The 17 Best Comedies To Stream On Netflix Right Now
Release some much-needed endorphins during your next streaming session
Sometimes, all you need is a good laugh. Between the seemingly never-ending cycle of bad news and dealing with your own personal stressors, cosying up with a comedy can be the best way to take the edge off. Luckily, if you have a Netflix subscription, there’s no shortage of options to enjoy. Whether you’re craving a classic rom-com or a knee-slapping stand-up special, humour yourself with these 17 funny flicks.
1. Rat Race (2001)
With a star-studded cast that features Whoopi Goldberg, Kathy Bates, and Rowan Atkinson, Rat Race follows a ragtag group of Las Vegas tourists who find themselves in a contest to collect $2 million in cash. The film’s premise may seem familiar — that’s because it was inspired by the 1963 ensemble comedy It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.
2. Sorry to Bother You (2018)
Rapper Boots Riley struck gold with his directorial debut. His dark comedy Sorry to Bother You starring LaKeith Stanfield comments on code-switching and capitalism through a surrealist lens.
3. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)
Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey become unlikely lovers after double-crossing each other. Advertising exec Benjamin Barry (McConaughey) bets that he can make any woman fall in love with him, while magazine columnist Andie Anderson (Hudson) employs various dating don’ts for her latest article, aptly titled “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.”
4. Addams Family Values (1993)
While you’re waiting for the next season of Wednesday, re-watch the original reboot of The Addams Family. Family Values is the sequel to the 1991 film, and although it didn’t do as well at the box office, it’s since gained a cult following. Enjoy the macabre stylings of Anjelica Huston and Christina Ricci, whose Wednesday is just as lovable as Jenna Ortega’s.
5. Nicole Byer: BBW (Big Beautiful Weirdo) (2021)
The comedian’s first Netflix stand-up special doesn’t disappoint. Byer, who also hosts the streamer’s series Nailed It!, proves that she can hold her own in Big Beautiful Weirdo. Byer flaunts her unabashedly raunchy comedic chops as she explores topics like dating, crazy Karens, and cat funerals.
6. Do Revenge (2022)
Riverdale’s Camila Mendes and Stranger Things star Maya Hawke bond over their co-ed enemies in Do Revenge. Described as Gen Z’s answer to teen classics like John Tucker Must Die and Jawbreaker, Do Revenge is a love letter to its genre. Elaborate costumes à la Clueless and a cameo from ‘90s teen queen Sarah Michelle Gellar are notable highlights
7. Notting Hill (1999)
Julia Roberts sweeps Hugh Grant off his feet in this iconic romantic comedy. After actress Anna Scott (Roberts) strolls into the bookshop owned by divorcé William Thacker (Grant), the two strike up a fairytale flirtation. Notting Hill also spawned one of the most famous quotes in modern movie history: “I’m just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.”
8. When Harry Met Sally… (1989)
When Harry Met Sally… exemplifies the late Nora Ephron’s screenwriting talents. The hit dramedy takes place over the span of a decade as two acquaintances reunite during a series of chance encounters. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan star in this will-they-won’t-they romance, which features that famous deli scene.
9. Hail, Ceasar! (2016)
The Coen brothers are known for their dry sense of humour, and their homage to Old Hollywood is no exception. 2016’s Hail, Caesar! follows the foiled kidnapping of leading man Baird Whitlock (George Clooney). The film also serves as a who’s who of the studio era — Tilda Swinton and Scarlett Johansson play archetypes of gossip columnist Hedda Hopper and aquatic aficionado Esther Williams, respectively.
10. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
The legendary troupe of British comedians satirizes the legend of King Arthur in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Iconic bits like the Knights who say “Ni!” aside, the comedy is also recognizable for its staying power: long before comedies like Mean Girls and Beetlejuice hit the Broadway stage, Holy Grail paved the way with the Tony-winning Spamalot, which premiered 30 years after the film’s release.
11. Ali Wong: Baby Cobra (2016)
Wong’s first-ever Netflix special put her on the map for a reason. In Baby Cobra, Wong pulls no punches when it comes to discussing pregnancy, motherhood, and feminism.
12. Don’t Look Up (2021)
Netflix has proven itself as an Oscars contender thanks to its slate of original films — just take it from Don’t Look Up. Adam McKay’s disaster satire isn’t exactly a laugh-out-loud comedy, but its cast of Hollywood all-stars (Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, and Meryl Streep, to name a few) will undoubtedly make you chuckle in the face of existential dread.
13. Bullet Train (2022)
Flanked by a stellar supporting cast including Sandra Bullock, Brian Tyree Henry, and Joey King, Brad Pitt fends off a group of adversarial assassins. The film’s director, David Leitch, is no stranger to the action comedy genre: he previously helmed Deadpool 2.
14. A Cinderella Story (2004)
Jennifer Coolidge wouldn’t have had her White Lotus renaissance without her stellar performance as the evil stepmother in A Cinderella Story. The teen rom com, which stars Hilary Duff and Chad Michael Murray, is ‘00s camp at its finest. Come for the modern take on the classic fairytale, stay for the fashion inspo (and Coolidge’s impeccable delivery, of course).
15. This is the End (2013)
Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, and their comedic contemporaries parody themselves (and the entire disaster genre) in This is the End. Part of this film’s allure comes from its hilarious celebrity cameos — keep your eyes peeled for stars like Paul Rudd, Emma Watson, and Rihanna.
16. Bo Burnham: Inside (2021)
Most of us remember 2020 as the year we couldn’t leave our homes. Filmmaker and comedian Bo Burnham spent his quarantine writing, directing, and filming his latest special, Inside. Burnham reflects on isolation and the fleeting satisfaction of social media, using his musical talents to create songs as dark as they are droll.
17. Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)
Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling had on-screen chemistry way before La La Land. But they’re hardly the icing on the cake in Crazy, Stupid, Love: Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Kevin Bacon, and Marisa Tomei also star in the romantic comedy, which follows a couple’s dissolving marriage.
Written by Hannah Mallach for Harper’s Bazaar US
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