20 best comedies streaming on Netflix

Nothing feels as good as a deep, genuine laugh. It’s an expression of joy! It’s a workout. It’s a sign that you’re having a good time.

Netflix has a dazzling selection of comedy movies that put that good-time feeling on demand. Whether you’re craving action-spiked shenanigans, quirky coming-of-age adventures, awkward humor, stranger-than-fiction silliness, madcap musical numbers, or crime with a spree of laughs, there’s a perfect pick for you. And we’ve made singling it out all the easier by highlighting the most hilarious below.

Here are the 20 funniest movies now streaming on Netflix.

20. Logan Lucky

Returning to his love of a wacky heist, Ocean’s Eleven helmer Steven Soderbergh delivers fresh thrills and laughs with this 2017 gem, which is absolutely stacked with a dazzling cast.

Channing Tatum and Adam Driver star as the Logan brothers, who come from a family supposedly cursed to baffling misfortune. But could their fate be turning when older brother Jimmy (Tatum) concocts a convoluted scheme to steal millions from a bustling race speedway during their biggest event of the year? Younger, one-armed brother Clyde (Driver) will be his right-hand man. Their spunky hair-stylist sister Mellie (Riley Keough) will be their getaway driver. Now all they need is to break out the infamous safecracker Joe Bang (Daniel Craig with a daffily entertaining Southern accent), and bring on his Bible-thumping brothers (Brian Gleeson and Jack Quaid) as backup. Also starring are Katie Holmes, Dwight Yoakam, Sebastian Stan, Seth MacFarlane, and Hilary Swank. Divulging anything more about this Southern-fried romp would be to spoil the fun. — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

How to watch: Logan Lucky is now streaming on Netflix.

19. Two Weeks Notice

Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock walk in Manhattan in “Two Weeks Notice.”
Credit: Eli Reed / Warner Bros / Kobal / Shutterstock

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This 2002 romantic comedy united the forces of America’s Sweetheart, Sandra Bullock, and England’s Brat Prince, post-Bridget Jones’s Diary Hugh Grant. Written and directed by Marc Lawrence, Two Weeks Notice follows a Spencer-Hepburn approach to love and humor, introducing an enemies-to-lovers arc that’s timelessly charming.

Bullock stars as an intelligent and altruistic lawyer who wants to devote her skills to the betterment of mankind. Unfortunately, she’s fallen into a tireless job as the chief legal counsel for an arrogant, obnoxious, and deeply selfish real-estate developer (Grant). Finally fed up, she gives notice, but leaving isn’t as easy as she’d like. Sparks fly, punchlines land, and we still swoon over this charming laffer. — K.P.

How to watch: Two Weeks Notice is now streaming on Netflix.

18. Midnight Run

Robert De Niro smirks in “Midnight Run.”
Credit: Universal / Kobal / Shutterstock

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Craving old-school laughs? Then you’ll appreciate this 1988 hit, which has Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin in their comfort zones and irritating each other for our amusement.

Following the success of Beverly Hills Cop, director Martin Brest delivered another cracking action-comedy. De Niro stars as Jack Walsh, a gruff (but lovable) ex-cop turned bounty hunter whose latest assignment is tracking down Jonathan “The Duke” Mardukas (Grodin), a mob boss’s accountant who embezzled millions and jumped bail. Catching the pencil-pusher is supposed to be quick and easy money — a “midnight run,” if you will. But not only must Jack get his quarry across the U.S. without being killed by gangsters or collared by feds, he must also resist the urge to strangle the grousing, neurotic accountant himself. Make no mistake; there’s a distinct delight in beholding De Niro’s surly façade get ruffled by a snarking Grodin. — K.P.

How to watch: Midnight Run is now streaming on Netflix.

17. Pain & Gain

Dwayne Johnson, Mark Wahlberg, and Anthony Mackie star in “Pain & Gain.”
Credit: Platinum Dunes / Kobal / Shutterstock

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Darkly funny and brilliantly savage, Pain & Gain brings together one of the U.S.’s wildest true crime stories with Michael Bay’s eye for outlandish spectacle. Set amid the sweaty gyms, shady sex shops, and glistening mansions of 1994 Miami, this action-comedy stars Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and Anthony Mackie as three muscle-bound meatheads who’ll do anything to get their American Dream — even if that means abduction, fraud, and murder. Along the way, they’ll collide with muscle cars, hard drugs, enormous dildos, and the long arm of the law, as portrayed by a steely Ed Harris.

