Best Comedies on Netflix

It’s movie night and you want to watch something that will make you laugh. You launch your Netflix account and find yourself overcome with a torrent of titles. Don’t you wish there was a list out there compiling all the best comedies on Netflix? Don’t worry, we’ve got your back.

For this list, we decided to keep it movies-only—we want to help you find a film that you can file away in your brain as “finished” after watching it. We also tried to keep the list as concise as possible, which is why you’ll only find five suggestions per category even though there might be more to mention. While Netflix has 11 comedy subgenres defined, we decided to combine Satires and Slapstick as well as skip Mockumentaries (because most titles under it are TV shows and we would like to hone in on films) and Political Comedies (because most entries under this subgenre are stand-up comedy specials, which is a subgenre on its own).

We did, however, create two additional categories entitled Feel-Good and For Kids because we feel like those are needed. For the latter, we only included titles that were specifically classified as a comedy by the streaming service, so if some of your kids’ animated favorites aren’t on the list, it probably wasn’t filed as such. (For more suggestions on kid-friendly content, consider our list of best shows and movies on Netflix Kids.)

Romantic Comedies on Netflix

The Princess Bride

1 hour, 38 minutes

If you were looking for a movie to watch that encompassed a bunch of genres, start with this one featuring a maiden, a farmhand, a prince, a Spaniard, a pirate, and a giant, among others. It’s got action, it’s got adventure, it’s got mystery and intrigue, and it’s got heart, all conveyed with a healthy dose of much-needed comedy. There’s a reason this movie (and book!) is celebrated as a cult classic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYgcrny2hRs

Man Up

1 hour, 28 minutes

Simon Pegg may not be your first choice as a leading man in a romantic comedy, but this movie may make a believer out of you. He plays a man who finds himself in a blind date with the wrong girl, played by the equally hilarious Lake Bell.

Moonrise Kingdom

1 hour, 33 minutes

This is a cute, coming-of-age movie directed by Wes Anderson. (So of course, Bill Murray is in it.) A boy and a girl fall in love and decide to run away together, and a local search for them ensues. Other Hollywood bigwigs include Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, Frances McDormand, and Tilda Swinton.

While You Were Sleeping

1 hour, 43 minutes

When it comes to being the leading lady in romantic comedies, Sandra Bullock is the O.G. If you needed a refresher course in what made her every guy’s dream girl in the 90s, this movie is a good place to start: She’s a transit worker who saves a handsome commuter from being run over by a train, and soon finds herself pretending to be his fiancée when his family comes to visit him in the hospital.

Bridget Jones’s Diary

1 hour, 38 minutes

Jane Austen fans will appreciate this lovable adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Instead of Elizabeth Bennet, however, we’re given Bridget Jones – a character that made Renée Zellweger famous – a 30-something single gal in London who’s always worried about her weight and constantly finds herself in sticky situations. She finds herself in the middle of a love triangle, between two eligible men: her rascally boss Daniel Cleaver (played by Hugh Grant, a rom-com heavyweight himself) and the aloof Mark Darcy (played by Colin Firth), a lawyer and son of her parents’ friends. Feel free to decide which team you are on while watching this chick flick with your gal pals or significant other.

Dark Comedies on Netflix

Beginners

1 hour, 44 minutes

Nothing is funny about dying from cancer, so when you find a way to laugh through a movie that tackles dire themes, it’s at least worth watching once. In this movie, Ewan McGregor plays Oliver, a graphic artist who deals with the terminal diagnosis of his father (played by Christopher Plummer), who, at 75, has one last secret to reveal: he’s gay. Plummer won both an Oscar and a Golden Globe award for his performance in this movie, in case you needed additional reason to check it out.

In The Loop

1 hour, 45 minutes

In this British black comedy, the UK and the US are both on the cusp of waging war in the Middle East and government officials on both sides are trying their damnedest to either promote military intervention or prevent it. Actors you may recognize are Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi and the late James Gandolfini, among others.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VDc7-YH1LA

Trainspotting

1 hour, 33 minutes

Based on Irvine Welsh’s novel of the same name, this cult favorite centers around Renton (played by Ewan McGregor), a heroin addict who decides to get clean. He struggles with sobriety as he is constantly surrounded and tempted by the shenanigans of his druggie buddies. Dubbed as tenth in the British Film Institute’s list of Top 100 British films of all time, this dark comedy is a must-see.

