What To Watch
30 Comedies to Watch Whenever You Need a Laugh
Smiles, chuckles, giggles and full-on LOLs ahead.
By Derek Lawrence
March 15, 2024
Best Comedies on Netflix for When You Need a Good Laugh - Netflix Tudum
No matter your mood, situation or location, watching a good comedy is never a bad idea. And the genre offers all different kinds of films to choose from, whether it be classic slapstick, an endearing rom-com, a family-friendly romp, wry dramedy, or an action-filled installment of kicking ass and cracking jokes.
With so many options available to you, we’ve put together a list of 30 movies — all Netflix originals — that are worth your time. Keep scrolling to see them all, categorized by which type of comedy you might be in the mood for. You bring the popcorn, they’ll bring the laughs.
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If you want to watch a new comedy (or a new-ish comedy)…
Players
Famously, you should hate the game, not the player — and you definitely won’t hate Players. Pitch Perfect 3 filmmaker Trish Sie hits a home run with the Gina Rodriguez-led rom-com, which stars the Jane the Virgin alum as Mack, a New York City sportswriter who’s perfected the art of devising hookup “plays” for her and her friends. But when she meets the devilishly handsome Nick (Lucifer’s Tom Ellis), the games might be over. Rodriguez and Ellis’ extremely charming team of co-stars includes Damon Wayans Jr. (New Girl), Ego Nwodim (SNL), Liza Koshy (Work It), and Joel Courtney (The Kissing Booth).
Old Dads
Celebrated stand-up comedian Bill Burr brings his signature no-nonsense style to his directorial debut. Co-written by Burr and Ben Tishler, Old Dads follows three friends (Burr, Bobby Cannavale, and Bokeem Woodbine) who become fathers later in life and have a hard time navigating their changing world. There’s a lot to love in the film, which is ironic since Burr’s Jack is constantly railing against everything from hard seltzers and hipsters to electric scooters, WebMD, the fact that he can’t leave his kid in the car while he runs inside the store, guys named Hunter, and the word hyperbole. In addition to the great threesome that is Burr, Cannavale, and Woodbine, Paul Walter Hauser and Bruce Dern are among those who pop in to steal a scene or two.
You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah
Adam Sandler’s family joins forces to make this delightful coming-of-age comedy a true family affair. Directed by Sammi Cohen and based on Fiona Rosenbloom’s YA novel of the same name, You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah stars the actor’s youngest daughter, Sunny Sandler, as 13-year-old Stacy Friedman, who’s determined to have the bat mitzvah to end all bat mitzvahs. But middle school drama suddenly threatens her big night — and her relationship with longtime best friend Lydia (Samantha Lorraine). Sunny is joined in the film by her real-life sister, Sadie, as Stacy’s sister; their mother, Jackie, as Lydia’s mom; and Adam Sandler himself plays the Friedman family patriarch. And, as if you needed another reason to tune in, Idina Menzel plays Sandler’s wife, making this party into an Uncut Gems reunion (with a lot less marital strife this time around). This is how we win!
You People
Meeting your significant others’ parents is nerve-wracking on its own, but imagine if Eddie Murphy turns out to be your prospective father-in-law! That’s the scenario that Jonah Hill confronts in You People, directed by Kenya Barris in his feature directorial debut from a script he co-wrote with Hill. After a meet cute mix-up, Ezra Cohen (Hill) and Amira Mohammed (Lauren London) quickly fall head over heels for each other and, as they embark on committing to a life together, attempt to blend their drastically different families. Julia Louis-Dreyfus and David Duchovny star as Ezra’s semi-woke Jewish parents, while Murphy and Nia Long play Amira’s concerned Muslim parents. Other notable people in You People are Sam Jay, Molly Gordon, La La Anthony, Travis Bennett, Andrea Savage, Rhea Perlman, Deon Cole, Elliott Gould, and Mike Epps.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Four years after introducing the world to Daniel Craig’s one of a kind private detective Benoit Blanc, writer-director Rian Johnson returned to the Knives Out universe with the delightfully twisty sequel, Glass Onion. Blanc is surprised to be invited to tech billionaire Miles Bron’s (Edward Norton) private island for an annual gathering of Bron and his oldest friends, only to suddenly be forced to go from relaxing to investigating when someone winds up dead. In addition to Craig and Norton, the film features an all-star collection of possible suspects, including Janelle Monáe, Dave Bautista, Leslie Odom Jr., Kathryn Hahn, and Kate Hudson.
