The Funniest Comedies Ever

Old School
      2003 | USA | Laughs: 5.5 (Chuckle) | imdb: 7.1
      wikipedia | dmoz | who was involved?

A thirty-year-old rents a house on a college campus. His buddies bully him into starting a fraternity. On first viewing (2011), I stopped there (about half an hour into the film) as it seemed to me that the movie kept getting worse every minute. Eleven years later, a trusted friend raved about the movie, and I thought I'd give it a second chance.

And indeed that time it made me smile a lot. The first time around, I must have assumed it was one of these raunchy comedies for horny young males, but it was much tamer than that. There was even a cute love story.

In short, give it a try.

(Last viewed: Apr 2011 November 2022)

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There's Something About Mary
      1998 | USA | Laughs: 6.8 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 7.1
      wikipedia | dmoz | who was involved?

Hankering for "what could have been", a thirty-year-old man (Ben Stiller) hires a private investigator to track down his high-school flame, Mary. The investigator finds Mary but falls for her. Ben Stiller made me chuckle with the same charming awkwardness that made him shine in Meet the Parents. A particular treat for me was his best friend Dom (Chris Elliott), whom I recognized from his role as Larry the cameraman in Groundhog Day, one of my favorite comedies. The first half had some good laughs, the second half was entertaining.

EDIT: In 2022, twelve years after the previous viewing, this movie still works for me. Laughed and smiled. At the rate of once every ten years, I may be able to watch this film twice more before I die. Looking forward to it.

(Last viewed: Sep 2010 October 2022)

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Confess, Fletch
      2022 | USA | Laughs: 4.0 (Chuckle) | imdb: 6.5
      wikipedia | who was involved?

In this sequel to the Chevy Chase movies, Fletch becomes a murder suspect upon arriving in Boston to investigates the theft of several paintings belonging to the family of this Italian girlfriend.

The tone was just right, and while the movie probably isn't as funny as the original, I found it very enjoyable.

(Last viewed: October 2022)

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Meet the Parents (original)
      1992 | USA | Laughs: 6.7 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 6.7
      wikipedia | who was involved?

This movie is the original Meet the Parents, from which the 2000 film featuring Ben Stiller was later adapted.

It's delightfully similar to yet different from the remake. Some characters are rougher around the edges and the plot is more cruel. It was made on $100,000, but it made me laugh more than the vast majority of big-budget comedies.

If you're a fan of the 2000 movie, don't miss this little jewel.

(Last viewed: September 2022)

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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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Palm Springs
      2020 | USA | Laughs: 5.5 (Chuckle) | imdb: 7.4
      wikipedia | who was involved?

This movie was a great surprise. I knew nothing about it when I started watching and hesitate to spoil the premise—although it comes out so early in the film that it shouldn't do too much harm to reveal that the plot loosely relates to that of Groundhog Day.

As with most films in the comedy genre the comedic part decreases sharply in the second half, but I still found the whole thing refreshing and enjoyable.

Give it a try!

Edit: on second viewing two years later, I still love that movie. One of the best comedies of the decade.

(Last viewed: Jul 2020 September 2022)

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Paddington 2
      2017 | U.K. | Laughs: 3.5 (Chuckle) | imdb: 7.8
      wikipedia | who was involved?

This first sequel to Paddington has a better villain (Nicole Kidman wasn't bad but Hugh Grant shines) who also contributes more to the comedy, helping raise it out of the "light-hearted" category into the "chuckle" bracket.

That said, I found parts of the plot a tad sadistic (such as the unfairness of the justice system), so even though I smiled more, there were moments when I didn't enjoy the movie at all.

Altogether, a solid choice for an adult to watch with a younger public as it can be enjoyed by people well over the age of six.

(Last viewed: September 2022)

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Paddington
      2014 | U.K. | Laughs: 3.0 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 7.2
      wikipedia | who was involved?

Forced to emigrate to London, a young bear looks for a family to call home while a museum curator schemes to have him stuffed. This cute movie made me chuckle a few times. Perfect if you're in the mood for the undemanding atmosphere of a movie aimed principally at children yet not too dumb to be unbearable for adults.

My source in the world of children entertainment tells me that the sequel is the funnier of the two movies.