The Big Short

2 hours, 10 minutes

If you prefer movies that exercise the brain, The Big Short – nominated for five Oscars and won Best Adapted Screenplay at the 88th Academy Awards – will keep your mind sharp as you follow a group of crafty fortune hunters who take on the big banks during the U.S. economic crash. If you need more reason to check it out, it’s got a cast of heavyweights like Steve Carrell, Ryan Gosling, and Christian Bale.

Heathers

1 hour, 43 minutes

A clique of popular teanage girls – all of whom are named Heather – at the top of the food chain at their high school find their domination in jeopardy when they decide to invite a girl named Veronica into their club. Starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, and Shannen Doherty, this cult black comedy will give you a healthy dose of 80s fashion that will make you chuckle.

Stand-up Comedies on Netflix

Jim Gaffigan: Obsessed

1 hour, 10 minutes

Jim Gaffigan is one of Hollywood’s most celebrated comics today, if only for his relatable takes on food (and overeating), exercise (and lack thereof), and parenting not one but five kids. This particular special became the most watched stand-up in 2014 on Comedy Central, where it first aired.

Bill Burr: I’m Sorry You Feel That Way

1 hour, 20 minutes

If you’re looking for a comic who’s vulgar, curmudgeon-y, blunt, and hilarious, look no further than Bill Burr, who has a knack for real talk on topics like religion, politics, sex, and basically anything that can offend the easily butthurt demographic.

Louis C.K.: Hilarious

1 hour, 23 minutes

Another comic that does uncensored really well is Louis C.K. His Hilarious stand-up comedy film – which features his unique take on life after 40, parenting, sex, and other things – was the first of its kind to screen at the Sundance Film Festival, where it was very well received.

Donald Glover: Weirdo

1 hour, 5 minutes

Before he was known as musician Childish Gambino, comedian Donald Glover gained a following as Troy on the show Community, a hilarious sitcom that has gone off-air despite a steady cult following. If you miss him, this stand-up special will give you a different view of his brand of funny.

Trevor Noah: African American

1 hour, 9 minutes

A lot of people have never heard of him when he was named Jon Stewart’s successor as host of The Daily Show, but one of the reasons he was chosen was the fact that he’s actually pretty funny. If you’re curious to see a side of Trevor Noah you may have not known existed before, check this show out.

Teen Comedies on Netflix

Clueless

1 hour, 37 minutes

One of the most iconic and highly quotable teen movies that came out of the 90s is actually based on Jane Austen’s Emma. In Clueless, wealthy popular girl Cher finds purpose in helping other people in need, like giving a fashion-challenged girl a makeover and match-making two of her high school teachers.

10 Things I Hate About You

1 hour, 37 minutes

There are at least four reasons you should watch 10 Things: 1. It’s a modern adaptation of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, 2. It stars familiar names like Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Larisa Oleynik, 3. It’s the movie that launched the late Heath Ledger to stardom, and 4. It’s an all-around fun movie that shouldn’t be missed. Watch it before it disappears from Netflix’s ever-changing catalog.

Adventures in Babysitting

1 hour, 42 minutes

Teenager Chris Parker is disappointed when her boyfriend cancels their date on their anniversary. However, she gets more than what she bargained for as she finds herself going through a series of crazy, ridiculous, and ultimately fun situations after agreeing to babysit the Anderson kids.

Can’t Buy Me Love

1 hour, 34 minutes

The plot of this movie screams 80s: a teenage nerd – tired of always being on the outs – offers the most popular girl in school his life savings in exchange for dating him for a month. If that’s not enticing enough, the nerd is played by a super young Patrick Dempsey, who you may now know as Dr. Derek Shepkerd aka McDreamy from the hit drama series Grey’s Anatomy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrxpuBCizLQ

Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging

1 hour, 40 minutes

14 year-old Georgia has two immediate goals she would like to make happen: to throw the coolest birthday party when she turns 15, and to find a cute boyfriend to “snog.” Luckily, a new boy moves into town, making her latter goal all the more doable.

Late Night Comedies on Netflix

White Chicks

1 hour, 54 minutes

What do you get when you pair up two black FBI agents and disguise themselves as a couple of hoity-toity (and white) rich girls in order to apprehend their would be kidnappers? You get one of the most quotable and utterly hilarious comedies ever made. Additionally, it features the work of the Wayans brothers as well as a certain Vanessa Carlton song that will stay in your head for days.

Clerks

1 hour, 31 minutes

This cult classic centers around Dante and Randal, two convenience store clerks and the many acquaintances that grace their lives while on the job. Shot entirely in black and white, this is the movie that launched director Kevin Smith’s career.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno

1 hour, 41 minutes

Best friends and roommates Zack and Miri are going through some tough times. After attending their high school reunion and returning to an apartment with the water and electricity cut off, they decide to shoot a pornographic film to earn some money. If that’s not a funny enough premise for you, imagine Seth Rogen as Zach and Elizabeth Banks as Miri.