If you want to watch something more romantic…
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
A Wedding Crashers reunion is always music to comedy fans’ ears. Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga delivers just that, with Wedding Crashers filmmaker David Dobkin back directing Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams, who star as Icelandic childhood friends with dreams of winning the celebrated Eurovision Song Contest. Together, Lars Erickssong (Ferrell) and Sigrit Ericksdóttir (McAdams), are Fire Saga, the duo behind the extremely catchy jam, “Jaja Ding Dong.” Against all odds, Fire Saga makes it to Eurovision, where they face off with talented singers from around the world. Co-written by Ferrell, Eurovision scored both laughs and an Oscar nomination, with the grand finale “Husavik” being up for Best Original Song.
The Incredible Jessica James
Before stealing Kid Cudi’s heart in the animated event Entergalactic, Jessica Williams was finding romance with Slumberland and Bridesmaids star Chris O’Dowd in The Incredible Jessica James. The romantic comedy, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival, centers on the titular Jessica James (Williams), a struggling playwright who is finding even less success in the dating world. Still reeling from a recent breakup, she goes on a blind date with divorcé Boone (O’Dowd) and they soon begin a relationship, while also agreeing to keep tabs on each other’s exes (Someone Great’s LaKeith Stanfield and Master of None’s Noël Wells, respectively). Like most rom-coms, Jessica James flourishes due to the inherent likability of its leads.
The Kissing Booth
Looking for some euphoria? Enter The Kissing Booth. Based on Beth Reekles’ popular young adult novel, the teen rom-com stars Joey King as quirky high school junior Elle Evans, who suddenly begins attracting the attention of her bad boy crush Noah (Jacob Elordi). Unfortunately, there’s one big problem: Noah is the older brother of Elle’s lifelong best friend, Lee (Joel Courtney), and the budding romance puts their friendship in jeopardy. Viewers couldn’t stay out of The Kissing Booth, prompting the arrival of a second and third film to make up the trilogy.
Set It Up
It’s hard to beat this rom-com setup: Two overworked assistants in New York City decide that the key to their happiness is to arrange a relationship between their demanding bosses. Glen Powell and Zoey Deutch star as Charlie and Harper, the assistants who conspire to set up their higher-ups (played by Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs) — while also sparking some chemistry of their own. That appealing foursome, plus the work of writer Katie Silberman (Booksmart) and director Claire Scanlon (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), make Set It Up a comedy you’ll want to circle back to again and again.
Someone Great
If you want to watch something great, writer-director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson has you covered. Produced by Paul Feig, this comedy, like his Bridesmaids, clicks thanks to the endearing friendships between the main characters — not because of a romantic relationship. Gina Rodriguez stars as Jenny, a music journalist who’s on the verge of leaving New York City for her dream job in San Francisco. But her happy ending is derailed when her longtime boyfriend (LaKeith Stanfield) ends things. Luckily, her best friends Blair (Brittany Snow) and Erin (DeWanda Wise) are ready to take her mind off the breakup and give her one last unforgettable night in the Big Apple.
If you want to watch a family comedy…
Family Switch
You know what is better than one body swap? Three body swaps! Adapted from Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s 2010 children’s book Bedtime for Mommy, the film Family Switch hails from director McG (Charlie’s Angels, The Babysitter) and introduces the Los Angeles–based Walker family, led by Jennifer Garner’s Jess and Ed Helms’ Bill. Jess worries that the family has become disconnected — well, be careful what you wish for. A forced attempt at bonding ends with the family of five waking up to find they’ve swapped places. (Well, technically six of them, since baby Miles and dog Pickles also get switched.) And the Christmas-themed comedy features something that every movie-lover can appreciate: the legendary Rita Moreno, as the mysterious figure who facilitates the family switch.
