8 Funniest Movies on Netflix
People watch movies for all sorts of reasons, but the biggest one is also the simplest: to have fun. And what could be more fun than a hilarious comedy? Since the very beginnings of cinema, filmmakers have pulled every trick in the book to make audiences laugh, and though they’re not always successful, it’s so very satisfying when they do manage it. Thanks to streaming services like Netflix, audiences can now watch the funniest movies ever made from the comfort of their own homes.
Netflix has a huge collection of hilarious movies in its catalog — so huge, in fact, that it can be pretty hard to separate the real laugh riots from the duds. That’s why we’ve done the work for you. Read on to discover our selection of the funniest movies you can stream right now on Netflix, including both beloved classics and more modern hits.
8
‘Horrible Bosses’ (2011)
A black comedy crime movie directed by Seth Gordon, Horrible Bosses follows best friends Nick (Jason Bateman), Dale (Charlie Day), and Kurt (Jason Sudeikis), who are constantly mistreated and abused by their respective employers, Dave (Kevin Spacey), Dr. Julia (Jennifer Aniston), and Bobby (Colin Farrell). Desperate for payback, the three of them hatch a plan to murder each other’s bosses, with help from inept “murder consultant” Dean Jones (Jamie Foxx).
Horrible Bosses had a pretty mixed critical reception at the time of its premiere, but it was praised for its creative humor and strong ensemble cast. Witty, wild, and pretty crude, the film’s comedy is rooted in the universal employee fantasy of wanting to get rid of their despicable bosses. Drawing on the post-recession resentment of the early 2010s, the film’s darkly humorous caricature of working-class frustrations and critique of employer expectations still resonates well with audiences. All those elements come together to make Horrible Bosses one of the most cathartic workplace comedies ever.
7
‘Anger Management’ (2003)
Directed by Peter Segal and written by David S. Dorfman, Anger Management follows the story of David “Dave” Buznik, a regular businessman who gets caught up in a fateful incident on board a plane and is sentenced to an anger management program. To Dave’s surprise, his renowned and unconventional therapist, Dr. Buddy Rydell, uses the wildest methods of treatment to help him overcome his rage. Adam Sandler stars as Dave, Jack Nicholson as Dr. Rydell, and Marisa Tomei as Dave’s girlfriend, Linda, with Luis Guzmán, Woody Harrelson, and John Turturro in supporting roles.
A combination of zany, slapstick, and absurd humor, Anger Management earned mixed reviews at the time of its release but was a box office success. Though it might not be the most inspired comedy, the film has genuinely funny moments and derives a lot of its humor from Nicholson’s comedic timing and on-screen chemistry with Sandler. The film’s commercial success led to the creation of a television series of the same name, with Charlie Sheen replacing Adam Sandler as the central character.
6
‘Hot Shots!’ (1991)
Directed and co-written by Jim Abrahams of the filmmaking trio Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker, Hot Shots! is a parody of military-service-pilot drama films, particularly Top Gun. The movie follows Lieutenant Sean “Topper” Harley (Charlie Sheen), a renegade Navy pilot struggling with his past, who tries to overcome his fears and help save the Navy’s new aircraft from a conspiracy involving a corrupt defense contractor. Besides Sheen, the comedy film also stars an ensemble supporting cast that includes Cary Elwes, Valeria Golino, Lloyd Bridges, Jon Cryer, Kevin Dunn, Kristy Swanson, and Bill Irwin.
A solid box office hit in its day, Hot Shots! is a masterpiece of parody and nonsensical humor. Though primarily a Top Gun spoof, the movie also parodies scenes and elements from classics like Rocky, Gone with the Wind, Superman, 9½ Weeks, and The Fabulous Baker Boys, lampooning all of them with hilarious precision. The movie earned praise for its sight gags, surreal jokes, and laugh-out-loud moments, elevated by Sheen’s deadpan delivery and Bridges’ perfect comedic timing.
5
‘Unfrosted’ (2024)
The directorial debut of Seinfeld star and co-creator Jerry Seinfeld, Unfrosted is a Netflix original comedy film that’s also his first leading role in a live-action movie. Loosely inspired by the real-life invention of Pop-Tarts, the film presents a fictional tale about the rivalry between the leading cereal brands Kellogg’s and Post, which led to a revolutionary breakfast food in 1960s America. Besides Seinfeld, the movie’s ensemble cast also includes Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Amy Schumer, and Hugh Grant, among others.
