When you don’t have much to laugh about, sometimes the best medicine is a gut-busting comedy. Whether you’re looking to laugh until you cry at grossout antics, watch our generation’s finest comedians pratfall with the best of them, or even just chuckle politely at a witty satire, Netflix has something for everyone.
The streamer’s deep bench of comedies includes everything from mockumentaries to romcoms, dramedies to raunchy films you’d be embarrassed to watch with your family. We took the liberty of selecting 30 of our favorites from across all of comedy’s glorious sub-genres, meaning that, whatever kind of laugh you need, Netflix will have it on speed dial.
Julie & Julia
This one goes down like a soothing bowl of warm soup, and the recipe is simple: interwoven true stories of one woman’s quest to cook her way through Mastering the Art of French Cooking and Julia Child’s journey to becoming a culinary icon. Starring Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, and Stanley Tucci, Julie & Julia is legendary writer-director Nora Ephron’s delightful love letter to food. It will make you laugh. It will make you cry. (And it will make you hungry.)
The Bling Ring
In Sofia Coppola’s satirical crime film, a group of wealthy Los Angeles teenagers rifle through celebrities’ homes, stealing diamonds and designer dresses like a twisted millennial version of The Goonies. Based on true events, The Bling Ring is a time capsule from 2008, complete with cameos by Paris Hilton and Kirsten Dunst, Juicy Couture tracksuits, low rise jeans, fedoras, and dubious vest ensembles. It’s worth a watch for Emma Watson’s vocal fry valley girl accent alone.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople
Taika Waititi is undoubtedly an “It” director right now, with films like the Oscar-winning Jojo Rabbit and What We Do in the Shadows under his belt (and Thor: Love and Thunder on the way). If you’re a fan of the Kiwi auteur’s work, you should definitely check out 2016’s Hunt for the Wilderpeople. The adventure comedy follows 13-year-old Ricky Baker as he flees from the law with his foster father in a charming and eccentric story set in the New Zealand wilderness.
My Best Friend’s Wedding
Julianne (Julia Roberts) and Michael (Dermot Mulroney) had an agreement: if they were still single at 28, they would marry each other. Right before Julianne’s 28th birthday, Michael announces he is marrying a beautiful 20-year old (Cameron Diaz). Realizing she’s in love with Michael, Julianne attempts to sabotage the wedding at all costs. A true rom-com classic featuring one of the best pieces of life advice in all film history: “You’re never going to be Jell-O!”
The Half of It
Ellie Chu is a lonely teenage girl who lives with her father in small town Suquamish, where she makes a nice profit writing papers for her classmates. Her business takes a turn when Paul—a goofy but well-meaning jock—hires her to write love letters to his crush Aster, the pastor’s daughter and prettiest girl in school. Along the way, Ellie realizes that she’s fallen in love with Aster. Equal parts cheesy, tender, and refreshing, Netflix’s original The Half of It is a queer teen rom-com that will draw you in with its charm.
The Death of Stalin
In this uproarious black comedy written and directed by Veep’s Armando Ianucci, Joseph Stalin’s cronies turn against one another in the wake of his death, jockeying for ultimate control of Soviet Russia. Backstabbings and assassination attempts abound, all of it wrapped in a devastatingly funny satire of political power grabbing.
EuroVision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams star in this daffy musical comedy about two small-town Icelandic musicians, who travel across the world to chase their dreams of pop stardom at the global music phenomenon known as EuroVision. If you’re a EuroVision newbie, the toe-tapping soundtrack and on-stage mishaps will enthrall you, while EuroVision fans will be delighted by Easter Eggs like cameos from fan-favorite contestants.
Between Two Ferns: The Movie
Zach Galifianakis’ offbeat comedy series gets the feature length treatment in this hilarious film, wherein Between Two Ferns goes on a nationwide redemption tour following a disastrous near-death incident with interviewee Matthew McConaughey. Galifianakis’ deadpan, painfully awkward shtick is as appealing as ever in this gut-busting road trip comedy.
Easy A
Honestly, Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson playing a set of the coolest parents of all time is reason enough to watch this movie. But, if that doesn’t convince you, watch for the exceptional plot that takes a modern and funny twist on The Scarlet Letter.
