The 20 best comedy movies on Netflix

21 Jump Street (2012)

Revived from the hit ‘80s TV show starring Johnny Depp, the film version of 21 Jump Street has been reconfigured for the new millennium. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum star as Schmidt and Jenko, police partners with opposite personalities and a common goal: to infiltrate a local high school and stop the spread of HFS — a synthetic drug better known on the streets as "Holy F---ing S---.”

Featuring Dave Franco as a student drug dealer and Brie Larson as the girl Schmidt can’t stop thinking about, 21 Jump Street is particularly notable for giving Tatum the opportunity to put his impressive comedic abilities on display, instead of just his abs. —Ilana Gordon    

Where to watch 21 Jump Street: Netflix

EW grade: A (read the review)

Directors: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller

Cast: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Brie Larson, Dave Franco, Rob Riggle, Ice Cube

A Simple Favor (2018)

Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) is a single-mom blogger, the queen of domesticity, and the perfect PTA mom. When she meets Emily (Blake Lively), a fellow mother who’s a PR exec, the two become fast friends. But when Emily subsequently goes missing, Stephanie decides to take it upon herself to solve the disappearance. 

To say this is not an ordinary “missing person” case is an understatement. Beneath the bright, candy-colored, fashion-forward surfaces of A Simple Favor is a deceptively tangled tale of competing identities — mistaken, invented, hidden — that makes great, twisty use of its two stars’ very specific personas. —Will Harris

Where to watch A Simple Favor: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Paul Feig

Cast: Blake Lively, Anna Kendrick, Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, Linda Cardellini, Jean Smart

Bad Words (2013)

When 40-year-old Guy Trilby (Jason Bateman) discovers a loophole in the rules of the Golden Quill Spelling Bee — an event not usually intended for adults — he enters the competition, much to the dismay of the other contestants’ parents. 

This is a comedy you watch to see what imaginatively offensive thing Guy will say next — think Veep vibes, but with the barbs aimed at 12-year-olds and their folks. It also doubles as a breezy buddy movie, with young competitor Chaitanya (Rohan Chand) breaking down Guy’s bitter exterior to find the soft, nougaty center underneath. —W.H.

Where to watch Bad Words: Netflix

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Jason Bateman

Cast: Jason Bateman, Kathryn Hahn, Rohan Chand, Ben Falcone, Philip Baker Hall, Allison Janney

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

The Coen brothers got tired of limiting themselves to one narrative in their projects, so for their Netflix film, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, they decided to mix it up and tell multiple stories. Set up as a six-part Western anthology, the film focuses thematically on the American frontier, and tells the stories of a cheerful cowboy, an unlucky would-be bank robber, a traveling promoter whose business is going downhill, a grizzled prospector, a woman headed West in search of a husband, and a group of passengers in a stagecoach.

While the Coens mess around with genre in each chapter and the cast differs from story to story, the six narratives are given a sense of consistency courtesy of the unique Coen voice, which the pair previously deployed on projects like True Grit and No Country for Old Men. And while there are certainly frontrunner stories in terms of quality and effectiveness, the entire film is worth a watch. —I.G.

Where to watch The Ballad of Buster Scruggs: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Cast: Tyne Daly, James Franco, Brendan Gleeson, Bill Heck, Grainger Hines, Zoe Kazan, Harry Melling, Liam Neeson, Tim Blake Nelson, Jonjo O'Neill, Chelcie Ross, Saul Rubinek, Tom Waits

Big Daddy (1999)

In the ‘90s, Adam Sandler’s brand mostly consisted of singing silly songs on Saturday Night Live and making movies about characters stuck somewhere along the spectrum of arrested development. Big Daddy begins in a similar fashion: Sonny Koufax (Sandler) is a 32-year-old law school graduate and toll booth worker primarily living off a lawsuit settlement. That all changes when a strange child (played by Dylan and Cole Sprouse) arrives on his doorstep and, through a series of events, becomes Sonny’s problem. 

A charming film about growing up, stepping up, and finding family in all places, Big Daddy isn’t the usual Sandler laugh-fest, but as EW’s review at the time notes, the film is “a slapstick testament to fatherhood as second childhood.” —I.G.   