Unfrosted had very polarized reactions at the time of its release, with some critics giving it scathing reviews, while others found it to be a silly slapstick comedy that delivers exactly what it’s supposed to do: make you laugh. With a fun mix of 1960s pop culture parody and sketch-style comedy, the film is undoubtedly campy and eccentric, elevated by its quirky, over-the-top characters and the signature comedy styles of Seinfeld and McCarthy.
4
‘Wicked Little Letters’ (2024)
Directed by Thea Sharrock, Wicked Little Letters is based on a real-life case of libel that occurred in Littlehampton, England, in the early 20th century. Starring Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley, the period black comedy film revolves around a small West Sussex town, where a spinster, Edith Swan (Colman), becomes the target of a series of offensive letters. Her neighbor, single mother Rose Gooding (Buckley), who is infamous for using profanity, is the prime suspect, but local constable Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan) believes there’s more to the story.
True to its title, Wicked Little Letters is a wickedly funny and deliciously dark comedy with tons of dry wit and snappy dialogue. Though it wasn’t a big hit at the time of its release, the film did earn largely favorable reviews and modest box office success. Powered by the compelling performances of Colman, Buckley, and Vasan, the movie uses its verbally graphic humor and exciting mystery-like narrative to deliver a dramatic depiction of how social stereotypes and confirmation bias affect public decisions, upending everyone’s lives.
3
‘Hit Man’ (2023)
Glen Powell stars as the protagonist in this Richard Linklater romantic action-comedy, which he also co-wrote. Based on the eponymous magazine article by Skip Hollandsworth, Hit Man follows Gary Johnson (Powell), a professor of psychology and philosophy, who gets a job as an undercover contractor for the New Orleans Police Department, pretending to be a hitman to catch would-be killers. When a woman named Madison (Adria Arjona) tries to hire him to kill her abusive husband, Gary makes a fateful decision that causes his life and work to take a complicated turn.
Since its release, Hit Man has been highly acclaimed by critics and viewers, earning praise for Linklater’s clever storytelling and for its absurdist comedic spin on self-identity and existential philosophy. The film is most noted for Powell’s elevated performance in the lead, which earned him several accolades, including nominations for a Golden Globe and a Satellite Award. Darkly funny and surprisingly thrilling, Hit Man is a highly satisfying comedy film that delivers a well-thought-out message of how life and identity can be shaped by unexpected circumstances.
2
‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’
A cult classic comedy directed by John Hughes and starring Matthew Broderick in his breakout role, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off follows the titular protagonist (Broderick), a popular and charismatic high school slacker who decides to skip school one day with his best friend, Cameron (Alan Ruck), and girlfriend, Sloane (Mia Sara). Spending their day around the city of Chicago, Ferris and his friends have a series of chaotic misadventures, with Ferris often breaking the fourth wall to share his thoughts with the audience. Jennifer Grey, Jeffrey Jones, Cindy Pickett, Edie McClurg, Lyman Ward, and Charlie Sheen appear in supporting roles.
A story about silly adolescent escapades, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is considered one of the most iconic comedy films of the 1980s, with the teen characters becoming benchmarks of high school archetypes for its time. On its release, the teen comedy was a huge commercial and critical success, becoming the tenth highest-grossing film of 1986, with Broderick earning his first Golden Globe nomination for his performance as the protagonist. Decades after its release, the movie remains one of the most influential comedies of all time.
1
‘Groundhog Day’
Directed by Harold Ramis of Ghostbusters (1984) fame, Groundhog Day tells the story of Phil Connors (Bill Murray), a scornful weatherman from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who is sent to cover the annual Groundhog Day celebration in the small town of Punxsutawney. Along with his producer, Rita (Andie MacDowell), and cameraman, Larry (Chris Elliott), Phil gets stuck in a time loop, living the same snowy day over and over.
Often considered to be one of Bill Murray’s best roles, Groundhog Day is a fantastic blend of time-travel comedy and a bittersweet story of self-discovery and joie de vivre. Murray is delightful as the cynical Phil Connors, and the movie cemented his status as a comedy star and that of Ramis as a beloved comedy filmmaker. Even though Groundhog Day had mixed reviews at the time of its release, the film became a box office success and has gained a cult following over the years. It is now widely ranked among the greatest comedy films ever made.
Groundhog Day
- Release Date
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February 11, 1993
- Runtime
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101 minutes
- Director
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Harold Ramis
- Writers
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Danny Rubin, Harold Ramis
