Need a good chuckle? Or perhaps a full-blown belly laugh that makes your sides ache? You’ve landed in the perfect spot! Comedy movies are the ultimate pick-me-up, offering a much-needed escape from the everyday grind with their brilliant writing, unforgettable characters, and timeless gags. From the sharp wit of satirical masterpieces to the heartwarming hilarity of romantic comedies, not to mention those side-splitting hits that just never get old, the world of comedy cinema is as diverse as it is entertaining.
We know finding the absolute best can be a bit of a maze with so many options out there. That’s why we’ve done the hard work for you. We’ve handpicked the top 20 best comedy movies available to stream right now, all ranked by their solid IMDb ratings. So settle in, press play, and prepare for some serious laughs.
What are the best comedy movies to watch?
Selecting the top 20 comedy movies for streaming involved a systematic and transparent process. We focused on films known for their genuine humour, whether through visual gags, clever wit, or engaging romantic storylines. Our primary ranking criterion for this list is the IMDb rating, which provides a consistent and widely recognised measure of audience appreciation and critical standing.
Each movie on our list includes several key details to help you choose your next laugh-out-loud viewing. You’ll find the film’s release year, its director, and the leading actor or actors who made it shine. We also specify the streaming service where you can watch it, any awards won, its age rating, a brief synopsis, and its global box office revenue. This straightforward approach gives you all you need to know about the best comedies ever made.
Deep Cover
Comedy •Crime •Action •Adventure
Overview
Kat is an improv comedy teacher beginning to question if she’s missed her shot at success. When an undercover cop offers her the role of a lifetime, she recruits two of her students to infiltrate London’s gangland by impersonating dangerous criminals.
Director
Tom Kingsley
Duration
100 minutes
Spit
Comedy •Crime •Drama
Overview
Spitteri finds himself locked up in an immigration detention centre upon his return to Australia. With old enemies on his tail and a target on his back, he navigates a series of comedic misadventures, sharing with his fellow detainees the meaning of mateship and what it is to be truly Australian.
Director
Jonathan Teplitzky
Cast
David Wenham, Helen Thomson, Gary Sweet, David Field, David Roberts
Duration
105 minutes
Totally Killer
Comedy •Horror •Sci-fi
Overview
When the infamous “Sweet Sixteen Killer” returns 35 years after his first murder spree to claim another victim, 17-year-old Jamie accidentally travels back in time to 1987, determined to stop the killer before he can start.
Duration
105 minutes
Second Act
Romance •Comedy •Drama
Overview
Value Shop assistant manager Maya Vargas wants only one thing for her 43rd birthday — a promotion. While her résumé may not scream upper management, her track record certainly does; she is an innovator who listens to her customers and delivers results. When she loses the job to a college-educated candidate, Maya sets out to prove to Madison Avenue that street smarts are as valuable as book smarts — and it’s never too late for a second act.
Director
Peter Segal
Cast
Jennifer Lopez, Vanessa Hudgens, Leah Remini, Milo Ventimiglia, Treat Williams
Duration
99 minutes
Snatch
Comedy •Crime
Overview
Unscrupulous boxing promoters, violent bookmakers, a Russian gangster, incompetent amateur robbers and supposedly Jewish jewelers fight to track down a priceless stolen diamond.
Director
Guy Ritchie
Cast
Benicio del Toro, Dennis Farina, Vinnie Jones, Brad Pitt, Rade Šerbedžija
Duration
103 minutes
Gifted
Drama •Comedy
Overview
Frank, a single man raising his child prodigy niece Mary, is drawn into a custody battle with his mother.
Director
Marc Webb
Cast
Chris Evans, Mckenna Grace, Lindsay Duncan, Jenny Slate, Octavia Spencer
Duration
97 minutes
EMMA.
Romance •Drama •Comedy
Overview
In 1800s England, a well-meaning but selfish young woman meddles in the love lives of her friends.
