Comedy as a genre is a huge umbrella that ranges from wacky slapstick to the driest witty satire, and one of the best subgenres on that spectrum is dark comedy. Typically balancing humor, drama, and painfully real topics, it is a sweet spot for those looking for something to laugh at with a bit more edge. Luckily, Netflix has a fantastic catalog filled with some of the best in the business, and we’ve picked out the best of the best! Here are our picks for the best dark comedy movies on Netflix.

For more recommendations, check out our list of the best R-rated comedy movies on Netflix and the best movies and shows on the platform across all genres.

Disclaimer: These titles are available on US Netflix.

Rotten Tomatoes: 88% | IMDb: 7.2/10

The Menu

Release Date

November 18, 2022

Runtime

106 minutes

Director

Mark Mylod

Writers

Seth Reiss, Will Tracy

With our recent obsession with media depicting the kitchen lives of elite chefs, The Menu presents a delightfully dark setting for its takedown of the wealthy and the harm they can cause. Director Mark Mylod (Succession) invites audiences to the private island of a famous chef, played by Ralph Fiennes (Conclave), where he hosts an exclusive dinner for a handful of affluent clients that takes a deadly turn. Joining Fiennes is an ensemble cast including Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen’s Gambit), Nicholas Hoult (Nosferatu), Hong Chau (The Whale), and John Leguizamo (Violent Night). The unsettling atmosphere that Mylod creates as he guides viewers through the twists and turns of this demented dinner is spectacular, breaking the tension with understated humor that only highlights the horror.

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‘Hit Man’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes: 95% | IMDb: 6.8/10

Hit Man

Release Date

May 24, 2024

Runtime

116 minutes

Director

Richard Linklater

Producers

Jason Bateman, John Sloss, Julie Goldstein, Steve Barnett, Stuart Ford, Glen Powell, Michael Costigan, Alan Powell, Shivani Rawat, Mike Blizzard, Miguel Palos, Megan Creydt, Scott Brown

Director Richard Linklater (Boyhood) teams up with Hollywood’s handsome boy Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick), who co-wrote the script in addition to starring in the film, to present a dark romantic comedy based on a true story. Hit Man tells the story of a mild-mannered psychology professor who helps the police catch people soliciting hired killings by posing as an assassin in various sting operations. Unfortunately, the whole operation goes topsy-turvy when he meets a femme fatale, played by Adria Arjona (Andor). A standout aspect of the film is the way that Powell shows off his acting chops by taking on custom-made personas for each client, allowing him to don a series of different characters that feel unique and interesting.

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‘Kneecap’ (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes: 96% | IMDb: 7.6/10

Kneecap

Release Date

January 18, 2024

Director

Rich Peppiatt

Writers

Rich Peppiatt

Cast

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Starring the actual members of the rebellious Irish rap group, the titular Kneecap, this wild dark comedy about the real and unreal origin of the group is a battle cry for resistance, the pursuit of artistic passions, and the preservation of culture. Unlike a lot of boilerplate music biopics that squeeze the complexities of life into a digestible hero’s journey, Director Rich Peppiatt presents a narrative about a messy trio of Belfast boys who harness their opposition to the British occupation of Ireland into the creation of hip-hop in their native Irish language — an act that stirs up trouble all over Northern Ireland, including putting them in the cross-hairs of a group of dissident Irish republicans. The film has all the sex, drugs, and raucous music you’d expect while highlighting the spirit of collective rebellion at the core of hip-hop.

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‘I Used to Be Funny’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes: 83% | IMDb: 6.4/10

I Used to Be Funny

Release Date

June 7, 2024

Runtime

105 Minutes

Director

Ally Pankiw

Writers

Ally Pankiw

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Another dazzling display of talent by Rachel Sennott (Shiva Baby), I Used to Be Funny is a tale of tragedies wrapped in the foil of comedy. And I don’t mean that figuratively, as this beautifully crafted non-linear story, written and directed by Ally Pankiw in her directorial debut, centers around Sennott as a stand-up comedian dealing with depression and PTSD after a series of devastating events unfold surrounding her nanny job. Throughout the film, the audience is treated to flashbacks that shed light on the mental state of the main character while slowly peeling back the layers of a mystery. Light spoiler because I value trigger warnings: this movie does contain sexual assault, so be prepared before diving in.

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‘Parasite’ (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes: 99% | IMDb: 8.5/10

Parasite

Release Date

November 8, 2019

Runtime

132 minutes

Director

Bong Joon Ho

Writers

Jin Won Han, Bong Joon Ho

Bong Joon-ho’s class conflict masterpiece has the pitch-black comedic vibes of a classic Coen Brothers film while showcasing how wealth inequality is a struggle felt all around the world. Parasite follows the Kims, a poor family who lie their way into the service of a wealthy family to get a taste of the luxuries they enjoy. Unfortunately, things quickly start to unravel, leading the lies to escalate to murder. Bong’s film perfectly juxtaposes the gritty reality of struggling to live off of poverty wages against the lavish opulence of an excess of wealth. The main thing anchoring the audience throughout the story is the performance of the family, led by Song Kang-ho, who takes on the role of the patriarch, which feels grounded, charming, and deliciously dysfunctional.

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‘Tully’ (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes: 86% | IMDb: 6.9/10

Tully

Release Date

May 4, 2018

Runtime

96 minutes

Director

Jason Reitman

Joining forces to explore the human condition once again, director Jason Reitman and writer Diablo Cody present a story about motherhood featuring a revelatory performance from Charlize Theron. Following Theron as a dreadfully tired mother of three whose marriage has gone stagnant, the film is a surprisingly raw depiction of parental struggles intertwined with coming to terms with the fears and realities of aging. As expected, Cody has filled the script with her patented witty dialogue that brings a wonderful sense of humor to help guide the viewers through a relatable situation. There are also some fantastical elements that are sure to spark up some deep conversations.

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‘Down Low’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes: 71% | IMDb: 5.6/10

Down Low

Release Date

October 10, 2023

Runtime

90 Minutes

Director

Rightor Doyle

Writers

Lukas Gage

Written by Lukas Gage (The White Lotus), who also stars alongside Zachary Quinto, Down Low is a deathly funny comedy about embracing not just one’s sexuality but life itself. Gage and Quinto, two actors who themselves came out later in their careers, play a duo who must hide a body after they accidentally kill a man while trying to get Quinto’s character to have his first sexual encounter with a man. Though the setup is fairly simple, the execution is fantastic, as Gage and Quinto complement one another’s performances by bringing a fair amount of themselves to the roles. The scenarios get more and more absurd as they attempt to deal with this body, but through all the absurdity, there is a great amount of heart that shines through to the end.

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‘Do Revenge’ (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes: 86% | IMDb: 6.3/10

Do Revenge

Release Date

September 16, 2022

Runtime

118 minutes

Director

Jennifer Kaytin Robinson

Writers

Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, Celeste Ballard

Camila Mendes (Riverdale) and Maya Hawke (Stranger Things) do a Strangers on a Train-meets-Mean Girls in this sleek teen comedy about crushing your enemies. Do Revenge has Mendes and Hawke as two scorned high school girls who make a deal to ruin the lives of the ones who have hurt them. Despite the hilarious elements of the film, it also tackles issues that modern teens deal with, like partners sharing intimate photos and videos and the ways that spreading rumors can socially destroy a teen’s life. Mendes and Hawke are a perfect pair as they bounce off one another as foils: one is wrathful and wild while the other is level-headed and mild. It’s a satisfying revenge tale for lovers of ’90s teen comedies.

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