Want something to tickle your funny bone but don’t want to spend hours perusing your options? Picking a comedy to watch can be tricky, because humor is largely a matter of taste. But worry not.
Whether you’re hankering for a comedy classic or a modern hit, a feel-good crowd-pleaser or a poignant critical darling, a mainstream romp or an outrageous musical, a candy-colored fantasy or a time-travel buddy-comedy, we've got you covered.
Here are the best comedy movies now streaming on Max.
1. Singin' in the Rain
Craving something that’ll not only make you laugh but also make you want to get up and dance? Then splash into the stupendous pleasures of this 1952 classic, co-directed by Stanley Donen and Hollywood legend Gene Kelly. The latter stars as a Vaudevillian who has worked his way up from stuntman to silent movie star. As the sound era shakes up the film industry, he hopes to make sweet music with an enchanting ingenue (a beaming Debbie Reynolds). However, his cantankerous leading lady (a ruthlessly silly Jean Hagen) won’t be sidelined without a fight! Full of meta jokes, charming banter, hysterical hijinks, and astonishing song numbers, Singin’ in the Rain is one of the best musical comedies that’s ever been made. Come for the jokes. Stay for the signature dance number that’s as astonishing now as it was decades ago. Then, let the romance of this feel-good film sweep you away. — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor
How to watch: Singin' in the Rain is streaming on Max.
2. Barbie
Frankly, the promotional journey for Barbie was so full of pink, so joyful, so fun, that would have been Kenough. The movie could have been a silly trifle, and we'd likely have been pleased. But writer/director Greta Gerwig brought us the universally heralded coming-of-age comedy Ladybird and then the rapturous reimagining of Little Women. Her Barbie wasn't going to stop at playful. Instead, it parodied the patriarchy with horses, Stallone-inspired fashion, and a rousing dream ballet fueled by an actual banger, "I'm Just Ken."
Margot Robbie was picture-perfect as a Barbie who realizes the world is much bigger than the dreamhouse-dotted Barbie Land. Ryan Gosling snagged the rare comedy Oscar nomination for his delightfully deranged take on the insecure man doll who couldn't cope, and so turned to conquering. (Napoleon relates!) While detractors have argued the film's girl-power messaging is simplistic, it's hard to deny that Gerwig did more with this IP than we could have dreamed. Sure, Barbie is a glossy toy commercial. But it's a glossy toy commercial that not only has something to say, but does so through spectacular filmmaking that folds in eye-popping practical effects, enthralling details, discontinued dolls, and jokes that were way outside the box. From Weird Barbie to that on-point Pride and Prejudice mini-series namedrop, Barbie had us so giddy that we felt like kids again.* — K.P.
How to watch: Barbie is now streaming on Max.
3. Dear White People
Justin Simien's breakthrough 2014 hit, Dear White People, looks racial tension in the face and digs in. It's a sharp, funny, and fearless investigation into what it means to be a Black person in America today, shot with a distinct sense of style and structure. Ripping into code-switching, colorism, and more, Dear White People follows multiple students' movements at one Ivy League university — including a student activist (Tessa Thompson) who runs an edgy campus radio show called "Dear White People" — as things escalate, building up to a Halloween party no one will ever forget. — Kristina Grosspietsch, Freelance Contributor
How to watch: Dear White People is now streaming on Max.
4. 50/50
Adam's (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) biggest concern in his late twenties is that his crass best friend (Seth Rogen) doesn't really like Adam's girlfriend (Bryce Dallas Howard). But it's no big deal — Adam's got his whole future ahead of him! Or so he thinks. When a doctor's visit reveals he has a tumor with a 50 percent survival rate, Adam must confront his mortality, all while he's still learning to be an adult. 50/50 is a sweet and moving dramedy that skillfully mines humor from tragedy. This 2011 hidden gem, which is loosely based on screenwriter Will Reiser's experience with cancer, is a sweet and captivating watch that will make you laugh while you cry. — K.G.
How to watch: 50/50 is now streaming on Max.
