15 Funniest Movies of All Time (You’ll Want to Watch Them All!)
Comedy lands differently for everyone, which makes ranking the funniest movies feel impossible. Still, some films manage to make most people laugh, even after repeat viewings. Here are some of these that don’t use the same formula, but each one delivers humor that resonates.
21 Jump Street (2012)
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Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum play two young cops forced back into high school to crack a drug ring. 21 Jump Street’s humor plays on their awkwardness and the generational divide they stumble into. It works as both buddy comedy and parody and is filled with chaotic school scenes and bizarre authority figures.
What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
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This New Zealand mockumentary had a modest budget of $1.6 million, yet turned into a global cult favorite. Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement’s story about vampire roommates living in Wellington finds laughter in the mundane in What We Do in the Shadows. Their nightly struggles—like trying to get into clubs—highlight the ridiculousness of ancient beings stuck in modern routines.
Mean Girls (2004)
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Audiences embraced Mean Girls immediately, and it soon became one of the most quoted teen comedies ever. Rachel McAdams became the ultimate cautionary queen bee. The film balances biting humor with enough emotional insight to avoid feeling mean-spirited.
What’s Up, Doc? (1972)
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Chaos takes hold after several identical plaid suitcases land in the wrong hands at a San Francisco hotel. This movie draws on the pattern of classic screwball comedies but updates the look and pace for a 1970s audience.
Tropic Thunder (2008)
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Ben Stiller directed this Hollywood satire, which drops a cast of pampered actors into the jungle under real fire. Robert Downey Jr.’s role received awards, attention, and backlash for its bold approach, while Tom Cruise’s transformation into an aggressive studio exec shocked viewers of Tropic Thunder.
Thelma (2024)
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June Squibb made her first headlining role with this film. She plays a grandmother who chases down a scammer after falling victim to a phone scheme. Critics responded positively to Thelma and praised its humor. It also stands out for showcasing aging characters with respect and wit.
Elf (2003)
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Will Ferrell shows up in a green suit and pointy hat, convinced he belongs in Santa’s workshop. Dropped into Manhattan, he tries to reconnect with a father who’d rather skip Christmas. The candy-fueled optimism is relentless, but it works—the film became a December fixture and pulled in more than $220 million worldwide.
Sick of Myself (2023)
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Sick of Myself centers on Signe, a woman so consumed by envy that she deliberately harms herself to draw public sympathy. Director Kristoffer Borgli leans into discomfort to frame each choice with clinical detachment.
Girls Trip (2017)
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Old friends head to New Orleans for a festival and wind up in one outrageous situation after another. The movie doesn’t hold back, and Tiffany Haddish’s performance stands out from start to finish. Against modest expectations, Girls Trip became a major box office hit, earning more than $140 million worldwide.
The Jerk (1979)
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Absurdity becomes its own logic in The Jerk, a film that revolves around a man who stumbles into wealth and trouble without understanding either. This episodic comedy doesn’t follow a traditional plot but strings together situations that test how far a gag can go.
Hit Man (2024)
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Posing as a fake hit man for police sting operations, a mild-mannered professor finds his identity unraveling as he falls for someone he’s supposed to deceive. Glen Powell’s performance surprised many, as he juggled charm, fear, and improvisation across multiple personas in Hit Man.
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)
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Few comedies have shaped the tone of modern sports spoofs the way Talladega Nights has. Its exaggerated characters, nonsense catchphrases, and mock-serious tone set a template that many have tried to replicate. Will Ferrell’s Ricky Bobby, equal parts swagger and insecurity, led to an instant archetype.
Clerks (1994)
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Shot in grainy black and white on a shoestring budget, Clerks drops you behind the counter of a New Jersey convenience store for a day’s worth of complaints, debates, and dead-end jokes. Kevin Smith wrote it on the clock and filmed it after hours, catching the restless banter that fills slow retail shifts. Sundance noticed, and so did everyone else.
Waking Ned Devine (1998)
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Faking a man’s survival to claim a winning lottery ticket sounds like the setup for a crime thriller, but here it becomes a slow, character-driven comedy. In Waking Ned Devine, an Irish village rallies around a scheme that never turns out to be mean. Audiences appreciated the movie because of its subtle humor, especially when compared to louder comedies of the time.
In the Loop (2009)
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Fast dialogue, political blunders, and verbal abuse fly in every direction in this British political farce. In the Loop takes cues from The Thick of It but expands the chaos to international diplomacy. It was also nominated for an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay and remains admired for its relentless pacing.