Out of every genre of entertainment that exists, comedy is one that is the most sought-after. Be it plays, daily soaps, or movies. Talking about movies, multiple comedy movies have come and gone, but some of them left a mark that has stood the test of time and will continue to do so, and here, we have a list of the 15 funniest movies of all time. So, if you are out looking to watch one, why not pick from the best?
15. The Kid (1921)
- Release Date: January 21, 1921
- Director: Charlie Chaplin
- Cast: Charlie Chaplin, Jackie Coogan, Edna Purviance, Carl Miller
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 8.2/100%
No matter how many years pass, Charlie Chaplin and his comedic brilliance will never fade away, and there is no way that while making a list of the greatest comedy movies of all time, his work does not get a mention. The Kid was the first full-length feature film from Charlie Chaplin, where we see him playing a little tramp who discovers an orphan, and circumstances lead him to take the kid under his wing.
However, as he gets attached to the child, the kid is taken away by the orphanage and he is left heartbroken. The movie is a simple, silent comedy movie, but to this day, it holds perfectly and is a must-watch if you are a comedy enthusiast.
14. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
- Release Date: June 15, 1948
- Director: Charles Barton
- Cast: Bud Abbott, Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Jr., Glenn Strange, Charles Bradstreet, Lenore Aubert, Jane Randolph, Frank Ferguson
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 7.3/90%
Abbot and Costello ruled over the comedy scene with a series of horror comedies, and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein was one of the first entries in a long run of movies that followed. In this one, we see that the protagonists work as baggage handlers. Everything was normal until a couple of crates meant for the house of horrors were mishandled by Wilbur (Lou Costello).
The manager of the museum asks the two of them to deliver the crates personally so they could be inspected for insurance, but as it turns out, the crates were not carrying any ordinary cargo, resulting in a hilarious and scary adventure.
13. The Mask (1994)
- Release Date: July 29, 1994
- Director: Chuck Russell
- Cast: Jim Carrey, Cameron Diaz, Peter Greene, Peter Riegert, Amy Yasbeck, Richard Jeni, Ben Stein, Jim Doughan
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 7/80%
When we are talking about the funniest movies of all time, there is no way that this list would be complete without The Mask getting a mention. This movie can easily be dubbed as one of the finest works put out by Jim Carry. In The Mask, we see Jim play the role of Stanley Ipkiss, who discovers an ancient mask with the spirit of the Norse god Loki, and what follows is a joyride you’ll never forget. If you are into movies that operate on absurdist humor, this one was handcrafted for your taste.
12. Dumb and Dumber (1994)
- Release Date: December 6, 1994
- Director: Peter Farrelly
- Cast: Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, Lauren Holly, Brady Bluhm, Mike Starr, Cam Neely, Karen Duffy, Charles Rocket
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 7.3/69%
Once again, we have Jim Carry in the house, accompanied by none other than Harry Dunne. They play the roles of Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne, two friends who, let’s just say, are not the brightest. One day, they stumble upon a bag of cash left behind in their car by Mary Swanson (Lauren Holly). The duo decides to drive to Aspen, Colorado, to return the money, but what they didn’t know was that the cash was related to a crime. What follows is a journey that will tickle your nerves in the best way possible.
11. The Full Monty (1997)
- Release Date: August 13, 1997
- Director: Peter Cattaneo
- Cast: Robert Carlyle, Mark Addy, Steve Huison, Hugo Speer, Wim Snape, Lesley Sharp, Tom Wilkinson, Paul Barber, Emily Woof
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 7.2/96%
The Full Monty is a hilarious story about a steel factory worker named Gaz, played by Robert Carlyle, who lost his job and is under threat by his ex-wife for a lawsuit regarding failure to pay child support. In his desperation, he teams up with his friends and decides to start a male stripping act. The story is truly one of a kind and if you’re looking forward to finding a watch that will leave you laughing as well as with a feeling of wholesomeness.
10. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
- Release Date: April 9, 2004
- Director: Edgar Wright
- Cast: Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield, Jessica Hynes, Peter Serafinowicz, Bill Nighy, Lucy Davis, Dylan Moran
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 7.8/92%
Shawn of the Dead is probably one of the best if you are into horror comedy, especially one featuring zombies. The movie revolves around Shawn, an electronics salesman who is leading an uneventful life in London.
However, things take a massive turn when a zombie outbreak takes over the city, and he channels the hero within him to go save his girlfriend. This movie, even though simple, is an absolute menace. So, if you are craving for some zombie action paired with a dose of humor, Shawn of the Dead is what you should go for.
9. Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)
- Release Date: July 30, 2004
- Director: Danny Leiner
- Cast: Kal Penn, John Cho, Paula Garcés, Malin Akerman, Neil Patrick Harris, Christopher Meloni, Bobby Lee, Kate Kelton
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 7/75%
If you’re into what can be categorised as adult comedy, Harold and Kumar is a franchise that I would recommend with every fibre of my being. Harold and Kumar: Go to White Castle, in particular, is the best outing from the franchise in my opinion. In this movie, we see two friends, Harold and Kumar, fighting a serious case of munchies, and all they want is White Castle sliders.
To acquire them, the two friends go to lengths one can only imagine, and the journey takes them to places and people that are an absolute treat to witness. So, if you are looking for something chaotic yet unfathomably funny, this right here is the way to go.