By fueling the film with a pumped-up soundtrack and almost obscenely high-contrast colors, Bay manages to keep even the grimmest parts of this stranger-than-fiction story light. An ensemble cast — which includes Tony Shalhoub, Rob Corddry, and Rebel Wilson — bolsters this bright but bonkers tone with larger-than-life performances. That, plus the crackling wit in a script from Captain America: Civil War writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, makes for a movie that is in turn exciting, shocking, and thought-provoking, but overall a laugh riot. — K.P.

How to watch: Pain & Gain is now streaming on Netflix.

16. Bridesmaids

Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig work out in “Bridesmaids.”
Credit: Suzanne Hanover / Universal / Kobal / Shutterstock

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Raunchy, hilarious, and ultimately heart-warming, Bridesmaids is a terrific comedy even when the crush of wedding season has come to an end. Kristen Wiig stars as a down-on-her-luck baker who feels her longest-lasting relationship with her soon-to-be-married best friend (Maya Rudolph) is threatened when a picture-perfect bridesmaid (Rose Byrne) muscles in on maid-of-honor duties.

Co-starring Melissa McCarthy, Ellie Kemper, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Jon Hamm, and Chris O’Dowd, this Paul Feig-directed comedy about female friendship offers everything from Saturday Night Live-style silliness to outrageous improvisations and an explosive poop joke that results in a hysterical sequence impossible to forget. Get ready to party with the bad girls of comedy. You won’t regret it. — K.P.

How to watch: Bridesmaids is now streaming on Netflix.

15. Plus One

Ben (Jack Quaid) and Alice (Maya Erskine) are old college friends who, in their late twenties, find themselves two of the few people in their circles left without partners. With a summer of endless weddings and awkward singles tables ahead of them, Ben and Alice decide to team up as each other’s plus-ones for the nuptial marathon, accidentally falling for each other along the way. 

With a cast full of indie comedy darlings and a funny, grounded script, Plus One is a top-notch rom-com for the modern era. For outrageous hijinks and convenient romance, look elsewhere. This is a sweet, relatable winner that feels about as real as a rom-com can get.* — Kristina Grosspietsch, Contributing Writer

How to watch: Plus One is now streaming on Netflix.

15. Easy A

Emma Stone wears a scarlet A in “Easy A.”
Credit: Olive Bridge / Kobal / Shutterstock

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Want a raunchy teen comedy that’s surprisingly smart? Then revisit 2010’s winsome rom-com Easy A. Emma Stone stars as Olive, a modern-day Hester Prynne, which in this context means a high school girl who’s trading fictional sexcapades for gift cards. The boys get high fives for their sexual prowess, while — double standards being what they are — Olive gets slut-shamed and shunned. But don’t worry, she’s got a plan.

Will Gluck directs a star-studded cast that includes You‘s Penn Badgley as a lovable crush, Amanda Bynes as a judgmental mean girl, Thomas Haden Church as a confounded mentor, and Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci as Olive’s parents; they’re funny, outrageous, and the definition of couple goals. They’ve got a pocketful (pocketful pocketful) of sunshine, and all you have to do to enjoy is hit play. — K.P.

How to watch: Easy A is now streaming on Netflix.

14. Zombieland

Horror-comedy got a double-tap of greatness with this 2009 romp, which imagines the zombie apocalypse as an amusement park packed with action, gore, and punchlines galore. Jesse Eisenberg stars as the meek yet wise Columbus, whose rules to survival have kept him safe since outbreak day went from potential hookup to self-defensive homicide. Joining him on a rowdy road trip through a ravaged USA are hard-hitting Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), sassy Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), and snarling but scorching-hot Wichita (Emma Stone).

Can love and friendship blossom in this hopeless place? Does Bill Murray pop up for a kooky cameo? Find out by hitting play. — K.P.

How to watch: Zombieland is now streaming on Netflix.

13. Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F

Eddie Murphy is back as Axel Foley.
Credit: Netflix

Eddie Murphy returns as wise-cracking Detroit police officer Axel Foley. 30 years after Beverly Hills Cop III, this sensational sequel sees Foley returning to Los Angeles to fight a new foe, reunite with old friends, and reconnect with his estranged daughter.

Reprising their supporting roles are Beverly Hills Cop co-stars John Ashton, Judge Reinhold, Paul Reiser, and Bronson Pinchot. New to the crew is Taylour Paige as Axel’s hard-headed daughter, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a local ally, Nasim Pedrad as a flustered real estate agent, and Kevin Bacon as a smirking antagonist. The sparks will fly. The punchlines hit powerfully. The soundtrack is fire. And just like that, the heat is back on! — K.P.

How to Watch: Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is now streaming on Netflix.

12. Between Two Ferns: The Movie

Credit: Adam Rose / Netflix

Zach Galifianakis’ awkward celebrity interview web series Between Two Ferns might not seem like fodder for a full-length movie, but Between Two Ferns: The Movie goes double meta by presenting his success on Funny or Die as an insult to the actor’s intention to host a “serious” interview show. Galifianakis the character sets off to correct the assumption that his original show is a joke by interviewing even more celebrities, like John Cho, Keanu Reeves, Gal Gadot, Tiffany Haddish, and more. — Alexis Nedd, Senior Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Between Two Ferns: The Movie is now streaming on Netflix.

11. Do Revenge

Credit: Netflix

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Looking for a revenge flick that pays tribute to teen classics like Mean Girls, Heathers, Cruel Intentions, and more? Then check out Do Revenge, a dark comedy sure to join the canon of iconic high school movies. Students Drea (Camila Mendes) and Eleanor (Maya Hawke) couldn’t be more different… apart from the fact that both have major bones to pick with people who ruined their reputations. They decide to team up and execute one another’s revenge plans, which leads down a winding road of morally dubious choices, snappy one-liners, and excellent outfits.

Mendes and Hawke have great chemistry, but it’s Sophie Turner who damn near steals the show in a bit part that simply must be seen to be believed.* — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Do Revenge is now streaming on Netflix.

10. Always Be My Maybe

Credit: Netflix

What if the one who got away got a second chance? Back in the day, Sasha and Marcus were tight as a slap bracelet. But one fumbled night in a sweaty backseat seemed to shatter their future together.

Fifteen years later, she’s a world-renowned chef and he’s — well — he’s working for his dad’s HVAC business and playing with his band on the side. Still, fate arranges for them to reconnect, which could mean Marcus (Randall Park) has a shot to show Sasha (Ali Wong) how he feels. Comedy ensues as the stakes get high when Keanu Reeves crashes the party, being all weird and hot and having the audacity to be Keanu Reeves! This Nahnatchka Khan-helmed laffer also boasts appearances by James Saito, Charlyne Yi, Karan Soni, Daniel Dae Kim, and Michelle Buteau.* — K.P.

How to watch: Always Be My Maybe is now streaming on Netflix.

9. Dolemite Is My Name

Credit: François Duhamel / Netflix

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Chronicling the true story of late comedian Rudy Ray Moore — also known as Dolemite — this Eddie Murphy vehicle is worth every minute of viewing.

An outrageous showbiz comedy, Dolemite Is My Name is at once a poignant look at the life of an underdog and an unbelievably good time. With supporting performances by Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Wesley Snipes, Craig Robinson, and more, this biopic offers more beat-for-beat joy than many of its fictional counterparts. Sensational, aspirational, and electric: You’ll love it. — Alison Foreman, Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Dolemite Is My Name is now streaming on Netflix.

8. The Polka King

Credit: Netflix

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Sometimes true crime can lead to some pitch-perfect dark comedy. This is the case for this outrageous offering, which stars Jack Black as infamous scammer/local celebrity Jan Lewan. Black brings all the rock star panache you need to understand how Lewan could be so beguiling to the Pennsylvanian retirees who surrendered their savings to the self-proclaimed Polka King.

Screenwriters Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky gave this story of fraud and showmanship shape. But they wisely trusted in the local flair of the terrific 2009 documentary The Man Who Would Be Polka King to provide some of the wildest lines of dialogue. Plucking directly from interviews with the friends, family, and victims of Jan Lewan, this comedy feels stranger than fiction but is jaw-droppingly real. Salty supporting turns from Jenny Slate, Jacki Weaver, and Jason Schwartzman bring added fun.* — K.P.