Where to watch Big Daddy: Netflix

EW grade: B– (read the review)

Director: Dennis Dugan

Cast: Adam Sandler, Joey Lauren Adams, Jon Stewart, Rob Schneider, Cole Sprouse, Dylan Sprouse, Leslie Mann

Bridesmaids (2011)

Among its many credentials, Bridesmaids boasts the impressive distinction of being the only Oscar-nominated movie that also features a woman experiencing extreme diarrhea in the middle of a crowded street. Co-written by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo (earning a Best Original Screenplay nod) and starring an impressive ensemble cast led by Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, and Melissa McCarthy (who received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress), Bridesmaids was the breakout comedy of 2011.

Whip-smart, heartfelt, and deliciously raunchy, the film follows Annie (Wiig) as she helps plan her best friend Lillian’s (Rudolph) bridal activities. From dress shopping to bachelorette parties to bridal showers gone terribly wrong, Annie struggles to deal with her bestie’s new life changes while also competing for attention against Lillian’s new friend Helen (Byrne). Relatable to anyone who has ever attended a wedding or experienced hellacious food poisoning, consider committing to watching Bridesmaids. —I.G.      

Where to watch Bridesmaids: Netflix

EW grade: A (read the review)

Director: Paul Feig

Cast: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, Melissa McCarthy, Chris O'Dowd

Dolemite Is My Name (2019)

In this biopic written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (Ed Wood, Man on the Moon), Eddie Murphy plays Rudy Ray Moore, who works at a record store but knows he has something more to offer. Through sheer force of will — and a sharp ear for the raunchy, rough-edged poetry found on the streets and fringes — he transforms himself into a cult sensation, from his so-called “party records,” to live performances, to some of the most ridiculous and memorable Blaxploitation films of the ’70s. 

Murphy’s sheer charisma and star power make this movie land, but Wesley Snipes’ surprising comic chops are the secret sauce. —W.H.

Where to watch Dolemite Is My Name: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Craig Brewer

Cast: Eddie Murphy, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Wesley Snipes, Keegan-Michael Key, Mike Epps, Craig Robinson, Tituss Burgess

Don't Look Up (2021)

For all the disaster movies Hollywood has brought us over the years, it took Adam McKay to posit an all-too-realistic scenario in which a pair of scientists (Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence) become aware of impending doom, bring their intel to the government, and see their warning spun for political gain. 

It’s a dark comedy, to be sure, but one that takes full advantage of its star power: as EW’s critic writes, “[McKay’s] casting cup overruns almost casually with A-list guests, from a distinctly silly Ariana Grande cameo to a charming and markedly more substantial turn by Timothée Chalamet as a delinquent skateboarder with a thing for Kate's choppy bangs.” —W.H.

Where to watch Don’t Look Up: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Adam McKay

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, Rob Morgan, Jonah Hill, Timothée Chalamet

Eurovision: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)

The Eurovision Song Contest has been beloved globally for decades…except in the U.S., where it’s virtually unknown. As such, many Americans missed the boat on this absurd yet sincere comedy. Lars (Will Ferrell) and Sigrit (Rachel McAdams) are longtime not-quite-sweethearts from Iceland who, as Fire Saga, are on a quest to win the competition. 

In addition to being funny, Eurovision is also filled with quippy and catchy performances and songs, so expect some of the tunes to get stuck in your head. —W.H.

Where to watch Eurovision: The Story of Fire Saga: Netflix

Director: David Dobkin

Cast: Will Ferrell, Rachel McAdams, Dan Stevens, Melissanthi Nahut, Mikael Persbrandt, Olafur Darri Olafsson

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

Rian Johnson is a man who laughs in the face of genre: from fantasy blockbusters like Star Wars to whodunnit comedies, this writer-director gets around. And after a three-year hiatus, he and everyone’s favorite pastel-clad detective, Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), are back with a second addition to their Knives Out franchise. Released both in theaters and on Netflix, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery tells the story of a friend group caught up in the allures of money, fame, power, and murder — but in all truthfulness, the film is just as effective as travel propaganda for the Greek island on which the story is set.

