Life can be exhausting at times. Between work, school, and other responsibilities, it can sometimes become overwhelming, and you feel like you just need a bit of a break once in a while. When you do have some downtime, it’s great to chill on the couch with a goodcomedymovie. Laughing makes us feel good, and with several streaming services readily available, it’s never been easier than hitting “play” on the remote control.
But how do you decide what kind of comedy to watch when you need a laugh? From dark comedies to smart comedies to silly ones where you just “turn your brain off”, it can feel like there are almost too many choices out there. Over the years, several comedy movies have successfully blended strong stories with gut-busting jokes. These are the best comedy movies to stream right now if you need a laugh.
10The Waterboy (1998)
The Waterboy
1998’sThe Waterboystars Adam Sandler as Bobby Boucher, a socially awkward middle-aged man who still lives with his mother. Bobby works as a water boy for a local football team, but the players all make fun of him and bully him. That is until a new coach gives Bobby a chance to play for the team, and he’s finally able to take out his rage on the guys who pick on him.
Why It’s Good For a Laugh
Sandler is known for playing goofy characters, andThe Waterboycame out at the peak of his success. It’s a funny movie because Sandler is so good at bringing the character of Bobby to life. His mannerisms and speech are funny, and the movie never takes itself too seriously.
Stream it on Hulu
9Office Space (1999)
Office Space
Ron Livingston plays a disgruntled office worker named Peter in Mike Judge’s classic comedyOffice Space. When Peter teams up with two co-worker to devise a plan to steal money from the company, the group quickly finds out that their scheme was a little too efficient. Instead of stealing pennies at a time as planned, the team discovers they’ve stolen millions of dollars overnight. They then become paranoid and do whatever it takes to cover their tracks.
Anyone who’s ever worked in an office can relate to thearchetypes portrayedinOffice Space. There’s an overbearing boss, a silly restaurant worker, an all-too-happy receptionist, and much more. The dialogue in the movie is hilarious, the characters are over-the-top, and the pace of the movie is absolutely perfect. Peter is also a relatable guy, so it’s hard not to root for him - even if you’re laughing at him the whole time.
Stream it on Max
8Mean Girls (2004)
Mean Girls
2004’sMean Girlsfollows a high school girl named Cady (Lindsay Lohan) who is going to school in North America for the first time. Cady was raised in Africa by her parents, so she was outcast by the other girls at school, particularly by a trio of girls nicknamed “The Plastics.” Soon, Cady infiltrates the Plastics' inner circle and finds herself making fun of her own friends.
The Plastics are played by Rachel McAdams, Lacey Chabert, and Amanda Seyfriend, all of whom are funny characters on their own. The movie isn’t afraid to exaggerate the experience of being in high school and exploiting it for maximum laughs.Mean Girlsis a very funny and highly quotable movie, thanks to a brilliant script written by formerSaturday Night Livehead writer Tina Fey.
Stream it on Paramount+
Related:10 Movies to Watch if You Liked Mean Girls
7Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Jason Segel plays Peter, a lovable loser, in 2008’sForgetting Sarah Marshall. After he’s dumped by his girlfriend Sarah (Kristen Bell) for being lazy, Peter goes on a beach vacation to try to get out of a funk. Unfortunately, he’s greeted by Sarah and her new rock star boyfriend (played by Russell Brand) who are staying at the same resort.
Segel would do anything for a laugh. He plays the role of the hapless romantic Peter perfectly, playing up the sad, jealous, and angry parts of Peter’s personality for some great belly laughs. Brand is fantastic as well, as is Paul Rudd, who has a cameo as a surfing instructor at the resort. Forgetting Sarah Marshall is well-acted, smart, and original, making it a great movie to stream when you’re feeling down.
Stream it on Netflix
6The Other Guys (2010)
The Other Guys
2010’s buddy comedyThe Other Guysstars Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell as two cops who want to be the top dogs in their precinct but can’t seem to get on the same page. Wahlberg’s character Terry is a tough cop full of male bravado, while Ferrell’s character Allan is a quiet pencil pusher who just wants to stay in the office and do paperwork.