5. Problemista
Is your favorite brand of comedy the bleak, existential kind? Then Julio Torres' Problemista is the surreal and fractured fairy tale for you. Torres (who also wrote and directed the film) stars as Alejandro, an imaginative toy designer trying to make it in New York City. But when he's fired from his job at a cryogenics facility, Alejandro needs to find a new visa sponsor or he'll be deported. Enter Tilda Swinton as Elizabeth, a temperamental, delusional harridan — and the wife of one of Alejandro's former frozen clients. Alejandro must figure out how to manage Elizabeth's ever-changing whims while navigating the labyrinthine U.S. immigration process and keeping his dream alive. — K.G.
How to watch: Problemista is now streaming on Max.
6. Lady Bird
Saoirse Ronan is completely captivating as the artsy Christine (aka Lady Bird), with dreams bigger than her Sacramento suburb will allow. She's constantly at odds with her mother (Laurie Metcalf) and is struggling to find her path. Will she get into her dream school on the East Coast? Could her family even afford it if she did?
A coming-of-age dramedy about a teenager redefining her relationship with her parents and yearning to leave home, Greta Gerwig's Lady Bird is simply sublime. It's a fantastic encapsulation of adolescent angst, poking fun at the self-seriousness of 17-year-olds while maintaining empathy for even the moodiest of high school crushes (a perfectly cast Timothée Chalamet). — K.G.
How to watch: Lady Bird is now streaming on Max.
7. The Shop Around the Corner
Bubbly, stylish, and smart, 1940's The Shop Around the Corner is the mother of all romantic comedies. Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan are Alfred and Klara, two fellow shop employees who can't stand each other. Alfred and Klara also both happen to have mysterious romantic pen pals. Will Alfred and Klara discover that their secret correspondents, the objects of their affections, are actually each other?!
Ernst Lubitsch's glossy, sharp, and infectiously lovable classic is the paragon of the rom-com form, where so many of your favorite tropes got their start. And if the plot sounds familiar, that's because it inspired countless adaptations, most memorably 1998's You've Got Mail — but the original is just as sophisticated and engaging now as it was almost a century ago. — K.G.
How to watch: The Shop Around the Corner is now streaming on Max.
8. Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure
Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter are iconic, ridiculous, and charming as two empty-headed teens with the fate of the world in their hands.
In 1988, Bill and Ted, best buds and most excellent California bros, are struggling with an upcoming history exam. If Ted doesn't pass, his gnarly father will ship him off to military school! Not excellent, dude! But turns out there's more riding on this history exam than the fate of Bill and Ted's band, Wyld Stallyns. When a time traveler named Rufus (George Carlin) arrives, Bill and Ted learn that the entire future — one where they're heralded as the Two Great Ones — is at stake. They'll have to journey back in time and meet historical figures, from Genghis Khan to Napoleon, in order to ace the test and protect their future. Most outstanding! — K.G.
How to watch: Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure is now streaming on Max.
9. Modern Times
Charlie Chaplin was a king of comedy in the silent film era, rolling his iconic Little Tramp into such side-splitters as City Lights, Gold Rush, and The Kid. These and many more Chaplin offerings are available on Max. Subscribers can easily look back at how American physical comedy was forged through set pieces silly and sensational. You really can’t go wrong when it comes to Chaplin, but we're highlighting Modern Times because even though it's set in 1936, its humor is truly timeless. Taking on a string of industrial jobs while romancing a charming gamin, Chaplin zips from one zany bit to another with a captivating waddle and a chipper twitch of his mustache, fearlessly throwing himself face-first into the wildest shenanigans. Plus, as this film includes some scenes with sound and dialogue, it's maybe the most accessible introduction to Chaplin's works. — K.P.
How to watch: Modern Times is streaming on Max.
10. Everything Everywhere All At Once
Want a movie with a little bit of everything? Then you can't beat the 2023 Oscar winner for Best Picture. Academy Award–winner Michelle Yeoh stars as a disgruntled laundromat owner who's at her wit's end between her obligations as a boss, wife, mother, and daughter. And just as she's braced to deal with a tax auditor with a surly attitude (Academy Award–winner Jamie Lee Curtis), a dashing version of her husband (Academy Award–winner Ke Huy Quan) bursts onto the scene from a parallel universe to loop her into a quest to save all existence. Packed with absolutely bonkers action, outrageous jokes, dizzying style, and performances as silly as they are deeply poignant, The Daniels' Everything Everywhere All at Once is the kind of movie that'll have you laughing, crying, gasping, and maybe even reconsidering your life up to now.* — K.P.
