The Best Comedies on Netflix Right Now (May 2023)

Run Time: 1 hr 51 min | Director: Aline Brosh McKenna

Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Ashton Kutcher, Zoe Chao, Jesse Williams

Reese Witherspoon (The Morning Show) stars with Ashton Kutcher within the adorably charming rom-com from Aline Brosh McKenna (The Devil Wears Prada), Your Place or Mine. With a refreshingly easy and easygoing plot, Your Place or Mine explores the opposites-attract trope by following a few finest mates (Witherspoon and Kutcher) who’re the antithesis of one another — even going as far as to reside on totally different coasts. Through entertaining shenanigans, Your Place or Mine gives a feel-good comedy with a stellar supporting solid, together with Jesse Williams, Gloria Calderón Kellett (Jane the Virgin), Zoe Chao (The Afterparty), and Tig Notaro. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 29 min | Director: Jeremy Garelick

Cast: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Mark Strong, Adeel Akhtar, John Kani

Murder Mystery 2 stars Adam Sandler (Hustle) and Jennifer Aniston (The Morning Show), reprising their roles from the 2019 movie Murder Mystery for a pleasant sequel directed by Jeremy Garelick. Following the thrilling journey of the primary movie, Nick and Audrey (Sandler and Aniston) are struggling to maintain their personal detective company afloat after they’re invited into a brand new thriller on the marriage ceremony of their buddy The Maharajah, performed as soon as once more by Adeel Akhtar (Sweet Tooth), who’s kidnapped. As their third movie collectively, Sandler and Aniston play off one another seamlessly, revealing their hilarious synchronicity in Murder Mystery 2. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 2 hrs 16 min | Director: Noah Baumbach

Cast: Adam Driver, Greta Gerwig, Don Cheadle, Raffey Cassidy

One of the weirdest satires, White Noise is an absurdist dramedy tailored from the 1985 novel by writer Don DeLillo. Translated for the large display screen by author/director Noah Baumbach, who just isn’t unfamiliar with unconventional premises and scripts, White Noise is tough to outline but straightforward to get pleasure from. White Noise shines with lovely visuals and distinctive cinematography, in addition to the rating from icon Danny Elfman, incomes reward for the expertise behind the digital camera in addition to in entrance. Starring Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig, White Noise follows as they and their 4 kids survive a disastrous Airborne Toxic Event. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 56 min | Director: Shane Black

Cast: Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice, Matt Bomer, Margaret Qualley, Keith David, and Kim Basinger

Between Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang and The Nice Guys, author/director Shane Black has confirmed himself to be the king of crackling neo-noir. In The Nice Guys, you may have personal eye Holland March (Ryan Gosling) and fixer Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe) teaming as much as examine the disappearance of a younger lady (Margaret Qualley), nevertheless it’s all about how Black performs with style conventions and movie tropes to consistently upend expectations. Gosling has by no means been funnier, and in an alternate, higher universe, The Nice Guys would have been a large hit and we would have a tremendous comedian franchise. As it stands, we solely have this film, so a minimum of we will treasure this outing of March and Healy. – Matt Goldberg

Run Time: 1 hr 57 min | Director: Kenya Barris

Cast: Jonah Hill, Lauren London, Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Jonah Hill and Eddie Murphy (Coming 2 America) star within the hilarious household comedy You People, from director Kenya Barris (Black-ish). Co-written by Barris and Hill, You People brings levity to delicate subjects like race and generational clashes. Although centered round a cute romance, the undeniably stellar solid, together with Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever), Nia Long, Lauren London, and David Duchovny, are the true standouts of You People, bringing the humor themselves as an alternative of counting on what generally is a cliche script. Regardless of its shortcomings, You People is entertaining and laugh-out-loud humorous. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 2 hrs 19 min | Director: Rian Johnson

Cast: Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Kathryn Hahn, Janelle Monáe

