is a pleasant watch with a few laughs. I actually liked it more than Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Both lead actors were good. I enjoyed Zach Galifianakis a lot more than in movies where he has to compete with a crowd of actors for attention. I'd like to see more of him in lead (comic) roles. (Last viewed: September 2012)

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Date Night
      2010 | USA | Laughs: 5.0 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 6.3
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Once a week, to overcome the routine, a married couple with two turbulent kids hire a baby-sitter and treat themselves to their "date night"—usually a tame affair at a local family restaurant. One week, on a whim, they drive to nearby Manhattan, where everything goes terribly wrong and they soon find themselves chased by blood-thirsty mobsters. The two lead actors did a good job and the film had funny moments, but there was too much filler in between. The cast cannot be blamed for the tiresome plot. I'd suggest skipping this one. (Last viewed: December 2013)

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We're The Millers
      2013 | USA | Laughs: 5.0 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 7.0
      wikipedia | who was involved?

To smuggle cannabis from Mexico into the United States, posing as the prototypical middle-class straight white American family, an unlikely quartet cross the border in a luxurious recreational vehicle. I found this movie very funny. The only reason I didn't love it is that Jennifer Aniston gives me acne, and I wished she had been replaced by any one of the thousands of actresses capable of playing the part—Tina Fey for instance. You might not have the same skin condition. Either way, the movie is one of the best comedies of the 2013 and well worth watching. Jason Sudeikis did a great job as the lead male character, and it was a treat to see Nick Offerman, who plays Ron Swanson in Parks and Recreation.

EDIT: nine years later, the movie still entertains me but not nearly to the extent that it did on first viewing. On the other hand, this time I was chuffed to see so much of Jason Sudeikis, who since then has won the world over for his interpretation of Ted Lasso. (Season 1, I mean. In my book, season 2 is a sad joke, the character's lines are a caricature with those of the first season.)

(Last viewed: Dec 2013 September 2022)

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Mr Right
      2015 | USA | Laughs: 5.0 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 6.3
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A young woman on the rebound falls in love with a serial killer. Despite the threadbare script, the film has some very funny moments. We weren't sad we watched it. (Last viewed: May 2016)

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Booksmart
      2019 | USA | Laughs: 5.0 (Chuckle) | imdb: 7.2
      wikipedia | who was involved?

A pair of high-achieving female high-school students decide to break their self-imposed rules the day before graduation in order to experience the fun they've been missing out on.

The movie had a hard time finding its pace, but once it did there was no stopping it. I can't say that it made me laugh out loud, but I found myself smiling and chuckling for the main part of it.

Perhaps I don't watch enough contemporary movies, but it was unusual for me seeing two young female characters who were funny and smart, and I enjoyed that. I also liked that although at some stage two young ladies acted out on their mutual attraction, they were not objectified.

As a much older person, for me this was also something of a documentary about a generation I know little about. I found it surprisingly good, and even though it's by no means the peak of comedy, I warmly recommend it for its other virtues.

(Last viewed: August 2019)

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Don Jon
      2013 | USA | Laughs: 5.0 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 6.5
      wikipedia | who was involved?

This is not a laugh-out-loud comedy, but it might make you smirk most of the way, and regardless of its comical merits it's a good film. It deals with below-the-belt physical impulses from the standpoint of a young male at his peak, and with the different motivations that drive young adults of either gender when they consider relationships.

In the movies, references to pornography tend to be used as excuses for easy laughs. This was the first time I saw the topic treated in a lucid manner. From seeing tepid reviews by young adults, I am given to think that this might be a movie you enjoy more once you've gained some distance to the age group concerned.

The movie is not perfect—as a "solution" to the mirage of pornography, it seems to offer another mirage: to lose oneself in another person. That particular delusion would make a good topic for another comedy, perhaps when the director has gained some distance from the age group most under its spell. Altogether, a surprisingly solid watch. (Last viewed: December 2013)

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2 Days in New York
      2012 | France | Laughs: 5.0 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 6.0
      wikipedia | who was involved?

When the family of his French girlfriend land in his apartment for a visit, a New Yorker discovers a new side of his partner. Although the original is more subtle and far funnier, this film is entirely watchable. This was my first time seeing Chris Rock in a movie. Not only was I relieved to discover that he can speak without the shrill voice he uses on stage (which is awfully hard on my ears), I really enjoyed his performance. (Last viewed: October 2012)

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21 Jump Street
      2012 | USA | Laughs: 5.0 (Watch Once) | imdb: 7.2
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Two young cops are sent undercover to a high school to infiltrate a drug ring. Things have changed in the seven years since they graduated high school—the nerd becomes the cool guy, and the cool guy becomes the geek. This is not a laugh-out-loud movie, but it is funny enough to watch once, and it earns points for several original scenes, such as a car chase with a driving school's learner car, where trucks full of gas refuse to explode. I would watch the sequel. (Last viewed: October 2012)

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