Leo
If you’re a child in need of advice and support, then you can do a lot worse than a tuatara voiced by Adam Sandler. Co-written by Sandler and his longtime collaborator Robert Smigel, this animated musical-comedy stars Sandler as the titular reptile who’s spent his life in a fifth-grade classroom. Leo’s world is suddenly rocked by the dual discoveries that he’s 74 years old and that the expected life span for a tuatara is 75. But he soon finds new purpose when his classroom’s students begin bringing him home — and discover that he’s no ordinary pet. Surrounding Sandler is an all-star voice cast including Bill Burr, Cecily Strong, Jason Alexander, Jo Koy, and Rob Schneider.
We Have a Ghost
If you’re in the mood for a scary good time, then hit play on this family friendly horror-comedy. We Have a Ghost follows teenager Kevin (Jahi Di’Allo Winston) who discovers a ghost (Stranger Things’ David Harbour) living in the attic of the run-down house his parents got a suspiciously good deal on. After befriending the specter and naming him Ernest, Kevin offers to help his paranormal pal settle some unfinished business — but things take a turn when Kevin’s dad (Anthony Mackie) finds out about Ernest and, hoping to cash in on the situation, posts a video of him online that goes viral. The film also stars Jennifer Coolidge as a cable TV psychic who gets a little more than she bargained for when she visits the house to make contact with Ernest.
The Mitchells vs. The Machines
This funny and touching (not to mention Oscar-nominated) animated comedy tracks a dysfunctional family on their road trip from Michigan to California, where they’ll drop aspiring filmmaker Katie (Disenchantment’s Abbi Jacobson) off at college. But the mission of patriarch Rick (Danny McBride) to bond with his daughter is sidetracked by a global robot uprising — you know, usual road trip stuff. Joining Jacobson and McBride on this hilarious ride are Maya Rudolph, Olivia Colman, Eric André, Fred Armisen, Conan O’Brien, John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, Blake Griffin, and Doug the Pug.
We Can Be Heroes
Spy Kids filmmaker Robert Rodriguez created a new generation of butt-kicking children with his superhero comedy We Can Be Heroes. Narcos star Pedro Pascal plays Marcus Moreno, a master swordsman and leader of the Heroics. When Marcus and his superhero team are captured by alien invaders, his powerless daughter, Missy (YaYa Gosselin), must rally the other Heroics children to save the day. The super We Can Be Heroes cast includes Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Christian Slater, Sung Kang, Boyd Holbrook and Taylor Dooley, who reprises her role as Lavagirl from Rodriguez’s previous superhero film, The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl.
If you want to watch a dark comedy…
I Care a Lot
Prepare to care a lot about this film. Written and directed by J Blakeson, I Care a Lot tells the story of successful con woman Marla (Rosamund Pike), whose go-to scheme involves tricking courts into appointing her as the guardian for elderly people who she claims can’t take care of themselves. She places them in assisted-living facilities and sells off their assets. But her latest scam puts her in jeopardy when she hones in on the mother of a dangerous crime lord. Part thriller, part satirical black comedy, I Care a Lot features a Golden Globe–winning performance by Pike as well as colorful supporting turns from Peter Dinklage, Eiza González, Chris Messina, and Dianne Wiest.
Do Revenge
Writer-director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson finds her way onto this list for the second time, courtesy of her Someone Great follow-up, Do Revenge. Loosely inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train, this black comedy stars Camila Mendes (Riverdale) and Maya Hawke (Stranger Things) as new friends who bond over their mission to get revenge on the spoiled rich kids who turned them into high school outcasts. Between the stylish look and direction, clever script and winning performances by Mendes, Hawke, Austin Abrams and Sophie Turner (plus Sarah Michelle Gellar as the school’s headmaster), Do Revenge makes us nostalgic for the glory days of teen movies.