(Last viewed: September 2022)

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Funny Pages
      2022 | USA | Laughs: 0.1 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 6.3
      wikipedia | who was involved?

Despite what the title might induce you to believe, this is not a funny movie, but one about a high-school student who is an aspiring comic book artist. It's not bad for what I imagine must have been a very low-budget production, though in truth the five minutes before the title shot are the best, as the rest lacks in structure in cohesion. In short, watch it if you feel like supporting indie movies, but don't expect to laugh even once.

(Last viewed: September 2022)

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Coming Soon
      1999 | USA | Laughs: 1.0 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 4.4
      wikipedia | who was involved?

Advised by her two best friends, a high-school senior who has never climaxed explores physical relationships and romance. I too thought the synopsis of this movie sounded awful and the poster made me expect something nasty in the way of so many frat house flicks.

In reality, this was a sweet movie with delicate touches, told from the female perspective and scripted by two women, one of whom directed it. Much seemed autobiographical, little felt gratuitous.

As a comedy, it probably won't make you laugh. As a romance, it's sweet and not only watchable but recommended for its rare perspective.

(Last viewed: September 2022)

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Parenthood
      1989 | USA | Laughs: 0.3 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 7.0
      wikipedia | who was involved?

Several parents deal with the joys and pains of having children. I can't tell you more about the plot as I had to quit in boredom after thirty minutes. It was that or jumping off the balcony.

Once again I got sucked in by someone's vehement recommendation to watch a Steve Martin movie. Once again this perennial North American favorite fails to make me even smirk. The cast is not stellar but everyone else is more or less fine, I can buy into the roles they portray. But the moment I look at this man, a warning signal in my brain screams "clown" and jolts me out of the movie. I just can't take this guy seriously as an actor.

Don't let this discourage you. I'm sure someone somewhere will find something to like in this film. Blissful is that person, there's so much Steve Martin to be consumed for someone who likes what he does.

(Last viewed: September 2022)

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Killers
      2010 | USA | Laughs: 1.0 (Just Awful) | imdb: 5.4
      wikipedia | who was involved?

A former CIA operative living an all-American suburban life with his loving wife who is unaware of his past becomes the target of assassination attempts.

The script is as bland as boiled celery. Easily the worse Ashton Kutcher comedy I've ever seen. One has to pity the crew that participates in such a senseless project. If they'd asked my dog to read the script before proceeding, thousands of man hours would have been spared.

(Last viewed: August 2022)

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Spread
      2009 | USA | Laughs: 2.0 (Watch Once) | imdb: 5.8
      wikipedia | who was involved?

A young man in Los Angeles lives off his good looks as he entices successful women ten years his senior to open their luxurious homes to him.

Although there is humor in it, this movie is not what one might think of as an "Ashton Kutcher comedy", as he plays a role far removed from the goofy characters you may have seen in his earlier films.

The character was fascinating, the cast did a good job and the movie entertained me, but your life probably won't be much poorer if you give the movie a miss.

(Last viewed: August 2022)

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A Lot Like Love
      2005 | USA | Laughs: 2.5 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 6.6
      wikipedia | who was involved?

The paths of a young man and a young woman cross over six years, but the time never seem right for them to enter a relationship together. This was not the kind of comedy that makes you laugh, but as a romance it is tight, with pleasant performances by Ashton Kutcher and his female counterpart.

Recommended as a movie to watch as a couple when you're in the mood for smiles.

(Last viewed: August 2022)

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Just Married
      2003 | USA | Laughs: 1.0 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 5.4
      wikipedia | who was involved?

A young man and woman from different social backgrounds have a nightmare honeymoon in Europe. This movie is watchable but the comedy is such low-grade (slapstick, mostly) that it's really not worth the effort. It's astonishing to me that it should have the same rating as Dude, Where's My Car, also featuring Ashton Kutcher. (Last viewed: August 2022)

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What Happens in Vegas
      2008 | USA | Laughs: 7.1 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 6.1
      wikipedia | dmoz | who was involved?