Road Trip

1 hour, 34 minutes

For some dumb reason, college student Josh cheats on his girlfriend and videotapes the act. For an even dumber reason, his friends mail her the tape by accident. In an effort to stop the tape before it reaches its destination, Josh and his pals embark on a time-honored tradition one usually goes through in college: a road trip.

40 Days and 40 Nights

1 hour, 35 minutes

After a breakup, Matt Sullivan decides to give up sex for lent. As in for 40 days and 40 nights, he cannot engage in any type of sexual act, with himself or with a woman. Unfortunately, during his self-imposed abstinence – that has garnered a sizable betting pool among his friends – he meets Erica, with whom he falls madly in love.

International Comedies on Netflix

Amélie

2 hours, 1 minute

Meet Amélie, a shy waitress gifted with an active imagination and a big heart. After discovering a box full of old toys in her apartment hidden by a boy decades earlier, she embarks on a mission to find its original owner, and changes the lives of those around her on the way.

What’s in a Name?

1 hour, 49 minutes

Vincent and his wife Anna are invited to dinner by his sister Elisabeth and his brother-in-law, Pierre. Also in attendance is their childhood friend Claude. Over the course of the evening, Vincent, who is expecting the birth of his child, reveals what they intend to name their child, and the highly controversial name prompts a heated discussion that unintentionally unearths old wounds.

Blind Date

1 hour, 31 minutes

An aspiring pianist moves into a new apartment and finds herself neighbors with a reclusive puzzle maker, with whom she shares a wall. Initially they do not get along and without ever meeting face to face, annoy each other through endless tricks. But things take an interesting turn when they finally get along and decide to “date”…through the wall.

Welcome Mr. President

1 hour, 38 minutes

When the Italian prime minister is forced to resign, frustrated politicians decided to temporarily name their next “president” as Giuseppe Garibaldi, after a historical figure from the 1800s. Unfortunately for them, in the small Italian town of Lombardy resides a humble librarian bearing the same name, and he unintentionally becomes the nation’s leader.

Woman on Top

1 hour, 31 minutes

After her husband cheats on her, chef Isabella decides to move from Brazil to San Francisco, where she becomes the star of her own television cooking show. Starring Penelope Cruz, this film is funny, quirky, and romantic. (It will also make you hungry.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdMiq4UYpew

Satires and Slapstick Comedies on Netflix

Hot Fuzz

2 hours

A hotshot city cop gets reassigned from London to a sleepy town in Gloucestershire, where nothing exciting has happened in years. Things become interesting really quickly after a series of gruesome “accidents” start happening.

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil

1 hour, 28 minutes

In this comedy horror film, two hillbillies have just purchased their ideal vacation home: a cabin in the woods. On the way there, they chance upon a group of college kids, who mistake them for a couple of psychotic killers.

G.B.F.

1 hour, 32 minutes

Tanner is a closeted high school student. When Tanner is accidentally outed as gay, three of the most popular girls in school compete to make him their G.B.F. (gay best friend) believing it was the key to becoming prom queen.

Tommy Boy

1 hour, 37 minutes

Tommy Boy is a slapstick comedy about Tommy, a socially and emotionally challenged man who is tasked with saving the family business after the untimely demise of his industrialist father. Headed by SNL greats Chris Farley and David Spade, this movie has become a cult classic since its 1995 release.

Spy Hard

1 hour, 20 minutes

A parody of the James Bond franchise and other action films, Spy Hard stars the late Leslie Nielsen as Dick Steele aka Agent WD-40, a clumsy secret agent tasked with rescuing a kidnap victim and stopping General Rancor from destroying the world. If you enjoy spoof, this movie needs to be on your list.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ywC-QrUC3s

Sports Comedies on Netflix

Goon

1 hour, 31 minutes

Doug, a bouncer at a bar in Massachusetts, finds himself recruited as an enforcer for the local hockey team when the coach sees him beat up an unruly player from the opposing team, who picked a fight with a fan in the stands. This movie has a pretty high Rotten Tomatoes rating, making it a good pick for comedy and sports fans alike.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfOZaquIhG8

Caddyshack

1 hour, 37 minutes

Dubbed as one of the funniest sports movies of all time, this cult classic launched the film career of standup comic Rodney Dangerfield. It centers around Danny, a young teen working as a caddy at the obnoxious country club who agrees to assist an important member so he can win a college scholarship. Also appearing in this film are comedy legends Chevy Chase and Bill

D2: The Mighty Ducks

1 hour, 46 minutes

This is the sequel to a beloved hockey movie that made it cool to “quack.” In D2, Coach Bombay leads the Ducks to represent the U.S. at the Junior Goodwill Games, where they face off teams from all over the world.