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is a superb second chapter in Rian Johnson’s good assortment of recent thriller motion pictures. The director’s true expertise just isn’t solely in constructing pressure, producing laughs, and capturing attention-grabbing visuals but additionally in his discreet misdirection by way of uniquely sudden puzzles and twists. Reprising his position because the intelligent investigator Benoit Blanc is Daniel Craig (No Time to Die), who heads to Greece with co-stars Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, and Kathryn Hahn (WandaVision). Undeniably fascinating in each scene is Janelle Monáe, who pulls double responsibility in Glass Onion and is in the end the stand-out of this movie. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 51 min | Director: Amy Poehler

Cast: Amy Poehler, Hadley Robinson, Lauren Tsai, Alycia Pascual-Pena

Based on the novel by Jennifer Mathieu, Moxie is directed by Amy Poehler (Inside Out), who additionally seems within the movie alongside Hadley Robinson, Lauren Tsai, and Alycia Pascual-Pena (Saved by the Bell). Robinson performs Vivian, a shy teenager who, impressed by tales of her mom’s rebellious years, launches an nameless protest with the assist of her mates, confronting her college’s sexism. Poehler’s perspective is evident as a director, permitting the screenplay by Tamara Chestna (Something from Tiffany’s) and Dylan Meyer to talk for itself. Along with a gifted younger solid and an cute romantic subplot, Moxie’s empowering message marks the spotlight of this movie, making it ideally suited for adolescent audiences. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 40 min | Director: Pierre Perifel

Cast: Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Richard Ayoade, and Zazie Beetz

An animated comedy that additionally doubles as a heist movie, which additionally options among the most spectacular visuals of the 12 months, The Bad Guys is a stunning shock that stands out amongst different animated movies. The Bad Guys follows Mr. Wolf (voiced by Sam Rockwell), the chief of “The Bad Guys” robbers, who enjoyment of high-stakes thefts. When the gang will get caught, the group faces rehabilitation, and whereas they principally shrug it off, Mr. Wolf considers the chances of turning good and the way that may be as worthwhile as being dangerous. The Bad Guys has a mode to it that’s instantly fascinating, and it is exhausting to not get caught up within the thrilling story of those animal criminals attempting to see if they will take a break from being dangerous. — Ross Bonaime

Run Time: 1 hr 49 min | Director: Phil Lord, Chris Miller

Cast: Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Brie Larson, Dave Franco

I’m unsure Phil Lord and Chris Miller ever reached the heights of “properly, that should not have labored nevertheless it did” that they reached with their profitable animated comedy about Legos. (Also at present on this checklist!) But wow, they got here shut with their debut function, 21 Jump Street, an adaptation that turned the moody late-80s police procedural right into a buddy-cop comedy starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. To be clear, this film shouldn’t be this good or this humorous, nevertheless it simply is. Hill and Tatum are Morton Schmidt and Greg Jenko, rookie officers despatched undercover at a highschool to trace down whoever is promoting a brand new drug known as HFS. (That’s “Holy Fucking Shit.”) 21 Jump Street is the most effective fashionable tackle the buddy-cop comedy and never having seen it’s a felony in most states [citation needed]. — Vinnie Mancuso

Run Time: 1 hr 58 min | Director: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson

Cast: Camila, Mendes, Maya Hawke, Austin Abrams, Sarah Michelle Gellar

One of Netflix’s newer releases, having simply come out on September sixteenth, Do Revenge brings the black teen comedy of 90s classics like Jawbreaker and Cruel Intentions to a Gen Z viewers. When Drea’s (Camila Mendes) boyfriend spreads intimate footage of her round their elite highschool, she swears to wreak havoc on his life. She meets new pupil Eleanor (Maya Hawke) who has by no means been in a position to shed a horrible rumor portray her as a predator, unfold by one in every of their classmates years prior. They take a web page from Hitchcock and Highsmith’s guide and resolve to do one another’s revenge. Do Revenge might not reside as much as the aforementioned 90s staples, nevertheless it does an ideal job of mixing darkish humor with helpful life classes and stars two of Hollywood’s most promising younger actresses. – Emma Kiely

