10 Funniest Movies of the Past 10 Years, Ranked
As much as we love heartbreaking dramas and gripping thrillers, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a great comedy. Comedy movies come in all shapes and forms, merging with other genres to deliver entertaining journeys that blend tropes and themes from across the board. In the hands of a great filmmaker, these movies have a way of using humor to examine and accept the hardest truths of life. The one thing all comedies aspire to, however, is a simple yet deceptively difficult goal: to be funny.
The past decade has given us a host of great comedies and dramedies that have raised the bar for the industry while delivering a lot of laughs for audiences. Some are simple entertainers, while others are layered, almost literary works of art, but all of them are hilarious in their own way. Here’s our ranked selection of some of the funniest movies of the last 10 years, including both massive international hits and lesser-known gems.
10
‘Thelma’ (2024)
Written and directed by Josh Margolin in his feature debut, Thelma stars June Squibb as the titular protagonist, a 93-year-old woman living alone who falls for a phone scam and loses $10,000. Having lost her savings and feeling betrayed, Thelma sets out to find the criminals and get her money back with the reluctant help of her grandson Daniel (Fred Hechinger) and her friend Ben (Richard Roundtree). The comedy drama also stars Parker Posey, Clark Gregg, and Malcolm McDowell in supporting roles.
Inspired by the real-life experience of Margolin’s own grandmother, Thelma is an inspirational slice-of-life comedy. The narrative takes a lighthearted approach to sensitive and serious subjects without trivializing them, eliciting hearty laughs. Squibb is brilliant as a nonagenarian on a mission, and watching her character refuse to become a victim of a con and seek payback isn’t just delightful to watch — it feels hopeful and heartwarming. A critically acclaimed film, Thelma has earned several awards and accolades.
9
‘The Farewell’ (2019)
Written and directed by Lulu Wang, The Farewell tells the story of Billi (Awkwafina), a Chinese-American woman who finds out that her grandmother, referred to as Nai Nai, has a fatal illness, leaving her only a short time to live. To give Nai Nai a memorable send-off, Billi’s family heads to China for a wedding, gathering the entire family together one last time, without letting Nai Nai know about her illness. Tzi Ma and Diana Lin star as Billi’s parents, with Zhao Shu-zhen as Nai Nai.
The Farewell is a poignant and funny comedy-drama that explores complicated family dynamics, relationships, and emotions arising out of devastating news. The film was critically acclaimed for its heartfelt exploration of death and grief, as well as the realistic humor it draws from honest emotions and grounded experiences. Awkwafina delivers a revelatory performance as the grieving Billi, which earned her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Musical or Comedy. The film also earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.
8
‘The Nice Guys’ (2016)
Directed and co-written by Shane Black, The Nice Guys follows Holland March (Ryan Gosling), a private detective searching for a missing girl named Amelia (Margaret Qualley). When he learns that Amelia hired a tough enforcer named Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe) to hunt him down, Holland reluctantly teams up with Jackson to look for Amelia and uncover the truth. The film also features Angourie Rice, Matt Bomer, Keith David, and Kim Basinger in supporting roles.
A buddy black comedy thriller set in 1977 Los Angeles, The Nice Guys is a quirky and colorful neo-noir movie, with remarkable period aesthetics and an era-specific soundtrack that uses popular songs from the decade to create the perfect atmosphere. The film’s biggest highlight is the unexpectedly enjoyable chemistry between Crowe and Gosling, propelled by their witty dialogue and Gosling’s surprising talent for physical comedy. It’s a nostalgic and entertaining movie that’s heavily reminiscent of ’70s detective capers like The Long Goodbye and other buddy comedies of the decade.
7
‘Logan Lucky’ (2017)
Directed by Steven Soderbergh, Logan Lucky is an action heist comedy starring Channing Tatum, Daniel Craig, Adam Driver, and Riley Keough in lead roles. The movie follows Jimmy Logan (Tatum), a construction worker who is unjustly fired from his job at the Charlotte Motor Speedway following an injury. Teaming up with his siblings, Mellie (Keough) and Clyde (Driver), Jimmy puts together a plan to rob the speedway with help from incarcerated safecracker Joe Bang (Craig) and his thickheaded brothers, Fish (Jack Quaid) and Sam (Brian Gleeson). The film also features Seth MacFarlane, Katie Holmes, Hilary Swank, Katherine Waterston, and Sebastian Stan in supporting roles.
Logan Lucky might not be as slick and sharp as Soderbergh’s Ocean’s series, but it features all the right ingredients of a well-executed heist comedy with straightforward humor and quirky characters. It’s the simplicity of the narrative that really sells the movie, with unpretentious characters and a rooted plot paired with brilliant comedic action pieces. The film also features some highly compelling performances by its terrific ensemble cast, delivering an energetic crime comedy that’s everything a genre fan could ask for.
6
‘Crazy Rich Asians’ (2018)
Directed by Jon M. Chu and adapted from Kevin Kwan’s eponymous satirical novel, Crazy Rich Asians revolves around Rachel (Constance Wu), a Chinese-American professor, and her boyfriend, Nicholas “Nick” Young (Henry Golding). When Nick takes Rachel to Singapore to meet his parents, she’s shocked to find out that they’re one of the wealthiest families in the country, practically royalty, and way out of her league. The romantic comedy drama features an ensemble supporting cast that includes Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan, Lisa Lu, Awkwafina, Ken Jeong, Harry Shum Jr., and Ronny Chieng.