Glass Onion pales slightly when directly compared to the first film in the franchise, but as our critic writes, the sequel is not here for that. “It’s here strictly to dazzle you with money and murder and famous-people pandemonium, then sharpen its knives for the next installment.” —I.G.

Where to watch Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Rian Johnson

Cast: Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Dave Bautista, Kate Hudson, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr.

The Lovebirds (2020)

After four years of dating, Jibran (Kumail Nanjiani) and Leilani (Issa Rae) are prepared to call it quits — until the couple finds themselves involved in a murder that requires them to put their break up aside and go on the run. Too concerned about racial profiling to involve the police, Jibran and Leilani must hunt down the identity of the man who was murdered so they can find out who killed him and clear their own names.

Directed by Michael Showalter (Wet Hot American Summer), The Lovebirds is a romantic evening gone wrong in the style of films like 2010's Date Night and 2018's Game Night. Boasting a high ratio of jokes per minute and a pair of lead actors who know how to wield their witticisms like machetes, Nanjiani and Rae's on screen bickering and loving needling will have you rooting for their relationship, even as it's falling apart. —I.G.

Where to watch The Lovebirds: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Michael Showalter

Cast: Kumail Nanjiani, Issa Rae, Anna Camp, Paul Sparks

Magic Mike (2012)

The series would later spin out into unabashed fantasy territory, but the original Magic Mike is a surprisingly grounded slice-of-life dramedy about strippers living in Florida. That’s thanks to director Steven Soderbergh, who based this surprise 2012 hit off of star Channing Tatum’s real-life experiences as an exotic dancer. Then there’s the always-charming Matthew McConaughey in one of his most quotable roles — which is really saying something, given that it’s Matthew McConaughey we’re talking about here. —Katie Rife

Where to watch Magic Mike: Netflix (through Oct. 31)

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Cast: Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, Alex Pettyfer, Steven Soderbergh

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

After turning sketch comedy on its head through their acclaimed TV series, the British comedy group Monty Python finally made their way to the big screen with an original film inspired by Arthurian legend. It wasn’t a huge box office hit initially, but between midnight showings and home video, it’s now revered as one of the funniest films of all time, with references to shrubbery, elderberries, killer rabbits, limbless knights, and other seemingly random topics becoming pop culture punchlines of the highest order. —W.H.

Where to watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail: Netflix (through Oct. 31)

Directors: Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones

Cast: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, Carol Cleveland

Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979)

Few movies have been quite as misunderstood by the religious right as Monty Python’s second film, which was declared to be blasphemous by people who’d never seen it. The story revolves around Brian (Graham Chapman), who was born one stable down — and on the same night — as Jesus, which later causes considerable confusion when people mistake Brian for the Messiah. As Roger Ebert once wrote, “In terms of actual disrespect shown to Biblical legend, such epics as Samson and Delilah and King of Kings are miles more hypocritical [than Brian].” —W.H.

Where to watch Monty Python’s Life of Brian: Netflix (through Oct. 31)

Director: Terry Jones

Cast: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin

Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie weren’t a couple yet when they played assassins tasked with killing each other in Mr. and Mrs. Smith, but after seeing these two on screen together, it’s not surprising they became one. The movie is awash with anxiety and anticipation, suspicion and curiosity, while the actors’ chemistry — both sexual and comic, romantic and adversarial — is reminiscent of Hollywood’s classic star system (but with more machine guns). 

The movie is not just an explosively entertaining, twisty action flick, but a satirical examination of marriage, relationships, and compromise. Its premise proved successful enough to result in a recent TV incarnation, with Donald Glover and Maya Erskine finding a palpable chemistry of their own. —W.H.

Where to watch Mr. and Mrs. Smith: Netflix

Director: Doug Liman

Cast: Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Vince Vaughn, Kerry Washington, Adam Brody, Keith David

The Munsters (2022)

There was a time in the 1960s when the so-called “monster kids,” i.e. fans of the Universal stable of horror icons, would regularly bicker back and forth about which was better: The Addams Family or The Munsters. For Rob Zombie, it was The Munsters, and he took his love of that sitcom, combined it with his cinematic sensibilities, and rebooted the franchise. 