Run Time: 1 hr 54 min | Director: Mike Rianda

Cast: Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Mike Rianda, Olivia Colman, Fred Armisen, and Beck Bennett

You’ve seen a zillion animated household comedy motion pictures, however The Mitchells vs. the Machines is undoubtedly the most effective. Produced by Phil Lord and Chris Miller and initially made by Sony Pictures Animation – the studio behind Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse – the movie finds a father and daughter struggling to attach, and follows the household as the daddy decides they need to take a street journey to ship her off to varsity the place she’s learning to be a filmmaker.Along the best way, the robotic apocalypse happens, forcing them to work collectively to make it by way of. At each flip The Mitchells vs. the Machines is stunning. It places within the work in order that the emotional scenes hit exhausting, nevertheless it’s additionally wildly colourful and superbly inventive as Mike Rianda pushes the boundaries of visible expression. On prime of all that, the movie is hilarious, bringing to thoughts the colourful comedy of Lord and Miller’s different movies – most notably Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. This film could have you cackling and crying in equal measure, and it’s the most effective movies of 2021 full cease. – Adam Chitwood

Run Time: 1 hr 35 min | Director: Paul King

Cast: Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Waters, Nicole Kidman, Jim Broadbent, and Peter Capaldi

While Paddington 2 usually will get all the eye, 2014’s Paddington is a stunning introduction to the maramalade-loving bear. Voiced by Ben Whishaw, Paddington leaves his residence of Darkest Peru and involves London to discover a new household. Once he’s taken in by the Brown household, Paddington causes a little bit of havoc, however regardless of this, the household ultimately welcomes him in with open arms. Paddington as a franchise is heat and sort, an enthralling collection that’s as filled with coronary heart as humanly doable. After watching Paddington, it’s merely unimaginable to not fall in love with this foolish bear. — Ross Bonaime

Run Time: 1 hr 37 min | Director: Kyle Newacheck

Cast: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Luke Evans

You might generously name Adam Sandler‘s historical past with Netflix unique movies, uh, spotty, however there may be one genuinely uber-charming gem on the checklist within the type of Murder Mystery. Re-teaming the Sandman with Jennifer Aniston after Just Go With It (additionally fairly good!) the movie follows married NYPD officer Nick (Sandler) and hairdresser (Audrey) as they change into more and more entangled in a—you guessed it—homicide thriller aboard the yacht of a billionaire they simply met. Murder Mystery, like most Netflix comedies, is just about designed to be watched within the background with a boisterous bunch of mates, however the sheer skilled film star energy of its two leads actually does elevate it to that subsequent stage.

Run Time: 1 hr 27 min | Director: Michael Showalter

Cast: Kumail Nanjiani, Issa Rae, Paul Sparks, Anna Camp

Man, this film is simply so freaking charming. The Lovebirds stars Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae as a pair on brink of breaking apart after 4 years collectively who abruptly discover themselves on the run after witnessing a homicide. Director David Showalter ultimately settles issues into a reasonably customary set of action-comedy and rom-com beats, however Nanjiani and Rae are so endlessly entertaining because the movie’s two leads, you will just about observe them anyplace. One of Netflix’s extra sadly under-the-radar originals, The Lovebirds is totally price hooking up with once more.