Don't Look Up
It’s hard to beat the pedigree of this best picture nominee, which is written and directed by Adam McKay and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Mark Rylance, Cate Blanchett, Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill, and Timothée Chalamet. (Oh, and let’s not forget music icons Ariana Grande and Kid Cudi!) The film begins with a doctoral candidate (Lawrence) and her professor (DiCaprio) discovering a comet that is set to hit Earth in the coming months and cause catastrophic devastation. As the duo struggle to get the government and media to take the threat seriously, McKay uses the satirical black comedy to comment on the ongoing lack of attention to global warming. So, as you’re laughing — which you will — it’ll also get you thinking.
The Babysitter
When this babysitter comes around, hide your kids. From the minds of director McG and writer Brian Duffield, this horror comedy stars emerging scream queen Samara Weaving (Ready or Not) as Bee, the babysitter of your dreams — and nightmares. Lonely 12-year-old Cole (Judah Lewis) is enchanted by Bee, until he sneaks down from bed and watches her kill one of her friends. Welp, it turns out that Bee is the leader of a demonic cult. Try going back to sleep after that discovery! The Babysitter’s supporting cast is also scary good, featuring Bella Thorne, Robbie Amell, King Bach, Ken Marino, and Leslie Bibb.
If you want to watch an action comedy…
Spenser Confidential
The dream team of director Peter Berg and star Mark Wahlberg continued with their fifth collaboration, Spenser Confidential. Wahlberg’s private investigator character, Spenser, first originated in Robert B. Parker’s novel series before becoming the focus of an ABC drama in the 1980s. In the film adaptation from Berg (Friday Night Lights), Spenser is a former Boston cop who’s fresh out of jail, having been convicted of assaulting a superior whom he suspected was involved in a murder. As he works to leave his hometown behind and become a truck driver, Spenser moves in with his old friend Henry (Alan Arkin) and new roommate Hawk (Winston Duke). But a string of cop killings puts Spenser back in the crosshairs and forces him to team up with Hawk to get to the bottom of this conspiracy. If Wahlberg in Boston isn’t enough to convince you to watch, then seeing him and Post Malone in a prison brawl should be.
Red Notice
This globe-trotting adventure brings together three of Hollywood’s most powerful A-listers (and Fast & Furious alums): Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot. Written and directed by Johnson’s frequent collaborator Rawson Marshall Thurber, Red Notice introduces Johnson as top FBI profiler John Hartley, who teams up with wisecracking criminal Nolan Booth (Reynolds) to catch the world’s most wanted art thief, Gadot’s Sarah “The Bishop” Black. Expect plenty of action and jokes (including a dynamite Vin Diesel-Cats gag), a surprising twist and the urge to watch even more heist movies.
Day Shift
Veteran stuntman J.J. Perry (Django Unchained) made his directorial debut with a supernatural action comedy you can really sink your teeth into. Day Shift stars Jamie Foxx as Bud Jablonski, who poses as a pool cleaner as a cover for his real job: vampire hunter. But business hasn’t been booming for Bud, hence the reason he reluctantly rejoins the vampire hunting union that previously kicked him out. Joining Foxx on this frighteningly funny gig are Dave Franco, Meagan Good, Scott Adkins, Steve Howey, and Snoop Dogg. In other words, watching Day Shift will feel like the opposite of work.
If you want to watch a dramedy…
The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)
Noah Baumbach is now a Netflix mainstay, but the writer-director of Marriage Story and White Noise made his debut on the service with the critically adored dramedy The Meyerowitz Stories. The film follows a group of dysfunctional adult siblings trying to live in the shadow of their father, a noted professor and artist. The film’s star-packed cast includes Baumbach veterans Adam Driver and Ben Stiller, as well as Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman, and Adam Sandler (who received high praise for his against-type performance as the floundering eldest son).