On its release, Crazy Rich Asians became the biggest hit of the summer of 2018, a massive box office success, and one of the highest-grossing rom-coms of the last decade. Despite some criticisms, the rom-com has been widely acclaimed by critics for its intelligent storytelling, strong performances, and setting an example of Asian representation in Hollywood. The movie is most noted for Michelle Yeoh’s marvelous performance as Nick’s overbearing mother, Eleanor, bringing a commanding aura and understated comedy to the role that proved an instant hit with audiences.
5
‘Deadpool’ (2016)
Directed by Tim Miller in his debut and based on the eponymous Marvel Comics character, Deadpool is a spin-off of the X-Men film series starring Ryan Reynolds as the titular antihero. The movie follows Wade Wilson (Reynolds) as he attempts to hunt down the people responsible for giving him mutant abilities and kidnapping the love of his life. The adult superhero action comedy also stars Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein, T.J. Miller, Gina Carano, and Brianna Hildebrand in supporting roles.
One of the most highly anticipated superhero movies of all time, Deadpool was a massive box office hit and a critical success at the time of its release, becoming the highest-grossing film in the X-Men franchise and the highest-grossing R-rated film up to that point. It marked a turning point for Reynolds’ acting career, becoming one of his most popular performances and spawning two successful sequels, Deadpool 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine. It’s an action-packed superhero comedy that expertly balances wicked humor with poignant moments, standing out from the crowd with its wry, meta comedy and fourth-wall-breaking satire of the superhero genre.
4
‘Hail Ceasar!’ (2016)
A black comedy mystery film written, produced, edited, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, Hail Caesar! explores a fictional story about real-life studio fixer Eddie Mannix, played by Josh Brolin. Set in the 1950s, the movie follows Eddie, working at Capitol Pictures, as he faces his biggest challenge when celebrated star Baird Whitlock (George Clooney) is kidnapped while filming for the titular epic, the studio’s biggest production. With a disgruntled director (Ralph Fiennes) on his back, Eddie sets out to find Baird, simultaneously dealing with a pregnant starlet (Scarlett Johansson), a singing cowboy (Alden Ehrenreich), a handsome dancer (Channing Tatum), and twin gossip columnists (Tilda Swinton).
A critical and commercial success, Hail Caesar! is a brilliant comedy satirizing art, entertainment, and the contemporary political climate. Set in the Golden Age of Hollywood, the black comedy is a visual and audio delight with impeccable period detail and spot-on casting, with Tatum’s jaw-dropping dance performance providing the perfect finishing touch. A fun love letter to post-war Hollywood, it bears all the hallmarks of the Coen Brothers’ signature storytelling style, with plenty of punchy dialogue and off-center comedy.
3
‘The Death of Stalin’ (2017)
Written and directed by Armando Iannucci, The Death of Stalin is a political satire based on Thierry Robin and Fabien Nury’s French graphic novel, La Mort de Staline. The film follows the sudden death of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin (Adrian McLoughlin), resulting in a chaotic social and political power struggle among the members of the Soviet Central Committee, each willing to go to extreme lengths to become the new leader. The film stars an A-list ensemble cast that includes Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, Paddy Considine, Rupert Friend, Jason Isaacs, and Olga Kurylenko, among others.
The Death of Stalin premiered in the Platform section at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival, earning near-universal acclaim. It’s a riotous political satire that cleverly dissects power politics and internal drama through slapstick comedy and dry humor, derived from the pettiness and incompetence of the characters, the dysfunctionality of bureaucracy, and the sheer absurdity of the whole exercise. Iannucci successfully brings his brand of humor to the movie’s largely factual story, turning grave historical events into a well-written modern farce that’s further elevated by the impeccable comedic performances of its superb cast.
2
‘Dolemite Is My Name’ (2019)
Directed by Craig Brewer and written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, Dolemite Is My Name is a biographical comedy dramatizing the life of singer-comedian-actor-filmmaker Rudy Ray Moore, best known for creating and performing the titular character that featured his stand-up routines and blaxploitation films through the 1970s. Starring Eddie Murphy in the lead role, the film follows Rudy, a struggling comedian, as he creates an outlandish stage persona called Dolemite and sets out to turn him into a Hollywood sensation. The comedy biopic also stars Wesley Snipes, Keegan-Michael Key, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Tituss Burgess, Tasha Smith, and Snoop Dogg in key roles.
Combining a stylish retro look with an undeniably hilarious story, Dolemite Is My Name is a quirky and fun take on ’70s Hollywood culture that was widely praised by critics and fans alike at the time of its release. A sharply crafted period comedy, the movie is most noted for Murphy’s unabashed and audacious portrayal of Rudy Moore, which is arguably one of the actor’s best roles ever. The film earned multiple awards and was named one of the top 10 movies of the year by both the National Board of Review and the African-American Film Critics Association.
1
‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ (2022)
Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, aka The Daniels, Everything Everywhere All at Once follows the story of Evelyn Quan Wang (Michelle Yeoh), a Chinese-American immigrant who runs a laundromat with her husband, Waymond (Ke Huy Quan). While being audited by IRS agent Deirdre Beaubeirdre (Jamie Lee Curtis), Evelyn finds herself drawn into a multiversal adventure to stop a sinister entity from destroying the world, channeling the abilities of her alternate selves from various parallel universes. The film also features Stephanie Hsu and James Wong in key supporting roles.
Produced and distributed by A24, Everything Everywhere All at Once is a fantastical sci-fi action comedy with prominent elements of absurdism, surrealism, existentialism, generational trauma, and the Asian-American identity. On its release, the film was a massive critical and commercial success, winning several awards and making history at the Academy Awards. Michelle Yeoh’s phenomenal performance won the actor an Academy Award for Best Actress, as did Huy Quan and Curtis for their supporting roles. The movie also bagged the Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Screenplay.