Director
Autumn de Wilde
Cast
Anya Taylor-Joy, Johnny Flynn, Josh O’Connor, Callum Turner, Mia Goth
Duration
120 minutes
Surf’s Up
Animation •Kids •Comedy •Family •Sport
Overview
A young surfer enters his first contest, hoping a win will earn him respect. But an encounter with a laid-back local forces him to rethink his values.
Director
Chris Buck
Cast
Shia LaBeouf, Jeff Bridges, Zooey Deschanel, Jon Heder, James Woods
Duration
85 minutes
Bob Trevino Likes It
Comedy •Drama
Overview
Lily Trevino unexpectedly befriends an online stranger who shares her self-centered father’s name. This new Bob Trevino’s support could transform her life.
Director
Tracie Laymon
Cast
Barbie Ferreira, John Leguizamo, French Stewart, Lauren Spencer, Rachel Bay Jones
Duration
102 minutes
Shrek
Animation •Kids •Comedy •Fantasy •Family •Romance •Action •Adventure
Overview
It ain’t easy bein’ green — especially if you’re a likable (albeit smelly) ogre named Shrek. On a mission to retrieve a gorgeous princess from the clutches of a fire-breathing dragon, Shrek teams up with an unlikely compatriot — a wisecracking donkey.
Director
Andrew Adamson
Cast
Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow, Vincent Cassel
Duration
90 minutes
The Apartment
Comedy •Drama •Romance
Overview
Bud Baxter is a minor clerk in a huge New York insurance company, until he discovers a quick way to climb the corporate ladder. He lends out his apartment to the executives as a place to take their mistresses. Although he often has to deal with the aftermath of their visits, one night he’s left with a major problem to solve.
Director
Billy Wilder
Cast
Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston, Jack Kruschen
Duration
125 minutes
Juliet, Naked
Romance •Comedy •Music •Drama •Musical
Overview
Annie is stuck in a long-term relationship with Duncan – an obsessive fan of obscure rocker Tucker Crowe. When the acoustic demo of Tucker’s hit record from 25 years ago surfaces, its discovery leads to a life-changing encounter with the elusive rocker himself.
Director
Jesse Peretz
Cast
Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke, Chris O’Dowd, Azhy Robertson, Lily Brazier
Duration
93 minutes
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
Comedy •Sci-fi •Crime
Overview
As a swinging fashion photographer by day and a groovy British superagent by night, Austin Powers is the ’60s’ most shagadelic spy. But can he stop megalomaniac Dr. Evil after the bald villain freezes himself and unthaws in the ’90s? With the help of sexy sidekick Vanessa Kensington, he just might.
Director
Jay Roach
Cast
Mike Myers, Elizabeth Hurley, Michael York, Mimi Rogers, Robert Wagner
Duration
90 minutes
The Hating Game
Romance •Comedy •Drama
Overview
Resolving to achieve professional success without compromising her ethics, Lucy embarks on a ruthless game of one-upmanship against cold and efficient nemesis Joshua, a rivalry that is complicated by her growing attraction to him.
Director
Peter Hutchings
Cast
Lucy Hale, Austin Stowell, Yasha Jackson, Sakina Jaffrey, Corbin Bernsen
Duration
98 minutes
Wedding Crashers
Comedy •Romance
Overview
John and his buddy, Jeremy are emotional criminals who know how to use a woman’s hopes and dreams for their own carnal gain. Their modus operandi: crashing weddings. Normally, they meet guests who want to toast the romantic day with a random hook-up. But when John meets Claire, he discovers what true love – and heartache – feels like.
Director
David Dobkin
Cast
Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn, Christopher Walken, Rachel McAdams, Isla Fisher
Duration
119 minutes
Breaking News in Yuba County
Comedy •Crime •Drama •Mystery •Thriller
Overview
An overlooked pencil-pusher catches her husband in bed with another woman, the shock of which causes him to die of a heart attack. So she buries his body and takes advantage of the growing celebrity status that comes from having a missing husband. But she quickly finds herself in over her head, dodging cops and criminals, all while trying to keep the truth from her sister, a local news anchor who’s desperate for a story.
