Netflix’s huge library can be overwhelming and even a little intimidating, so with that in mind, we have taken the time to go through the streaming giant’s comedy selection and have chosen 15 of the most entertaining comedyfilms currently available, including some classics, some newer ones and few lesser known gems. Grab some popcorn, get comfy and enjoy our pick for the best 15 comedy movies on Netflix.
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
1994 was a heck of a year for Canadian funny man Jim Carrey. Widely considered his breakout year, Carrey was catapulted into superstardom, finding himself the biggest comedy actor on the planet. It saw the release ofThe Mask,Dumb and Dumberand the film that kicked it all off;Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. While, at the time, reviews forAce Venturawere mixed, the movie has since gone on to become a fan favorite and spawned the 1995 sequel filmAce Ventura: When Nature Callsand an animated television series. The movie sees Carrey playing to his strengths at his most manic as Ace Ventura, a zany private investigator who specializes in finding lost animals. In his quest to find the Miami Dolphin’s missing mascot dolphin, Ace soon discovers that, in this case, there is a lot more than meets the eye in this twisty-turny, insanely enjoyable crime caper comedy.
Despicable Me
Before the numerous sequels, spin-offs and countless memes, there wasDespicable Me. The 2010 computer animation and debut for Illumination Entertainment is not only a highly original spoof of the
over the top types of villains you would likely come across in a007 James Bondmovie, it’s also a heartfelt ode to the importance of family and the difficulties involved with maintaining a good work-life balance. Steve Carell voices Gru, with a peculiar unidentifiable European accent, as the lead antagonist turned protagonist. He finds himself lumbered with a family of children while still trying his very best to become the most dangerous and feared super villain on the planet. The animation work is visually appealing and along with humor and storyline it still stands up today. Plus who doesn’t love a little bit of Minions madness?
The Big Lebowski
The 1998 film,The Big Lebowskiis widely considered to be among the greatest cult classics of all time. The plot follows a hapless lay about known only as the “Dude” and his rag tag group of bowling buddies as they get caught up in a world of kidnappings, mistaken identities, gun-play and White Russians. Boasting an eclectic soundtrack, a fantastic ensemble cast of character actors including Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore and the wonderful late Phillip-Seymour Hoffman plus superb directing from the ever reliable Coen brothers, there’s a reason why, in 2014, the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, being deemed ‘culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.’
The Final Girls
The Final Girlsis a 2015 comedy slasher movie starring Taissa Farmiga, Malin Åkerman and Adam DeVine. The plot follows a group of high school students who are transported into a 1986 slasher film called Camp Bloodbath, which just so happens to be the cult-hit horror movie Farmiga’s character Max Cartwright’s mother starred in 20 years earlier. TheFinal Girlstakes a uniquely meta approach to the horror comedy genre, more than just a spoof, it manages to act as heartfelt homage to the slasher films that came before it. While, perhaps not as blood soaked as some slasher movies that spring to mind, the humor is wickedly dark and there are even some genuinely heart touching moments to be found as themother-daughter relationshipis explored.
Let’s flashback to to the turn of the 20th Century, Guy Ritchie was already making waves in the UK and amongst indie cinema fans with his London based gangster themed dark comedyLock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. He was tipped to be the next big thing and Hollywood was watching. His follow up,Snatch, was a crime comedy starring Jason Statham as Turkish, a boxing promoter who gets caught up in match fixing and the ruthless criminal underbelly of the United Kingdom. Not only didSnatchmanage to maintain everything that madeLock Stockso enjoyable; the twisting interlinking storylines, the colorful characters and snappy dialogue, the dark humor and balls to the wall violence, it actually managed to do it bigger, better and bolder. Bringing in a few major Hollywood players this time around including Benicio del Toro and a show stealing outing for Brad Pitt as an Irish travelling Gypsy ‘Pikey’, the film became a commercial and critical success cementing Guy Ritchie as one of the industry’s most sought after directors.