Stranger Than Fiction
Will Ferrell plays Harold Crick, an IRS auditor who lives a relatively mundane life before he begins hearing a voice in his head narrating his every move. He soon discovers that he is the protagonist of author Karen Eiffel’s latest book. This poses a problem for Harold, as Karen is famous for killing her main characters in creative ways. He teams up with a professor and the two set out to find the author and make her change the story.
Other People
Fresh off a breakup in the midst of the worst year of his life, a struggling New York comedy writer heads back home to Sacramento to care for his dying mother. Though the film definitely falls under the comedy umbrella, make sure to keep the tissues around. Molly Shannon turns out a performance like you’ve never seen.
Yes God Yes
This coming of age film follows a devout Catholic school girl as she explores her sexual awakening after an innocent AOL chat turns racy. She turns to a school retreat hoping to suppress her newfound urges.
Silver Linings Playbook
After losing his marriage and spending a stint in a mental institution for his bipolar disorder, Pat (Bradley Cooper) moves in with his parents and hopes to get his wife and life back. He meets a young widow, Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), who offers to help him win his ex back in exchange for helping her compete in a dance competition.
The Wrong Missy
Tim thinks he met the girl of his dreams, Missy, so he decides to invite her on his company retreat to Hawaii. However, when a girl from a previous nightmarish blind date shows up instead, also named Missy, Tim realizes he texted the wrong woman and now will have to endure the trip with all of her crazy antics.
Ocean’s Thirteen
The final entry in the George Clooney-led Ocean’s trilogy brings our gang of all-star thieves back to Las Vegas, but this time it’s for vengeance.
Set It Up
A twist on the whole set up narrative, two overworked NYC assistants try to set up their overbearing, successful bosses played by Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs.
Dolemite Is My Name
This biographical film follows struggling comedian Rudy Ray Moore in the 1970s as he creates his raunchy alter ego, Dolemite, and risks it all to take his act to the big screen with a kung-fu, anti-establishment film.
The Lovebirds
On the verge of a breakup, Jibran and Leilani accidentally get mixed up in a murder case. The two have one wild night to clear their names, and potentially salvage their relationship.
Lady Bird
More dramedy, less laugh-out-loud comedy, this coming of age story from Greta Gerwig is a must watch. Saoirse Ronan, Beanie Feldstein, and Timothee Chalamet are as charming as ever, telling a heartwarming and cleverly funny story about a quirky teenager trying to find her way in the world as she prepares to leave for college.
The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)
From Oscar-winning filmmaker Noah Baumbach, The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) is a dark and dry dramedy with an all star cast that includes Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman, Elizabeth Marvel and Emma Thompson.
The Breaker Uppers
Two women start an agency to break up couples—clearly in an enterprising effort to upend the matchmaking industry.
Okja
A bit more on the serious side, Okja is more of a satire than it is a full-fledged comedy. When the Mirando Corporation takes Okja, a giant unnamed animal, for their own use the animal’s 10-year-old friend Mija hops into action to save him.
The Other Guys
The Other Guys has all the perfect parts for a great comedy. Adam McKay directs. Ice-T narrates. And Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell star as two pencil-pushing NYPD detectives who get the opportunity to prove they’re up for more than just paperwork.
John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch
Just to be clear, John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch is extremely weird and niche, but its surrealism is a delight to watch. Filmed like an after-school activity, it quickly veers into weird territory and never looks back.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
The Coen Brothers teamed up with the streaming service for this Netflix original, an anthology film featuring six stories set in the American west that’s full of outlaws, pioneer women, double-crossing, and one singing cowboy.
Catfight
Sandra Oh and Anne Heche star in this bonkers indie film about two women—and lifelong enemies—whose lives, careers, and levels of success are violently linked to each other.
Eddie Murphy: Delirious
This iconic stand-up comedy feature offered a more raw and profane side of the then-Saturday Night Live star.
Life of Brian
Monty Python take on Christ with this story of Brian of Nazareth, a man who was born on the same night as Jesus—just in the stable next door—and spends his entire life being mistaken for the messiah.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
The Authurian legend get the parody treatment in this absurd—and endlessly quotable—cult classic in which the Monty Python players star as the Knights of the Roundtable on the search for the legendary treasure.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
This irreverent and energetic movie stars Michael Cera as a slacker musician who hits the romantic jackpot when he meets his new girlfriend Ramona Flowers—but must defeat her seven evil exes in manic, video game-inspired fashion.
Anna Grace Lee is an editorial fellow at Esquire, where she covers pop culture, music, and entertainment.
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