Chalet Girl

1 hour, 36 minutes

At the center of this romantic sports comedy is Kim Matthews, a former skateboarding champion who gives up the sport she loves after her mother dies. She finds an outlet for her skill when she accepts a job as a “chalet girl” at a posh resort in the Alps and learns how to snowboard.

The Benchwarmers

1 hour, 25 minutes

In this kid-friendly comedy, Rob Schneider, David Spade, and Jon Heder play adult nerds who – despite their lack of abilities for baseball that ultimately led to them being bullied as kids – form a three-man baseball team and take on all the mean-spirited little league teams in the state.

Feel-Good Comedies on Netflix

Chef

1 hour, 54 minutes

Jon Favreau directs and stars this heartfelt comedy about a professional chef who quits his job at a popular Los Angeles restaurant and returns to his hometown of Miami after his meltdown involving a food critic goes viral. Inspired by his love for Cuban sandwiches, he embarks on a road trip aboard a food truck he restored and brings his son along with him for the ride. Note: This movie will not only make you laugh, it will make you incredibly hungry.

St. Vincent

1 hour, 42 minutes

Bill Murray plays Vincent, a grumpy war vet who is now neighbors with 12-year-old Oliver, a boy who just moved next door with his mom fresh from a divorce. The relationship that forms between them is unconventional, funny, and later on, heartwarming. Although the “crotchety old man forms bond with kid” plot has been tried and tested in Hollywood countless times, it was given a refreshing take in this film, courtesy of Murray’s performance, among others.

Begin Again

1 hour, 44 minutes

Keira Knightley plays an aspiring singer-songwriter looking for her big break. Mark Ruffalo plays an out-of-work producer who discovers her performing at a bar. And believe it or not, Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine plays her boyfriend, who, after finding fame, cheats on her. (He also performs a highly commercialized rendition of a song she wrote for him as a Christmas present.)

Penelope

1 hour, 29 minutes

For a feel-good modern fairy tale, check out Penelope, which tells the story of a lonely young woman (played by Christina Ricci) cursed with the nose of a pig. Also starring Catherine O’Hara and James McAvoy, this comedy is great to watch with your entire family.

Under the Tuscan Sun

1 hour, 52 minutes

Can anything good happen after your spouse cheats on you? For Frances Mayes (played by Diane Lane), it means taking a soul-searching trip to Italy and possibly buying a vineyard. Based on a best-selling novel of the same name, this film will make you yearn for a Tuscan getaway yourself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moqovwrR_gE

Comedies For Kids on Netflix

Kung Fu Panda 3

1 hour, 34 minutes

Po is back for another adventure. In this star-studded installment – featuring voice acting by Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, Seth Rogen, David Cross, and Jackie Chan, to name some – he journeys to a secret panda village, reunites with his birth father, encounters a malevolent spirit warrior threatening to take over all of China, and forms an army of pandas. What more could you ask for?

Paddington

1 hour, 35 minutes

After an earthquake destroys his jungle home in Peru, a cute little bear ventures to London to find a new one. He is rescued at the train station by a family, who names him Paddington. Things seem OK for Paddington until he is discovered by a sadistic taxidermist – played by Nicole Kidman – who wants turn him into her next project.

Lilo & Stitch

1 hour, 25 minutes

One of Disney’s most popular films feature a little Hawaiian girl named Lilo, who chances upon a peculiar-looking dog and decides to take it in and name it Stitch. What she doesn’t know is that it’s not a dog, but a crazy alien who mistakenly lands on earth after escaping exile.

The Emperor’s New Groove

1 hour, 18 minutes

An arrogant South American emperor who is used to getting what he wants finds himself in a predicament when his evil adviser – rather than killing him – accidentally turns him into a llama. Featuring a pretty funny script and the vocal acting of David Spade and John Goodman, this little animated film is not only for kids, but witty adults, too!

A Monster in Paris

1 hour, 29 minutes

In this movie, Emile – a projectionist – and Raoul – a delivery man – join forces with a singer, a scientist, and a monkey in order to spare a monster from the clutches of the city’s police chief. Very loosely based on Gaston Leroux’s novel The Phantom of the Opera, this beautiful French animated film features 1910 Paris in its picturesque glory as well as a healthy dose of action, romance, and a whole lot of comedy.