While some may argue that several of the jokes may not have aged so well, there are still some undeniably hilarious moments in this Judd Apatow produced, coming-of-age 2007 teen comedy. The movie that putHollywood A-ListersEmma Stone and Jonah Hill on the map and introduced the world to the writing chops of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, who would later go onto write a slew of successful comedies includingPineapple Express,This Is The EndandSausage Party, was a commercial and critical hit. With mounting pressure to lose their virginity before heading to college, a group of three teenage friends, played fantastically by Michael Cera, Jonah Hill and Christopher Mintz-Plasse as the unforgettable McLovin, will stop at nothing to acquire alcohol for the house party they believe will put an end to all their sex related woes. EssentiallyAnimal Housefor the 21st Century,Superbadis full of foul language, gross-out humor and a surprising amount of heart.
To be honest, any movie made by the Coen brothers could deservedly hold a spot in a best of.. comedy' list, but the six-part ‘death’ focused Western anthology filmThe Ballad of Buster Scruggs,done in 2018, isn’t necessarily the first that would spring to mind. More a drama than a comedy, the movie still provides its fair share of laughs, albeit as black as night in tone. The movie certainly delivers everything you’d expect from a top quality Coen brothers' production; eccentric characters, sharp dialogue, beautiful cinematography and a scorching soundtrack. This, the most recent entry into the Coen’s cannon, is already fast on its way to being immortalized as a cult classic.
Dolemite Is My Name
Based on a true story,Dolemite Is My Namesees Eddie Murphy playing Rudy Ray Moore. In this 2019 comedy, Moore, is a down on his luck musician turned stand up comedian struggling to create a low budget blaxploitation action comedy film based on his crime fighting, foul mouthed alter ego Dolemite.
While many viewers might not be familiar with the original Dolemite, most will remember a time when Eddie Murphy was genuinely hilarious. Luckily this film manages to capture both the essence of what made Dolemite so important to the genre in his hey day and what made audiences originally fall in love with Murphy. But it’s not just Eddie Murphy that audiences will take huge pleasure in seeing once again shine, Wesley Snipes also delights in every way imaginable. His boozy, flamboyant, scenery chewing portrayal of D’Urville Martin, the director of the project, steals pretty much every scene he’s in. In a movie that stars some of America’s funniest actors including Craig Robinson, Mike Epps and Keegan Michael Key, that is certainly saying something.
The Truman Show
In 1998,The Truman Showopened to universal acclaim and in 2021 the movie’s eye opening message and portrayal of the power of media and how the public consumes it feels more relevant than ever. Jim Carrey stars as your run of the mill insurance salesman, oblivious to the fact that he is actually the star of his own reality TV show. His entire life is being secretly filmed for the show and everyone he knows are mere actors. As the story progresses, he begins to notice certain oddities and the truth starts to slowly unravel. Not as laugh out loud funny as Carrey’s work up until this point, there is still plenty of humor to be found in the way the show is forced to create illogical scenarios in the name of entertainment and how it mocks the way in which the outside follow the show like a religion. Perhaps, the truth is that in the wake of shows like ‘Keeping up with the Kardashians’ and ‘Big Brother’, the audience may feel as if laughter is the only option when watching this uncomfortably prophetic, yet wildly entertaining psychological comedy.
Zombieland
The 2009 film,Zombielandis a side splitting (and head bursting) funny zom com starring Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin assurvivors of a zombie apocalypse. Eisenberg plays a nerdy and awkward teen who is travelling cross country in an attempt to flee the hordes of zombies and find a rumored sanctuary of safety. Along the journey he meets the rest of the gang who, after the usual ups and downs that come with a zombie apocalypse, form an unbreakable family-like bond. While every one of the core cast delivers a fine performance, especially Harrelson as a grizzled, borderline psychotic, zombie slaying cowboy, it’s Bill Murray’s cameo which delivers possibly the biggest laugh in the whole movie.Zombielandis a constantly entertaining film that manages to provide a plethora of laughs throughout but doesn’t at all lose focus on the actual zombies or action.