The chemistry between Wahlberg and Ferrell is unbelievable. They play off each other like two fighting brothers, constantly cracking jokes and making fun of each other. Their personalities couldn’t be more different, and it makes for some great dialogue and physical comedy. The Other Guys has tons of action as well, making it one of thebest action comediesaround.
5The Nice Guys (2016)
The Nice Guys
Another detective buddy comedy worth checking out is 2016’sThe Nice Guys. Ryan Gosling is Holland, a private investigator hired to find out what happened to a missing woman. When Holland encounters and is beaten up by a thug named Jackson (Russell Crowe), the two quickly realize they’re working on the same case. They work together to find if there’s a connection between the missing woman, a late-night car crash, and a lost videotape featuring a well-known porn star.
The Nice Guysfeatures a small, well-written script, excellent cinematography, and top-notch performances from Gosling and Crowe. Set in the seedy backdrop of 1970s Los Angeles, it’s the perfect throwback to the detective movies of that era with lots of comedic twists and turns. It’s an entertaining movie that many fans believe is anunderappreciated detective comedy.
4Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)
eurovision
InEurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams play best friends who grew up in Iceland with big dreams of becoming pop stars. They formed a group called Fire Saga with the hopes of winning the real-life Eurovision Song Contest. Through a series of silly mishaps, Fire Saga is allowed to compete for the big prize and hilarity ensues.
The songs, quotes, and characters in the movie will definitely make you chuckle. Once again, Ferrell’s chemistry with his comedy partner shines as he and McAdams have some funny bits of dialogue back and forth. The visuals in the movie are stunning and make for great sight gags.
RELATED:Recent Will Ferrell Movies That Are Just as Funny as His Classics
3Free Guy (2021)
Blue Shirt Guy (Ryan Reynolds) is a bank teller who is a non-player character (NPC) in a video game called Life itself. Unaware that he’s stuck in a video game, Guy goes about his day with a happy-go-lucky attitude, even while the world around him self-destructs. One day, Guy’s routine is off, leading some of the other characters to believe he’s a hacker trying to sabotage the game. It’s up to Guy to become the hero and save the day.
Reynolds' good-natured attitude is infectious, and he’s never been more funny or whimsical than he is inFree Guy. With mild violence and profanity, it’s a great movie that doesn’t rely on dirty jokes or crude references to get laughs - as is the case in Reynolds’Deadpoolfranchise. Incorporating excellent special effects and witty lines,Free Guytakes a relatively simple premise and makes it entertaining.
Stream it on Disney+
2See How They Run (2022)
See How They Run
Set in London in the 1950s, 2022’s noir comedySee How They Runstars as an investigator trying to figure out who killed the star of an Agatha Christie play. His partner is Constable Stalker (played brilliantly by Saoirse Ronan), a young officer who is very naive and excitable. As the pair dives deeper into the mystery, it becomes more apparent that the murder may be an inside job.
Both Rockwell and Ronan have excellent comedic timing. Their characters are both aloof and the movie mixes funny lines with physical comedy quite well.See How They Runflew under the radar when it was released, but it’s brisk 98-minute runtime makes it easy to get through if you want to watch something funny that doesn’t require too much brain power.
Stream it on max
1No Hard Feelings (2023)
No Hard Feelings
On the other end of the scale, 2023’sNo Hard Feelingsstars Jennifer Lawrence as Maddie, an Uber driver who’s having trouble making ends meet. To make some quick cash, she agrees to Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman), an introvert who’s not into drinking, partying, or socializing with women. Encouraged by Percy’s parents, Maddie is tasked with doing whatever it takes to break down Percy’s walls and engage him in a relationship.
It’s been a while since a good R-rated comedy has made an impact at the box office, andNo Hard Feelingsdid just that. The film is funny without being too crass, and even its cringe-worthy scenes are easy to laugh at. Lawrence once again proves she’s capable of making a comedy film, and this one is on the same level asAmerican PieorWedding Crashers.