Zombie’s film offers the origin of the Transylvanian love story between Frankenstein’s monster Herman (Jeff Daniel Phillips) and vampire Lily (Sheri Moon Zombie). It’s a weird piece of work, but you can feel the love. —W.H.

Where to watch The Munsters: Netflix

Director: Rob Zombie

Cast: Jeff Daniel Phillips, Sheri Moon Zombie, Daniel Roebuck, Richard Brake, Jorge Garcia, Sylvester McCoy

No Hard Feelings (2023)

Jennifer Lawrence is such an accomplished dramatic actress, it’s easy to forget her first big career break came on the TBS sitcom The Bill Engvall Show. But her comedic chops are rock solid, and she gets to show them off in the 2023 raunch-com No Hard Feelings. Lawrence plays Maddie, a struggling thirtysomething who agrees to seduce a wealthy couple’s introverted 19-year-old in exchange for a car.

The premise is simple but the execution is designed to let Lawrence play in ways we haven’t seen since Silver Linings Playbook. From taking throat punches to brawling naked, the Oscar winner manages to balance the physical comedy of the film while still centering the story’s emotional heart. As EW’s critic writes, No Hard Feelings is “a reminder that Lawrence is one Hollywood's best (and funniest) leads.” —I.G.

Where to watch No Hard Feelings: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Gene Stupnitsky

Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Andrew Barth Feldman, Laura Benanti, Natalie Morales, Matthew Broderick

The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)

Zak (Zack Gottsagen), a young boy with Down syndrome, manages to elude the nurses at his facility and embark on a quest to live his dream and become a professional wrestler under the tutelage of the Salt Water Redneck (Thomas Haden Church). He’s joined by a new friend (Shia LaBeouf) and, eventually, his former caretaker (Dakota Johnson).

Ostensibly a sort of modern-day take on Huckleberry Finn, it’s a heartwarming road trip movie, as you’d guess, but it’s also a quirky comedy that takes some turns you might not expect. —W.H. 

Where to watch The Peanut Butter Falcon: Netflix

Directors: Tyler Nilson, Michael Schwartz

Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Dakota Johnson, John Hawkes, Bruce Dern, Zack Gottsagen, Jon Bernthal

Tangerine (2015)

The 2015 film Tangerine was shot using 3 iPhones, but you’d never know it. Set on Christmas Eve, the film follows two transgender sex workers as they take care of business in Los Angeles during an action-packed holiday evening. Written and directed by Sean Baker (The Florida Project), the film’s nontraditional cinematic style captures the city — and the story’s subjects — in ways that are both unique and comfortingly familiar.

The comedy is not intended to be fun for the whole family (unless the whole family is into viewing some intimate moments together) but it is also not intended as a morality play or cautionary tale. What distinguishes Tangerine from other films that take on the world’s oldest profession is, as EW’s review notes, “its non-condescending stance toward working girls and the spirit of the sidewalk.” —I.G.

Where to watch Tangerine: Netflix

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Sean Baker

Cast: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian, Mickey O'Hagan, Alla Tumanian, James Ransone

They Cloned Tyrone (2022)

A single genre isn't enough to contain They Cloned Tyrone. A sci-fi comedy that combines '70s Blaxploitation with mystery and social satire, the film has similar vibes to movies like Get Out (2017) or Sorry to Bother You (2018) while employing a far more absurd premise. Fontaine (John Boyega) is a drug dealer living in an impoverished area called the Glen. While trying to collect funds owed to him by a local pimp named Slick Charles (Jamie Foxx), Fontaine is shot and killed — but that doesn't stop him from showing up on Slick's doorstep the next day to collect his money.

Joined by sex worker YoYo (Teyonah Parris), the trio attempts to get to the bottom of what appears to be a massive government conspiracy aimed at exploiting their disenfranchised community as medical subjects. A satirical romp that has as much to say about class and racial injustices as it does about mystery movie tropes, They Cloned Tyrone is smart, silly, and uniformly well-acted. —I.G.

Where to watch They Cloned Tyrone: Netflix

Director: Juel Taylor

Cast: John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, Jamie Foxx