Run Time: 1 hr 28 min | Director: Spike Lee

Cast: Tracy Camilla Johns, Redmond Hicks, John Canada Terrell, Raye Dowell, and Spike Lee

Right away together with his debut movie, Spike Lee locations himself amongst the opposite iconic New York City administrators, like Martin Scorsese and Woody Allen, borrowing from each to make his personal presence generally known as one of many greats, a deserving addition to NYC’s Mount Rushmore of administrators. His greatness can already be seen with She’s Gotta Have It, as Lee tells an advanced story of the love and independence of Nola Darling (Tracy Camilla Johns), a girl who doesn’t wish to be tied all the way down to anyone man, as an alternative in search of her personal pleasure. She’s Gotta Have It reveals Lee’s charisma as an actor and director, as Lee’s character Mars is hilarious on display screen, and behind the digital camera, Lee reveals aptitude even with a small funds, together with a stunning homage to The Wizard of Oz. Right from the start, Lee presents in She’s Gotta Have It a powerful lead character, happy with who she is, and uncompromising in her needs. Already, Lee makes himself a filmmaker not like every other. — Ross Bonaime

Run Time: 1 hr 58 min | Director: J Blakeson

Cast: Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage, Eiza González, Chris Messina, and Dianne Weist

If you want your comedy darkish – and I imply pitch black – you’ll most likely love I Care a Lot. The Netflix unique stars Rosamund Pike as a savvy, unrelenting, and unapologetic con artist who makes a residing by profitable guardianship over elders and utilizing their cash as her personal piggy financial institution. But when her subsequent goal seems to be the mom of a ruthless legal (performed by Peter Dinklage), she finds she might lastly be in over her head. While this movie might have gone fallacious various methods, author/director J Blakeson performs it completely, and the purpose of this satirical comedy comes into clear focus within the last minutes of the movie. Pike is pitch good within the lead position, making a despicable character tremendously watchable. – Adam Chitwood

Run Time: 1 hr 24 min | Director: Kitao Sakurai

Cast: Eric Andre, Lil Rel Howery, and Tiffany Haddish

Bad Trip is outrageously juvenile and can make you snort extremely exhausting. The movie is a cross between Jackass and a conventional street journey comedy, as Eric Andre and Lil Rel Howery play a pair of mates who drive from Florida to New York in order that Andre’s character can observe down the lady of his desires. Hot on their story is Howery’s characters sister, contemporary out of a jail break and performed by Tiffany Haddish. But each scene within the movie is shot as a prank, with unwitting strangers serving because the background and supporting characters all through the film. It’s foolish and embarrassing, but additionally singles out how ridiculous among the tropes in conventional romcoms are – like when Andre breaks out into music in the course of a mall, surrounded by strangers with “WTF?” seems to be on their faces. And be warned, that is insanely R-rated. – Adam Chitwood

Run Time: 1 hr 41 min | Director: Taika Waititi

Cast: Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Rhys Darby, Rima Te Wiata, and Rachel House

If you are within the temper for a whimsical comedy from Thor: Ragnarok author/director Taika Waititi, you completely should see Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Released in 2016, this New Zealand journey film follows a grumpy Sam Neill as he is pressured to group up with a foul-mouthed youngster when the 2 are the goal of a manhunt all through the New Zealand bush. It’s primarily based on an present guide, however in tone and execution Hunt for the Wilderpeople oftentimes looks like an adaptation of a Roald Dahl guide we by no means knew about. It’s pleasant and eccentric and a bit of terrifying, with Waititi’s playful anarchy filling the entire thing out for good measure. This film is assured to place you in temper.

Run Time: 2 hr 3 min | Director: David Dobkin

Cast: Will Ferrell, Rachel McAdams, Pierce Brosnan, Dan Stevens, and Demi Lovato

If you suppose Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga is simply one other “dumb Will Ferrell comedy,” suppose once more. One of 2020’s most nice surprises, this musical comedy is surprisingly candy and genuinely emotional – don’t be stunned if you end up welling up with tears by the top. The story follows a pair of lifelong mates and musicians from Iceland who’re unexpectedly thrust into the Eurovision Song Contest, which assessments their abilities and their relationship to 1 one other. Ferrell is hilarious as at all times, nevertheless it’s Rachel McAdams who steals the present right here and proves but once more she’s the most effective comedic abilities working proper now. Oh and the songs? They’re spectacular. – Adam Chitwood