Dolemite Is My Name
While comedy fans have known Eddie Murphy for four decades and counting, the legendary comedian long wanted to reintroduce the world to another name: Rudy Ray Moore. The biographical film from director Craig Brewer picks up the story of Moore just before he creates his career-changing persona, the expletive-spewing pimp Dolemite. Looking to capitalize on his rising popularity, Moore sets out to bring his character to the big screen with Dolemite, which would eventually release in 1975 and become a defining project of the blaxploitation era. Having made just one film in the seven years before 2019’s Dolemite Is My Name, Murphy returned with a force and swagger that earned him a Golden Globe nomination and reminded audiences why they fell in love with him in the first place.
The Laundromat
There’s nothing dirty about Oscar-winning filmmaker Steven Soderbergh making a movie with Meryl Streep, Gary Oldman, and Antonio Banderas. That golden quartet forms The Laundromat, which documented the infamous Panama Papers scandal. Banderas and Oldman’s characters serve as narrators for three stories, including one in which Streep plays a widow, who, after losing her husband and the subsequent insurance money, comes across a powerful Panamanian company run by two cunning lawyers (Banderas and Oldman) that hide money for the extremely wealthy. Soderbergh’s cast also features Jeffrey Wright, David Schwimmer, Will Forte, Robert Patrick, and Sharon Stone.
If you want to watch a raunchy comedy…
The Package
Gather up all your “package” puns and innuendos before hitting play on this one. Director Jake Szymanski’s racy and irreverent teen comedy follows a group of buddies on a spring break camping trip that turns bloody when one of them accidentally cuts off their own… well, you know. After he’s helicoptered to a hospital, the others realize that his, um, package didn’t go with him, and together they navigate hard (sorry!) conditions to reconnect them. Packaged in The Package cast are Geraldine Viswanathan, Sadie Calvano, and Stranger Things breakout star Eduardo Franco.
Me Time
This buddy comedy from writer-director John Hamburg (I Love You, Man) pairs up Mark Wahlberg and Kevin Hart as best friends who have grown apart in recent years. But the duo are reunited when stay-at-home dad Sonny (Hart) finally has some time to himself and decides to partake in the wild annual birthday celebration for Huck (Wahlberg). When they aren’t full-on raging, Sonny and Huck discover that they have much to learn about each other — and themselves. Also getting in on Me Time are Narcos: Mexico’s Luis Gerardo Méndez, Love Hard’s Jimmy O. Yang, and Think Like a Man’s Regina Hall.
Ibiza: Love Drunk
Executive produced by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, this raunchy rom-com stars Community alum Gillian Jacobs as Harper, an overworked New York City publicist who is sent to Barcelona for an important business meeting. On the trip, Harper is accompanied by her hard-partying friends Nikki (Vanessa Bayer) and Leah (Phoebe Robinson), and a night of clubbing finds Harper connecting with a famous DJ, Leo West (Richard Madden). Work be damned, Harper and her crew follow Leo to nearby noted party hotspot Ibiza, where romance and shenanigans are always on tap.
Good on Paper
Stand-up comedian and Spenser Confidential scene-stealer Iliza Shlesinger takes center stage with Good on Paper. The rom-com stars Shlesinger (who also wrote the film) as Andrea, an aspiring actress and comedian who has long put work ahead of romance. But that all changes when she meets the smart and kind Dennis (Ryan Hansen), a Yale graduate and hedge fund manager. So, basically, the perfect package — or so Andrea thinks. Margaret Cho and Rebecca Rittenhouse also star in the film, which is even better onscreen than it sounds on paper.
The Breaker Upperers
When you see The Breaker Upperers coming your way, run! Executive produced by Taika Waititi, this New Zealand rom-com is written, directed by and stars Madeleine Sami and Jackie van Beek. The duo play best friends who run a business in which they will ruthlessly end your relationship for you. But their company and friendship are put to the test when they run into an old victim, causing Mel (Sami) to suddenly develop a conscience. Don’t feel guilty, though, about keeping an eye out for hysterical cameos from iconic New Zealanders Jemaine Clement and Lucy Lawless.
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