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When the outside world threatens to drown in worries and fears, amusing comedy strips help us not lose our good mood. With these humorous films, we can block out our stressful everyday lives for a while and let our diaphragms be tickled wonderfully. In the following, we would like to introduce you to the 45 funniest movies on Netflix that are guaranteed to leave no dry eye in the house. Please sit back and enjoy our selection!
1st place: The Other Guys (2010)
When a mismatched police duo goes on the hunt for criminals, it’s a promising starting point. When Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg play said law enforcement officers, it’s clear that the next 107 minutes of the film will be filled with snorts of laughter.
In the action-comedy from 2010, the actors take on the roles of Detectives Allen Gamble and Terry Hoitz. The two guards are already old hat, but fate sees to it that the scolded law enforcers are once again entrusted with an explosive case.
The interplay of Wahlberg and Ferrell lives through its whimsical contrasts. The flick is filled with hilarious situation comedy, but at no point does it drift into silliness or become too over-the-top. The satire of numerous serious templates offers the best comedy entertainment and should be watched by every genre fan.
2nd place: Hangover (2009)
In the 2009 comedy “Hangover,” friends Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zach Galifianakis), and Doug (Justin Bartha) show us what happens when you overdo it when partying. The buddies are drawn to Las Vegas, where they plan to go all out again on the occasion of Doug’s bachelor party.
When they wake up the following day in their completely devastated hotel room, they don’t know where the groom-to-be is or what the tiger is doing in the bathroom. The remaining three party animals set out to recapitulate the past evening and find the missing Doug.
It didn’t take long for the production from the United States to have cult status. Above all, the solitary Alan plays a large part in giving “Hangover” a good portion of wacky absurdity, which regularly attacks our laughing muscles.
3rd place: Deadpool (2016)
Many superhero movies try to present themselves in the most serious, sometimes gloomy garb possible.
“Deadpool,” which hit international cinemas in 2016, defies all established conventions and presents its fans with a titular hero who talks like he’s got a mouth on him. The film, starring Ryan Reynolds in the leading role, scores with its crude humor, which is truly not for the faint of heart. But it’s precisely this comedic provocation that helps “Deadpool” achieve its refreshingly exceptional status among all the other heroes in tights.
4th place: Grown Ups (2010)
In 2010’s “Kindsköpfe,” Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, and Rob Schneider join forces with five comedy greats who are funny enough in their own right. In the interplay, the virtuosos of their profession then advance to a coherent combination that knows how to entertain throughout 102 minutes of the film. While the flick, which centers on a high school basketball team reunion, doesn’t reinvent the humor wheel, it’s all worth a look for all fans of a good laugh, despite mediocre reviews.
5th place: Bad Trip (2021)
Bad Trip is outrageously silly and will make you laugh beyond belief. The film is a mixture of Jackass and a traditional road trip comedy. Eric Andre and Lil Rel Howery play two friends who travel from Florida to New York so that Andre’s character can track down the girl of his dreams. Howery’s sister, played by Tiffany Haddish, just got out of prison.
But every scene in the film is a prank, with unsuspecting strangers acting as background and supporting characters. It’s silly and embarrassing, but it also shows how ridiculous some of the classic romantic comedies are – for example, when Andre sings a song in the middle of the mall, surrounded by strangers with “WTF?” – Faces. And be warned: the film is rated for ages 16 and up.
6th place: Suck Me Shakespeer (2013)
After all, we Germans don’t necessarily have an international reputation for being blessed with a particularly humorous disposition. “Suck Me Shakespeer” from 2013, on the other hand, proves to all doubters that productions from our domestic Federal Republic are also capable of providing audiences with copious fits of laughter.
The film’s plot has ex-con Zeki Müller (Elyas M’Barek) taking a job as a substitute teacher at the Goethe Comprehensive School to get his hands on a fat chunk of money that lies dormant beneath the walls of the educational institution. At school, the criminal meets the kind-hearted but clumsy colleague Lisi Schnabelstedt (Karoline Herfurth) and a rebellious problem class that resembles a madhouse.
“Suck Me Shakespeer” manages the feat of building highly exaggerated characters who are nonetheless likable. The comedy, given two more sequels, was also the most successful movie in Germany in 2013, with 5.6 million admissions.
Ranked #7: The Life of Brian (1979)
The British comedy group Monty Python gave the world a comedic masterpiece in 1979 with “The Life of Brian,” which nowadays has an undisputed cult status. The film takes its viewers on a journey into the past, or to be more precise, we find ourselves in the era in which the Christian Messiah Jesus Christ lived on our earth. As luck would have it, the titular Brian is mistaken for the biblical savior and now finds himself playing the role of miracle worker against his will.