How to watch: Everything Everywhere All at Once is now streaming on Max.
11. Deadpool
When you look at the lineup of Marvel’s superheroes, Deadpool is not like the others. He's a fourth-wall-breaking, swearing, wisecracking ass who is well aware he's currently in an R-rated movie. Canadian mercenary Wade Wilson undergoes experimental cancer surgery that ends up awakening latent mutant genes. After healing from the surgery, he finds he has newly acquired accelerated healing powers — and he's now covered in growths that he finds grotesque. Shamed by his new appearance, Wade hides away from his former life, as well as his former love, Vanessa (played by a radiant Morena Baccarin). Until he can find a cure, he is no longer Wade Wilson. He is Deadpool.
Though Deadpool’s main power is supposedly regeneration, his true superpower is being played by Ryan Reynolds. The motor-mouthed merc is peak Reynolds, who has been instrumental in getting the Deadpool franchise off the ground since the beginning. No one else has the swagger for this offbeat, meta, and gleefully violent take on the superhero flick! — K.G.
How to watch: Deadpool is now streaming on Max.
12. Unpregnant
Many excellent films about the hardships this country forces women to undergo in order to receive an abortion are fittingly stirring and sobering. 2020's Unpregnant, on the other hand, is a ridiculous road trip/buddy comedy about abortion that seems like it shouldn't work, but it does. And we love it!
Haley Lu Richardson (White Lotus) is Veronica, an over-achieving 17-year-old in Missouri who needs a “procedure.” But the closest place a minor can get an abortion without parental consent (and Veronica's parents are very religious) is over a thousand miles away in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She seeks the help of her former best friend, high school misfit Bailey (Barbie Ferreira), for a ride. A charming look on modern female friendship, a wacky road trip misadventure, and a thoughtful take on reproductive rights, all wrapped into one! And don't miss an unexpectedly laugh-out-loud cameo from Giancarlo Esposito. — K.G.
How to watch: Unpregnant is now streaming on Max.
13. Dicks: The Musical
Sometimes a movie comes along that is so completely outrageous that it feels like a miracle it exists at all. Dicks: The Musical is such a treasure. Writers/actors/homosexuals Josh Sharp and Aaron Jackson translated Fucking Identical Twins, a two-man comedy musical once staged in the basement of a Gristedes, into a movie musical that is not only beyond bonkers but also features such big stars as Nathan Lane, Megan Mullally, and Megan Thee Stallion.
Imagine The Parent Trap as a scorching satire of queer culture and homophobic fears, and you'll get some idea of what's in store. It's not just musical numbers about the joys of putting alpha males in their place, or the madcap chaos of Mullally's ad-libs, or even national treasure Lane spitting ham at his beloved Sewer Boys. It's also got Bowen Yang as God, and a finale number that is as joyous as it is absolutely iconoclastic. In a year peppered with superb comedies, nothing made us laugh as hard or loud or long as Dicks: The Musical.* — K.P.
How to watch: Dicks: The Musical is now streaming on Max.
14. The Devil Wears Prada
Witty, biting, and eternally memeable, The Devil Wears Prada is a 2006 hit that has triumphantly withstood the test of time. No matter how long it's been, Meryl Streep's turn as the cruel and demanding magazine editor (and Anna Wintour stand-in) is just as legendary and gleefully vicious as the first watch.
Written by Aline Brosh McKenna and adapted from the novel by Lauren Weisberger, The Devil Wears Prada follows a frumpy, cerebral young journalist (Anne Hathaway) who is thrust into the cutthroat world of fashion when she gets a job at a Vogue-like mag. At first she considers herself above this style-focused world, but as she strives to impress her boss, she learns to not just survive, but to thrive. The Devil Wears Prada is a sophisticated gem of a comedy that will leave you smiling — and staring at your closet mumbling, "Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking." — K.G.