Director
Tate Taylor
Cast
Allison Janney, Mila Kunis, Regina Hall, Awkwafina, Wanda Sykes
Duration
96 minutes
Let Him Go
Thriller •Western •Crime •Drama •Mystery •Comedy
Overview
Following the loss of their son, a retired sheriff and his wife leave their Montana ranch to rescue their young grandson from the clutches of a dangerous family living off the grid in the Dakotas.
Director
Thomas Bezucha
Cast
Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Kayli Carter, Lesley Manville, Will Brittain
Duration
109 minutes
Catherine Called Birdy
Adventure •Action •Comedy
Overview
A teenage girl in Medieval England navigates life and tries to avoid the arranged marriages her father maps out for her.
Director
Lena Dunham
Cast
Bella Ramsey, Billie Piper, Andrew Scott, Joe Alwyn, Dean-Charles Chapman
Duration
109 minutes
Sing
Animation •Kids •Comedy •Family •Music •Musical
Overview
A pig, a mouse, a porcupine, a gorilla, an elephant and other animals gather at a koala’s theatre for a singing competition.
Director
Garth Jennings
Cast
Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson, John C. Reilly
Duration
103 minutes
Clockwatchers
Drama •Comedy
Overview
The relationship between four female temps all working for the same credit company is threatened with the arrival of a new hire, who lands a permanent position one of the women was vying for.
Director
Jill Sprecher
Duration
96 minutes
Frequently asked questions
The most popular comedy types often include romantic comedies, which blend humour with heartwarming stories, and witty satires that cleverly poke fun at society like Team America: World Police. Action comedies also regularly draw huge crowds, combining thrilling sequences with laugh-out-loud gags, like Amazon’s newly released Heads of State starring Idris Elba and John Cena. It truly depends on what sort of laugh you’re after.
Streaming services consider several factors, including licensing agreements, audience demand, and critical reception. They often track what’s trending and what viewers are searching for. Content libraries are regularly updated, aiming to offer a diverse range of popular and acclaimed comedy titles to keep you entertained.
Not always, no. Comedy is very subjective, so what one person finds hilarious, another might not. Critics often consider technical aspects, writing, and social commentary, while audiences prioritise pure laughter and rewatchability. This sometimes leads to a difference in how films are rated.
While blockbusters often dominate, many comedy films achieve significant global box office success. Films with universal humour, memorable characters, and strong word-of-mouth tend to perform exceptionally well, like the 1980s classic Airplane! or the 1990s gem Groundhog Day. They might not always hit superhero-level numbers, but a well-loved comedy can certainly rake in serious cash.
The biggest change is definitely streaming. Gone are the days of relying solely on cinemas or physical media. Now, you can instantly access a vast library of comedy films from your couch, offering unprecedented choice and convenience. It’s transformed how we discover and enjoy laughs.
Timeless comedies often feature clever, quotable dialogue, strong character performances, and relatable situations that transcend generations. Whether it’s sharp wit, classic slapstick, or heartwarming narratives, the films that remain funny for decades usually connect with universal human experiences and emotions.
Absolutely. While less common than dramas, comedy films do receive significant awards recognition, especially for screenwriting and acting performances. The Academy Awards and Golden Globes have honoured numerous comedies, proving that laughter is indeed a powerful and respected art form in cinema. Some comedy films winning major awards are Anora, A Real Pain, Poor Things, Barbie, The Holdovers, and American Fiction.
It’s unlikely you’ll find every single top-tier comedy on just one platform, as licensing deals mean titles are spread across different services. However, by having a couple of subscriptions, you can access a huge variety of the best side-splitting, witty, and romantic comedies available right now.
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