After its release, the satirical production quickly became a controversial topic of discussion, as it unashamedly aimed at sensitive religious content. If you don’t feel shaken in your faith despite the sensitive subject matter, “The Life of Brian” serves up a comedy milestone that was leaps and bounds ahead of its time.
8th place: Bad Boys (1995)
In “Bad Boys,” Will Smith and Martin Lawrence go on a manhunt to take down a gang of heroin dealers. Here, the creators use a tried-and-true formula by putting two mismatched cops at the center of their story.
In addition to the humorous atmosphere, the U.S.-made movie also knows how to score with plenty of action and a dramatic suspense curve.
9th place: Bad Teacher (2011)
Have you ever wondered how iconic actress Cameron Diaz would fare as a teacher? To answer this question, you are advised to watch “Bad Teacher” from 2011. Along with Justin Timberlake and “How I Met Your Mother” star Jason Segel, the U.S. native leads us through 92 entertaining minutes of film in which she takes on the role of a crammer jilted by her fiancé.
The film’s main appeal comes from Cameron Diaz’s attitude towards her students. Basically, the protagonist doesn’t care at all about her inquisitive subordinates; rather, the title character is interested in snagging another rich man and turning her back on the teaching establishment as soon as possible. You’re bound to get some powerful laughs with a work attitude like that!
10th place: You Don’t Mess with the Zohan (2008)
Although protagonist Zohan (Adam Sandler) is one of the most respected agents in Israeli intelligence, he harbors a much more modest dream in life: to become a ladies’ hairdresser. Zohan fakes his death to fulfill his wish and emigrates to the United States. However, the title character’s extraordinary hairdressing skills soon attracted more attention than he would like.
Even if the strip serves many stereotypes, solid comedy fare will sweeten your gray afternoons.
11th place. Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)
If you think Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga is just another “stupid Will Ferrell comedy,” think again. This musical comedy is one of the most pleasant surprises of 2020. It’s surprisingly affectionate and genuinely emotional – don’t be surprised if tears come to you at the end.
The story follows a pair of lifelong friends and Iceland musicians who are unexpectedly thrust into the Eurovision Song Contest, which tests their talents and relationship with each other. Ferrell is hilarious as always, but it’s Rachel McAdams who steals the show here, proving once again that she’s one of the best comedic talents out there. Oh, and the songs? They are spectacular.
12th place. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)
The Coen brothers bring their unique style to a series of short stories set in the Old West. Over the course of six stories, the American frontier serves as a backdrop for a number of characters who come to the fore and reveal their truths about life in the American West. Snipers, bank robbers, gold prospectors, and many more lay bare their lives in these very different stories.
Coen fans vary widely on their favorite of the duo’s films – that’s why Buster Scruggs is a winner. The film is a cross-section of the Coens’ entire career, taking pieces from their entire repertoire and blending the six-part anthology film through their signature style of black comedy and riveting drama. And the cast? To die for.
Rank 13: The Prom (2020)
One of Ryan Murphy’s many projects at Netflix in recent years is The Prom, a Golden Globes-nominated, star-studded musical extravaganza that combines the talents of Hollywood greats like Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman in a comedy that will put a smile on your face.
Streep and James Corden play two Broadway stars struggling to get back on their feet through a plan hatched by Kidman’s Angie and unemployed actor Trent (Andrew Rannells). The plan: the four try to save a high school student’s prom with her friend.
What follows is glittery, campy fun with music and all the trappings of a big stage musical. The size and scope of such a niche product is now a Netflix trademark – and Ryan Murphy makes the most of the bigger budget with a series of spectacular performances. At its core, this is an LGBTQ+ film brimming with optimism and a sense of belonging. The film may have divided critics, but you’ll be singing and dancing by the time the credits roll.
14th place: I Care a Lot (2020)
If you like dark – and by that, I mean pitch black – comedies, you’ll probably love I Care a Lot. In the Netflix original, Rosamund Pike plays a cunning, relentless, and brazen con artist who makes a living by gaining guardianship over the elderly and using their money as her piggy bank. But when it turns out her next target is the mother of a ruthless criminal (played by Peter Dinklage), the whole thing may be too much for her to handle.
This movie could have gone wrong in many ways, but writer/director J. Blakeson executes the film perfectly, and the punchline of this satirical comedy only becomes clear in the film’s final minutes. Pike is perfect in the lead role, making a despicable character immensely sympathetic.
#15: Project X (2012)
“Project X” set the standard in its time on the subject of “sprawling parties.” Everything that could go wrong in this 2012 flick does. The modest house party of high school friends Thomas, Costa, and JB turns into a major event over the course of the evening, throwing an entire street into hopeless chaos.