8. Borat (2006)
- Release Date: March 30, 2007
- Director: Larry Charles
- Cast: Sacha Baron Cohen, Ken Davitian, Pamela Anderson, Luenell Campbell, Andre Myers, Jean-Pierre Parent
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 7.4/90%
Borat can be classified as a satirical comedy where we see a reporter from Kazakhstan, comes to the United States to make a documentary on why America is the greatest nation in the world. However, things don’t really go as planned, and along his way, he manages to offend almost everyone he meets and also falls in love with the actress Pamela Anderson, and sets out on a mission to get her to marry him, which results in a hilarious series of events.
7. Superbad (2007)
- Release Date: October 26, 2007
- Director: Greg Mottola
- Cast: Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Emma Stone, Bill Hader, Martha MacIsaac, Aviva Baumann
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 7.6/88%
If high school comedies are your jam, Superbad is handcrafted for you. In this movie, we see three friends who are generally not taken seriously but somehow manage to get invited to a house party. They use every trick in the book to score enough alcohol for the entire party, but just when things seem to be going their way, some unexpected events involving deadbeat cops turn things around for the worse.
6. In Bruges (2008)
- Release Date: June 20, 2008
- Director: Martin McDonagh
- Cast: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Clémence Poésy, Ralph Fiennes, Jordan Prentice, Thekla Reuten, Elizabeth Berrington
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 7.9/84%
In Bruges revolves around Ray (Colin Farrell), a professional hitman who accidentally killed a child during a hit, and is sent to Bruges along with his mentor Ken Daley by his boss Harry to wait for further orders. However, his mistake is too big to be ignored, so Ray’s boss asks Ken to kill him. However, Ken is not able to go through with it, and seeing his failure to carry out orders, Harry himself shows up in Burges. The confrontation between the three of them leads to a hilarious series of events you should definitely check out.
5. The Hangover (2009)
- Release Date: June 26, 2009
- Director: Todd Phillips
- Cast: Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms, Todd Phillips, Justin Bartha, Ken Jeong, Heather Graham, Sasha Barrese, Jeffrey Tambor, Mike Tyson
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 7.7/79%
If we talk about a generational comedy movie, The Hangover takes the spot on any given day. This movie revolves around a group of friends, one of whom, Doug, is getting married. To have his bachelor party, he and his three friends drive to Las Vegas and let it loose.
However, the next morning, the three friends do not recall anything that happened last night, and to top it all off, Doug is missing. Now, the three of them trace their steps back to find him, which leads to an experience that will make you rewatch this movie over and over again.
4. The Intouchables (2011)
- Release Date: July 13, 2012
- Director: Olivier Nakache, Éric Toledano
- Cast: Omar Sy, François Cluzet, Audrey Fleurot, Anne Le Ny, Philippe Pozzo di Borgo, Alba Gaïa Bellugi, Clotilde Mollet
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 8.5/75%
The Intouchables is one of the most wholesome comedy movies you can stumble upon. This movie takes us to a rich widower who becomes a quadriplegic in a paragliding accident. Now, he needs someone for live-in care, and out of everyone, he chooses Driss, a man with a criminal record. This movie is funny, but in a way that would not just make you laugh, but also in a way that would warm up your heart, so if you are having a really low day, The Intouchables is a movie that would turn the tide on your day.
3. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
- Release Date: March 6, 2014
- Director: Wes Anderson
- Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Bill Murray, Tony Revolori, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, Willem Dafoe, Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, F. Murray Abraham
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 8.1/92%
The Grand Budapest Hotel is a Wes Anderson classic and brings in Ralph Fiennes as Gustave H., the manager and owner of the hotel. There, he befriends a lobby boy named Zero, and everything seems to be going all right, unless one of the guests dies in the hotel and Gustave becomes the prime suspect of her murder. If you are a fan of classics, you would find the style of Wes Anderson very similar to it, with a touch of modernity, creating a unique experience in itself.
2. The Nice Guys (2015)
- Release Date: May 20, 2016
- Director: Shane Black
- Cast: Ryan Gosling, Russell Crowe, Angourie Rice, Margaret Qualley, Matt Bomer, Kim Basinger
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 7.4/91%
Looking for an action comedy, or maybe something that will have you rolling on the floor? The Nice Guys is the perfect pick for you. This movie brings you Ryan Gosling, along with Russle Crowe, where both the actors play private detectives who have to team up with each other due to certain circumstances to solve a case. However, the two men barely get along, which gives off a dynamic that is as hilarious as it gets. On top of that, The Nice Guys also offers some pretty awesome action sequences, giving you the best of both worlds.
1. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)
- Release Date: April 22, 2022
- Director: Tom Gormican
- Cast: Nicolas Cage, Lily Mo Sheen, Pedro Pascal, Alessandra Mastronardi, Demi Moore, Sharon Horgan, Paco León, Tiffany Haddish, Neil Patrick Harris, Katrin Vankova, Jacob Scipio
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 7/87%
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is one of the best buddy comedy movies you can get your hands on. This movie stars Nicholas Cage as Nick Cage and Pedro Pascal as a mafia boss who is a raging fanboy of the actor. Now, Nick Cage has been a superstar, but his fame has gone down, and he is out of work. However, he is invited by the Mafia boss on his birthday in exchange for a good amount of money, which he couldn’t refuse.
Following this, the CIA nabs him and forces him to turn into their informant, but as Nick reaches the venue, he starts befriending the mafia boss and finds out the story he has been made aware of is not entirely true. This movie is the pinnacle of buddy comedy we have received in a while, and if you miss out on this one, trust me, you are missing out on one of the funniest movies of all time.
So, these were the top 15 funniest movies ever made. What is your pick for the binge-watch session?
