20+ Best Comedies on Netflix for When You Need a Good, Long Laugh
Whether you’re in the mood for a family-friendly flick or a rom-com, Netflix has the punchlines queued up.
Raise your hand if you could use a good laugh right now. Us, too. But flipping through hit-or-miss comedy specials can be more labor-intensive than it might seem, especially when getting all your family on the couch or your friends onto a Watch Party is tricky enough. So if your group isn’t up for trial-and-error streaming, it’s time to turn to some comedy home runs.
Netflix has an impressive cache of comedy movies waiting to be picked apart. Featuring comedy heavyweights like Bill Murray alongside newcomers such as Leah Lewis, the platform’s best comedies run the gamut from irreverent to heartwarming, and everything in between. Whether you’re looking for a story with awards buzz or a simple sappy rom-com, the streaming giant has your cup of tea in stock.
The Other Guys
The buddy cop tale is a well-worn trope in the comedy repertoire, but few can execute it as well as Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg. As New York cops suddenly thrust from desk work and donuts into white-collar crime after the death of their fellow officers, they have to learn how to play in the big leagues—fast.
To All The Boys I've Loved Before
Based on a popular YA series by Jenny Han, this Netflix hit gave the absolute joy that is Lana Condor her first starring role, all while launching Noah Centineo into Internet Boyfriend status. It’s a touching coming-of-age rom-com you can watch (and enjoy) over and over again.
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
You’ve got to love Jim Carrey’s very particular kind of comedy to consider this a classic, but if you’re already a Carrey fan, watching Ace Ventura is like slurping down a warm bowl of comfort food. In Pet Detective, he plays a private investigator on a mission to recover lost pets. But he gets in over his head when a few members of a pro football team go missing, too.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Arguably the king of high school delinquents, Ferris Bueller is an icon for a reason. You’re sure to get a nostalgia thrill every time you sit down to watch young Ferris outsmart his cocky, but clueless principal.
Tootsie
Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman) has managed to make every agent in Hollywood hate him. But when his bank account is a bit short of what he needs, he’ll do anything to book his next gig—including disguising himself as female feminist Dorothy Michaels.
Frances Ha
We all know Greta Gerwig is consistently a delight, whether she’s in the director’s seat or the actor, but perhaps no project puts her in a more endearing spot than Frances Ha. Playing Frances, the apprentice dancer with big dreams and bigger questions, she embodies the joyful energy but frenetic anxiety of New York City with both charisma and affection.
Dolemite Is My Name
Eddie Murphy makes a welcome return to the screen in this comedy about a failing comedian named Rudy Ray Moore who reinvents himself as the eccentric Dolemite, who is set to become a Hollywood legend.
Murder Mystery
Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston are together again, and this time, they are a married couple who travels to Europe on a vacation, but end up getting involved with a baffling murder.
Always a Bridesmaid
Dating was never a priority for Corina (Javicia Leslie), but when she's pushed to dive into the dating pool, she meets all sorts of men, and wonders if she's destined to be single forever.
Always Be My Maybe
Ali Wong takes a quick break from her stand-up, and wins everyone over in this touching, hilarious rom-com with co-star Randall Park. The duo have both romantic and comedic chemistry that you just don't see often. An instantly famous cameo from Keanu Reeves is just icing on the cake in this surprise gem.
While We're Young
In this Noah Baumbach comedy, Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts play spouses who don't have any children. In response, they get to know a younger couple with “cool” jobs and sensibilities, and they find themselves questioning what they know about aging, family, friendship, and love.
The Incredible Jessica James
Jessica Williams shines in The Incredible Jessica James, a.k.a. the perfect rebound rom-com. After Jessica goes through a bad break-up, she unexpectedly bonds with a guy who is recently divorced. While romance is involved, it's Jessica's bold and unapologetic personality that is truly so captivating.
Hitch
From the moment this Will Smith-led movie begins, you can guess what will happen every step of the way. But Smith's charm as a dating consultant along with Kevin James' shy humor make this a cheesy, but cute comedy you can watch over again.
Someone Great
A perfect movie for struggling twenty-somethings with big dreams, this sweet romantic comedy about a music journalist, her break-up, and one last hurrah in New York City, is never too playful to not feel achingly real.
She's Gotta Have It
Director Spike Lee turned this low-budget 1986 indie comedy into a career-making moment, featuring Tracy Camilla Johns as Nola Darling, an independent Brooklynite whose three boyfriends can’t help but fall all over her.
Wine Country
This movie has some of the best comedians of all time: Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Ana Gasteyer. They come together to create a hilarious film about a girls trip that's filled with ups, downs, and a lot of wine.
Alex Strangelove
A raunchy teen comedy unafraid to probe the prides and pitfalls of adolescence, Alex Strangelove follows Alex Truelove on his path to lose his virginity. That path is significantly shifted when he befriends Elliot, a gay student who challenges Alex to dig a little deeper into his sexual identity.
Groundhog Day
Featuring one of Bill Murray’s best performances, this classic follows self-centered weatherman Phil Connors, who’s stuck reliving Groundhog Day over and over. After a while, he starts to lose it, until he discoveries how to live life like there's no tomorrow.
Despicable Me
Even several years after its initial release, this clever animated comedy about a supervillain-turned-dad is still just as funny and heartwarming as it was the first time we heard “IT’S SO FLUFFY!”
The Half Of It
This refreshing rom-com flips the win-the-girl script when Ellie Chu decides to help Paul Munsky get the girl of his dreams. Only problem? Aster Flores is the girl of Ellie’s dreams, too.
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