How to watch: The Devil Wears Prada is now streaming on Max.
15. Keanu
Long before Jordan Peele became Hollywood's foremost horror auteur, he was doing ridiculous and boundary-pushing comedy alongside Keegan-Michael Key. Their magnum opus? 2016's absurd buddy action/adventure Keanu. Rell and Clarence are normal, if somewhat boring, cousins who find themselves embroiled in a drug-smuggling scheme when Rell's kitten, Keanu, goes missing. When Rell adopted the little ball of fur, he had no idea Keanu previously belonged to a cartel boss. Now that it seems Keanu has been cat-napped, Clarence and Rell will stop at nothing to get him back. Keanu is a fun, fast-paced, and ludicrous ride starring two infectiously watchable comedians at the top of their game — and a criminally cute kitten! — K.G.
How to watch: Keanu is streaming on Max.
16. Beetlejuice
Tim Burton's iconic 1988 hit Beetlejuice defies genre. It's comedy, it's horror, it's surreal, it's slapstick, it's gothic, it's fantasy, it's all of the above. And that is precisely why it's achieved “cult classic” status. It's in an echelon of its own.
Winona Ryder is waifish and moody as Lydia, a goth teen who moves to a rural Connecticut house from NYC with her dad and stepmom (Catherine O'Hara at her finest!). Unfortunately, this house is currently inhabited by two earnest ghosts (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) who need a little help haunting the "living" out of their residence. With no other options, they call Betelgeuse, a crude, fast-talking, demonic smartass for his special brand of chaotic aid.
Since the 2024 reboot, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, was a rousing success, make sure you visit this definitive Michael Keaton performance to see where it all started. Sure, not all aspects of Beetlejuice have aged well — the would-be marriage between a lascivious bio-exorcist from the beyond and a troubled teen is just one example. But hey, it was the '80s. — K.G.
How to watch: Beetlejuice is now streaming on Max.
17. Tampopo
A spirited spoof tipping its hat to the Spaghetti Western, this 1985 Japanese comedy was promoted as a "ramen Western." Its central story is about a cowboy hat-wearing truck driver (Tsutomu Yamazaki) who comes across a humble ramen shop where the food is truly "terrible." Damsel-in-distress Tampopo (Nobuko Miyamoto) begs this hardened hero to save her family's business by teaching her to do right by ramen. So of course, he rounds up a posse to perfect her recipe. Full of physical comedy, giddy silliness, quirky characters, and charming performances, this film is a delectable delight. But writer/director Jûzô Itami brings even more to the table, spicing up this culinary tale with fantastical vignettes about the love of food. Though often ridiculous — and sometimes salacious — none of the laughs are lost in translation. But be warned: This funny film will make you hungry. The loving shots of ramen and the various speeches about its richness and wonders are ruthlessly mouth-watering. Maybe order dinner before digging in. — K.P.
How to watch: Tampopo is streaming on Max.
18. Parenthood
Ron Howard's Parenthood is a thoughtful journey through life's simple moments, as Gil Buckman (Steve Martin) blames himself for his kids' current struggles and questions whether he and his wife are capable of having another. This is a family comedy-drama with a capital F. We're learning about multiple generations here, people — how they interconnect, how they affect each other, how they're all just trying their best. It's a funny and poignant film, with a shining cast at its core, including Rick Moranis, Martha Plimpton, Keanu Reeves, Mary Steenburgen, Dianne Wiest, and more.
Does this all sound a little familiar? That's because your favorite NBC drama from the 2010s, Parenthood, is based off this 1989 heavy hitter. — K.G.
How to watch: Parenthood is now streaming on Max.
19. Bridget Jones's Diary
Bridget Jones's Diary is a perfect movie, and we're not hearing any opinions to the contrary, thank you! Renée Zellweger gained 20 pounds to snag the role of Bridget, already a beloved character in the UK thanks to Helen Fielding's wildly popular Bridget Jones novels. The Brits were in an uproar about an American being cast as in a role that was archetypally British, but Zellweger's performance (and accent!) were so spot-on, the complaints quickly gave way to rave reviews.