In addition to fat beats and atmospheric celebration scenes, Project X particularly knows how to shine with its humorous touches. A garden gnome full of ecstasy, a small-time man in an oven, and a daredevil jumping off the roof of a house are just a few of the many elements that help “Project X” achieve its status as a dynamic, fun-filled evening’s entertainment.
Ranked #16: We’re the Millers (2013)
At first glance, there’s nothing unusual about an RV in which a small family travels through the southern United States. But if we take a closer look at the occupants of the vehicle, the pretended family idyll turns out to be a set-up that serves the sole purpose of throwing the official authorities off the scent.
In reality, “family man” David (Jason Sudeikis) is a petty criminal weed dealer who drives a big load of the green herb in his RV to Mexico to pay off his debt to his supplier. To make the endeavor as low-key as possible, Brad hires stripper Sarah (Jennifer Aniston) and teenagers Kenny (Will Poulter) and Casey (Emma Roberts). The quartet henceforth plays a blameless family who is merely on a vacation trip.
The cast constellation is coherent, the gags hit the right notes, and the story is excitingly written.
Ranked #17: The Edge of Seventeen (2016)
If you’re in the mood for a sweet coming-of-age comedy with a great leading lady, The Edge of Seventeen is for you. In this funny and heartfelt comedy, Hailee Steinfeld plays a high school student who experiences the ups and downs of teenage life in a brutally honest way.
She forms a close friendship with a teacher, played by Woody Harrelson, who helps her through problems with friends, boys, and family. The film is as sweet as it is filthy, but what makes “Edge of Seventeen” so impressive – aside from Steinfeld’s great performance – is how lifelike it all feels. The Edge. The Self-Confidence. The importance of it all.
18th place: The Mask (1994)
On the 18. In the 18th place of our selection, we have a pearl from the 90s ready for you. In “The Mask,” we see Jim Carrey as a shy bank clerk who gets picked on by his peers and has bad luck clinging to his heels. An occult mask eventually helps the shy title character transform into a green alter ego that couldn’t be more twisted.
The 1994 film is whacky both visually and in content. The film’s effects have aged surprisingly well, and the hilarious gags have lost none of their charms even after 25 years.
Rank 19: Pineapple Express (2008)
If you want to see a buddy comedy with solid action and a fun twist on the usual formula, Pineapple Express from 2008 is a great one to watch. It’s a classic 1980s action comedy, except instead of focusing on two capable characters, it’s about a bailiff and his drug dealer. The two – played by Seth Rogen and James Franco – find themselves on the run when they witness a murder, but they keep getting into trouble, which is made worse by their utter incompetence.
Rank 20: Legally Blonde (2001)
Probably the film that made Reese Witherspoon a superstar, and for a good reason. Her portrayal of Elle Woods, a student pursuing a law degree at Harvard, is one of the best in the history of film comedies. Based on the book by Amanda Brown, Naturally Blonde follows Elle as she makes her way into the stuffy halls of the Ivy League, a culture that runs completely counter to her bang-up fashion sense and unwavering optimism.
This film is one of the rare gems of the early 2000s that is both uplifting and hilarious – Jennifer Coolidge’s presence alone provides some laughs – and it should be illegal to scroll past it when looking for a comedy.
Rank 21: Scary Movie (2000)
“Scary Movie” from 2000 shows its viewers how horror and comedy can be combined ingeniously. In the first part of the series, the creators have targeted those teen slasher flicks that were all the rage at the end of the 1990s. The U.S. production aims particularly at the “Scream” films and “I Know What You Did Last Summer.”
The movie is full of absurdities and now iconic scenes. If you’re wondering, “What’s up?” If you don’t think of a stoned Shorty (Marlon Wayans) calmly talking to the assassin on the phone, you should close your knowledge gap and watch “Scary Movie” on Netflix. Those who are taken with the hilarious work can then look at the second part of the film series, also available on the streaming service.
Ranked 22: The Fundamentals of Caring (2016)
Based on the novel by Jonathan Evison, this Road Trip Movie Straddles the line between poignant drama and sharp, observational comedy. Paul Rudd stars as Ben, a failed writer who has a whole new outlook on life after the tragic death of his son. Striking out on a new existence as a caregiver, he meets the gruff Trevor (Craig Roberts), a teenager with muscular dystrophy who asks his new caregiver for a simple request: to take him on a road trip.
The duo hit the road after convincing Trevor’s mother (the brilliant but woefully underused Jennifer Ehle) to let them visit “The World’s Deepest Pit.” Their trip, of course, isn’t about the destination. It’s all about the gags – and revelations – they make along the way, many of which revolve around Ben having to help Trevor pee. Selena Gomez’s character gets in on the action with sassy banter, adding bite to this funny, heartwarming comedy.