Two strangers get married on a crazy night in Vegas. Back in New York, a judge forces them to live together for six months (the result of a dispute over a three-million-dollar jackpot). I discovered recently that I enjoy comedies with Ashton Kutcher, and this one is no exception. Diaz is a perfect counterpart to his engaging smile. It's not brain science but it's good clean fun, and by clean I mean that you don't hear all the foul language that seems to litter so many comedies nowadays. Still smiling the morning after.

EDIT: still fun ten years after the first viewing. (Last viewed: Sep 2012 August 2022)

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My Boss's Daughter
      2003 | USA | Laughs: 9.3 (Laugh Out Loud) | imdb: 4.7
      wikipedia | dmoz | who was involved?

An aspiring grunt gets to house-sit at the house of his tyrannical boss, whose daughter he fancies. Of course, everything goes wrong. Don't expect intellectual fireworks: this is good clean fun (well, almost clean), with plenty to laugh at and not much to think about. On account of the laugh-a-minute, I rate this a 7.5. Yet the film probably has one of the lowest IMDB rating of all films on this site (4.3), so evidently lots of people don't find it as funny as I do. If you're in that category, you might enjoy this film's opposite (high IMDB ratings, low laughs for me): Death at a Funeral. Interestingly, the lead actor (Ashton Kutcher) features in Dude Where's My Car, which also rates high on my laugh-o-meter and low on IMDB.

Edit: upon second viewing eleven year later, I was still entertained but didn't laugh. (Last viewed: Oct 2011 August 2022)

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Career Opportunities
      1991 | USA | Laughs: 1.5 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 5.9
      wikipedia | who was involved?

In this 1990s movie that feels as though it belongs to the 1980s, a young man and a young woman spend a night together inside a Target supermarket where the former works as a janitor and the latter fell asleep while shoplifting. Light-hearted but very low-cal in the laughs department. (Last viewed: June 2021)

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Rams
      2020 | Australia | Laughs: 0.8 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 6.4
      wikipedia | who was involved?

Here is yet another feel-good movie miscategorized as a comedy. Two brothers who haven't been on speaking terms in years, both sheep breeders, must face the same scourge that threatens their town's livelihood. Will they reconcile? Take a wild guess.

This film shamelessly panders to the self-image of Australia (largely a land of air-conditioned urbanites) as a nation of rough but sweet types all equally at ease with flies, snakes and machinery. In the lead role, who better than a New Zealander?

Barbs aside, this is a cute movie, and I do like Sam Neill. I was just really excited to watch him in a comedy alongside Michael Caton, the lead actor from The Castle, possibly the best Australian comedy ever.

A missed opportunity, but far from the worst piece of entertainment to come out of Australia.

(Last viewed: April 2021)

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Promising Young Woman
      2020 | USA | Laughs: 3.8 (Chuckle) | imdb: 7.5
      wikipedia | who was involved?

A grown woman seeks revenge for a drug rape perpetrated against her best friend in medical school. This dark comedy was probably never intended to deliver laughs. I fully forgive it for that: it entertains.

(Last viewed: March 2021)

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The Twentieth Century
      2019 | Canada | Laughs: 1.8 (Smirk) | imdb: 7.0
      wikipedia | who was involved?

I was suckered into watching this movie by the ever-unreliable comedy label it bears on other movie sites. While it does nothing to deserve that label, its extraordinary strangeness could make it mesmerizing to some of those who are open to considering cinema as an art form sometimes free to stray away from mainstream representations.

The film is extraordinarily hard to describe: the most I can say is that the story is a wild adaptation of the path of a historical figure to becoming Prime Minister of Canada, represented with the use of a pythonesque blend of acting and animation.

As far as Canadian comedy goes, I'll take Jim Carrey or Corner Gas over this any day. Like it, hate it or be confused: you've been warned.



(Last viewed: March 2021)

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Coming 2 America
      2021 | USA | Laughs: 0.0 (Just Awful) | imdb: 5.5
      wikipedia | who was involved?

Being nostalgic for the glorious days of Eddie's first movies, I wanted to love this. I gave this movie twenty minutes, but it's plain unwatchable. Sad.

(Last viewed: March 2021)

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The Laundromat
      2019 | USA | Laughs: 0.5 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 6.3
      wikipedia | who was involved?