The start of a film franchise and the best movie of the lot, Bridget Jones’s Diary introduces us to an ordinary thirtysomething woman in London who, after turning 32 alone, vows to lose weight, quit smoking, stop drinking, and find love. Enter Hugh Grant as Bridget's preternaturally charming boss, and, because this is a Pride and Prejudice adaptation, Colin Firth as the man who couldn't seem more wrong for Bridget (his name is literally Mr. Darcy!!!). Even if you know where this funny and grounded rom-com is going, you're sure to have a blast along the way. — K.G.
How to watch: Bridget Jones’s Diary is streaming on Max.
20. Mamma Mia: The Movie!
Is there a more fun movie than Mamma Mia? We're not sure there is! Adapted in 2008 from the insanely popular jukebox stage musical, Mamma Mia is a bubbly, pre-wedding romp stuffed with ABBA songs and storied actors who may or may not have been drunk throughout the entire course of filming. This is the height of cinema, people!
Amanda Seyfried is enchanting as Sophie, a young bride-to-be who finds her mother's journal from the year she was conceived and discovers three possible candidates for her birth father. Does she talk to her mom (a glowing Meryl Streep) about this? No! She invites them all to her wedding on the remote Greek island where she and her mom live, in the hopes she'll figure out which is her biological father before it's time to walk down the aisle.
Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard, Julie Walters, Dominic Cooper, and Christine Baranski fill out the charismatic cast of this most spectacularly cheerful film, guaranteed to leave you smiling. — K.G.
How to watch: Mamma Mia: The Movie! is now streaming on Max.
21. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
A romantic comedy/action/comic book/adventure mashup, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a simply fantastic movie through and through. More than a decade after its release, a fun, new rewatching bonus is seeing current Hollywood heavyweights (Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Kieran Culkin, and more) having fun and being silly at the start of their careers. These stars enjoyed working on the film so much, they all agreed to come back for Netflix's 2023 animated reimagining, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off.
Michael Cera is iconic as the soft-spoken Scott Pilgrim, a bass player in an unsuccessful indie band who becomes enamored with delivery girl Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). Unfortunately for Scott, to date Ramona, he’ll have to defeat her seven evil exes first! Uh oh! Good thing this movie also pulls some of its visual style from video games! That’s right, Scott Pilgrim has it all! — K.G.
How to watch: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is now streaming on Max.
22. The Full Monty
When their mill shuts down, a group of steelworkers in Sheffield have trouble making ends meet. Gaz (Robert Carlyle) finds himself at risk of losing custody of his son. They need to make money fast. They need to start… stripping.
Yes, you heard this correctly! 1997's The Fully Monty is about a crew of blue-collar British laborers (including Tom Wilkinson and Mark Addy) who start their own striptease show! We dare you to think of a funnier premise than that. We DARE YOU! And if you're still in doubt, take comfort knowing Monty was an unmitigated hit — it was the highest-grossing movie of all time in the U.K. (Until Titanic of course. No one in the '90s beat Titanic.) — K.G.
How to watch: The Full Monty is now streaming on Max.
23. 21 Jump Street
21 Jump Street is an energetic and self-aware buddy comedy that premiered in 2012, and it feels very 2012, in that breezy, fun, bro-movie sort of way. Just like in the original ‘80s TV show, Jump Street features young cops going undercover in a high school — but there's a twist. While Channing Tatum's Greg was a popular kid in his glory days, modern students look down on his "school sux" attitude. On the other hand, his partner Morton (Jonah Hill), who was always Greg's nerdy sidekick, suddenly fits in, and this undercover gig becomes a chance to rewrite his disastrously uncool youth. 21 Jump Street is a gas, and it's smarter and funnier than you'd expect for a nostalgic reboot, thanks to Phil Lord and Christopher Miller at the helm (Clone High, The Lego Movie), a sharp script by Michael Bacall, and an excellent ensemble cast that includes Brie Larson, Rob Riggle, Ellie Kemper, and Ice Cube.* — K.G.
How to watch: 21 Jump Street is now streaming on Max.