After watching half of this movie, what I think I understood is that it aims to explain in a light-hearted way the intricate ways in which certain legal entities are set up in order to shield their owners from any responsibility. It's neither funny nor clear in its direction — I couldn't get into it. (Last viewed: February 2021)

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Working Girl
      1988 | USA | Laughs: 4.0 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 6.8
      wikipedia | who was involved?

A young woman from a working class background resorts to large-scale deception in order to get past her hypocritical female boss and rise through the ranks of her New York law firm.

While this movie is by no means a laugh-out-loud comedy, it made me smile a lot and offers more than its mere comedic aspects: it oozes 1980s charm; its social commentary gives a historical perspective on various struggles; and its cast of stars who look impossibly young — among whom Harrison Ford, Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Spacey.

A perfect watch if you're in the mood for a laidback comedy with feminist undertones.

(Last viewed: December 2020)

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The Big Empty
      2003 | USA | Laughs: 4.0 (Chuckle) | imdb: 6.1
      wikipedia | who was involved?

A down-on-his-luck actor is given the lucrative assignment of delivering a mysterious suitcase to a mysterious man in a desert outpost.

The first five minutes rubbed me the wrong way, but once we left Los Angeles and left a couple of annoying character behind the movie grew on me. If you like frantic comedies, this one is not for you — it's more of a relaxed, offbeat ride.

Can't say that I laughed, but I'm fairly sure I chuckled. Worth a watch if you have nothing better to sample.

(Last viewed: December 2020)

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Clueless
      1995 | USA | Laughs: 6.1 (Chuckle) | imdb: 6.8
      wikipedia | dmoz | who was involved?

A high-society Los Angeles high-school girl tries her best to improve the lives of those who surround her. I'm told by someone with a bit of culture that this movie is an adaptation of Jane Austen's novel Emma, perhaps the best ever made. I can't say, but I do know that I was entertained and chuckled more than a few times.

I can't quite believe that it took me all of 25 years to watch this movie. I guess 1995 feels like yesterday, so in that sense it was only a day. If you haven't seen it either, treat yourself, it has aged tremendously well.

(Last viewed: November 2020)

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Ode to Joy
      2019 | USA | Laughs: 3.0 (Chuckle) | imdb: 6.4
      wikipedia | who was involved?

Prone to fainting when he experiences strong emotions, a man has managed to keep amorous relationship at bay from his life — until a woman decides they should go out.

Although on a comedy level the movie is rather bland, it's by no means hard to watch and will probably make you smile just enough to keep you awake if you have nothing better on your list for the evening.

(Last viewed: November 2020)

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Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
      2020 | USA | Laughs: 7.0 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 6.7
      wikipedia | who was involved?

I wasn't sure I was in the mood to watch a sequel to Borat but confess that despite the recurring cringe the adventures of the Kazakh journalist in the United States made me laugh more than the vast majority of comedies released in recent years. In fact I recommend not eating while you watch it — I almost choked on my chickpeas after an unexpected joke.

Having picked up a bit of Hebrew over my travels, hearing Borat speak that language when he's supposed to speak Kazakh was a nonsensical touch that added to the comedy. The fact that most people who appear in the movie are unknowing participants being fooled by an unlikely character (the tried-and-true Ali G formula) adds to the performance.

(Last viewed: November 2020)

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Buffaloed
      2019 | USA | Laughs: 3.0 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 6.2
      wikipedia | who was involved?

A young lady tries to be the biggest scammer among the scammers. It was probably well-intentioned, but the main protagonist's shrill voice and acting didn't convince me, although I did manage to crack a few smiles and leave the tape on until the end.

(Last viewed: July 2020)

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Brewster's Millions
      1985 | USA | Laughs: 2.0 (Chuckle) | imdb: 6.6
      wikipedia | who was involved?

A man is the beneficiary of a huge inheritance that comes with a caveat: to keep it, he must spend thirty million dollars over the course of thirty days. This premise leads to extravagant expenses that are inherently funny, but I can't help but feel that more could have been made of the situation. Although likeable in the role, Richard Pryor gave the worst performance of his that I've seen on film.

Watchable, but with low expectations.

(Last viewed: April 2020)

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