24. Shazam!
Billy Batson is a 14-year-old living in a group home who can’t seem to stay out of trouble. But when he’s mysteriously transported to a mythical cave called the Rock of Eternity, a wizard grants him the power to transform into Shazam, an adult superhero. So what would a 14-year-old do if he could instantly look like a grown-up and had superstrength? Make viral videos, of course!
Shazam! is a fun and welcome twist on the classic superhero flick. Zachary Levi is pitch-perfect as a 14-year-old in an adult’s body, and Mark Strong is deliciously evil as the villain trying to steal Shazam’s powers for himself.* — K.G.
How to watch: Shazam! is now streaming on Max.
25. The Birdcage
The Birdcage started as stage play in 1973, which was then adapted into a French film, La Cage aux Folles in '78, which was then adapted by comedy hall-of-famers Mike Nichols and Elaine May into this 1996 hit starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane. It's funny, it's smart, and while a plot about gay parents trying to straighten up to meet their son's new in-laws might not seem fresh, it was downright revolutionary in its time.
Williams and Lane are electric and intoxicating as Armand and Albert, owners of a South Beach drag club and loving fathers to a son who is marrying a Republican senator's daughter. Uh oh! There's no way those worlds are going to collide without a little hijinx! The Birdcage is an indelible classic and a tour-de-force of charm. It's time for a rewatch! — K.G.
How to watch: The Birdcage is now streaming on Max.
26. Bodies Bodies Bodies
Like your comedy with a side of murder? Directed by Halina Reijn, this A24 thriller boasts a playful premise and a bevy of hot stars. Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Myha'la Herrold, Chase Sui Wonders, Rachel Sennott, Lee Pace, and Pete Davidson play a motley crew of friends who plan for a wild weekend in a remote mansion. But when a childish game of pretend murder leads to real bloodshed, these friends turn suspicious of each other faster than you can say party foul. Cleverly constructed, wickedly funny, and weirdly hot, Bodies Bodies Bodies is a demented delight.* — K.P.
How to watch: Bodies Bodies Bodies is now streaming on Max.
27. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Jason Segel is Peter, a television soundtrack composer whose life revolves around his TV star girlfriend, Sarah Marshall (a deliciously bratty Kristen Bell). That is, until she abruptly breaks up with him. While he's naked. Cue the full-frontal sobbing!
To get his mind off of her, Peter takes a trip to Hawaii, but it turns out that Sarah is vacationing at the same resort with her new rock star boyfriend, Aldous Snow (unfortunately played by Russell Brand). Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a sweet and raunchy breakup rom-com full of characters that are flawed, idiosyncratic, and incredibly human, including Mila Kunis as Peter's cool new love interest and Paul Rudd as a hippie-dippie surf instructor. And let's not forget the singing vampire puppets!
How to watch: Forgetting Sarah Marshall is now streaming on Max.
28. Four Weddings and a Funeral
With multiple Academy Award nominations and Golden Globe wins, Mike Newell's Four Weddings and a Funeral is about as big as a romantic comedy can get. Though Hugh Grant was launched to stardom by this, his original bumbling romantic role, the film's strength is in the chemistry of the entire friend group who laugh and lovingly tease their way through the year's social events. As if you needed another reason to watch, Four Weddings and a Funeral was written by Richard Curtis, an absolute rom-com legend who also penned Notting Hill, Bridget Jones's Diary, and Love Actually.
How to watch: Four Weddings and a Funeral is streaming on Max.
29. The Hangover
If you're looking for comedy of the dude variety, no film franchise is as bro-y, as raunchy, or as crude as The Hangover. In this archetypal 2000s party flick, Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis are taking Justin Bartha out for an epic Las Vegas bachelor party two days before his wedding. And when they wake up the next morning in a destroyed hotel room that is missing the groom-to-be but now contains a tiger (!!!), they must piece together the clues of their insane, blacked-out night to find Bartha and save his wedding. The Hangover is an adrenaline comedy, mixing gross-out humor with dumb stunts, car chases, and an excellent Mike Tyson cameo.
How to watch: The Hangover is streaming on Max.
UPDATE: Dec. 6, 2024, 3:11 p.m. EST This article was originally published September 3, 2021. It has been updated to reflect the current selection on Max.
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