How to watch: The Polka King is now streaming on Netflix.

7. The Mitchells vs. The Machines

Credit: Netflix

Sony Pictures Animation has given audiences such daring and dynamic animated movies as Surf’s Up, Hotel Transylvania, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. This zany 2021 release centers on a family who’s battling back the robo-apocalypse with togetherness, internet savviness, and a wall-eyed pug named Monchi (voiced by social media icon Doug the Pug).

The Mitchells’ adventure into chaos begins when daughter Katie (Abbi Jacobson) is poised to go off to college. Desperate for one last family-unifying road trip, her dad (Danny McBride) piles the whole family into his beater of a vehicle, unknowingly charting a fateful route into heroics. Co-directors Mike Rianda and Jeff Rowe infuse Katie’s excitable perspective throughout the film by working in internet memes, social media-style reactions, and blitz of bonkers visuals. It’s a bold move that might alienate some viewers but has largely won the acclaim of critics and kiddos.* — K.P.

How to watch: The Mitchells vs. The Machines is now streaming on Netflix.

6. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Credit: Netflix

Writer/director Rian Johnson follows up his critically heralded whodunnit with a sequel that’s even more explosive than Knives Out. Southern gentleman/detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is back, drawling deductions and whipping out witticisms, much to the chagrin of a group of wealthy and conniving friends.

It was supposed to be a murder mystery weekend where homicide was just a game. But when tech scion Miles Bron (Edward Norton) brings together his closest friends and worst enemy, real blood will be spilled, and the game is afoot! Joining in on the comically chaotic fun are Kate Hudson, Janelle Monáe, Dave Bautista, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., and Jessica Henwick. — K.P.

How to watch: Glass Onion is now streaming on Netflix.

5. The Forty-Year-Old Version

Credit: Jeong Park / Netflix © 2020

The Forty-Year-Old Version isn’t just any film about a struggling New York artist, but one about a Black female playwright who’s continually held back from creating something authentic to her perspective. Radha Blank’s autobiographical directorial debut, which she also wrote, produced, and stars in, is a searing, funny, and unabashedly honest look at the compromises Black creatives are pushed to make in a world dominated by whiteness.

A teacher approaching her 40th birthday, Radha (Blank) gets the chance to produce one of her plays — only after she refuses to write a slave musical. But forced to change her vision to appease white audiences, Radha considers a totally different medium to express herself: becoming a rapper. The Forty-Year-Old Version may be one of the most slept-on Netflix originals, and it’s a shame we’ve yet to see another film from Blank since, itself an indictment of an industry that fails to continually platform raw and honest Black storytelling.* — Oliver Whitney, Freelance Contributor

How to watch: The Forty-Year-Old Version is now streaming on Netflix.

4. Vampires vs. the Bronx

Credit: Netflix

Want a movie that’s got excitement, comedy, a scorching message about the evils of gentrification, and is a kid-friendly romp? Then take a bite out of Vampires vs. the Bronx.

Oz Rodriguez’s PG-13 horror-comedy centers on Afro-Latino teens who recognize that a flurry of missing person posters and an influx of rich white folks with tote bags means bad news for the neighborhood. Together, they team up Monster Squad-style to take down the bloodsuckers and save their community. With a sharp wit, a warm heart, a rich sense of atmosphere, and an equal appreciation for the Blade movies and ’80s Amblin, Vampires vs. the Bronx is an easy watch full of rewards.* — K.P.

How to watch: Vampires vs. the Bronx is now streaming on Netflix.

3. The Breaker Upperers

This hidden gem comes from New Zealand, the fertile comedy ground that gave us Taika Waititi, Flight of the Conchords, and What We Do in the Shadows. Waititi collaborators Jackie van Beek, James Rolleston, and Jemaine Clement team up for a deeply quirky buddy comedy about two long-time besties with a bonkers — but brilliant — business model.

Need someone to dump your partner so you can avoid a messy confrontation? Call on Jen and Mel (co-writers/co-directors/co-leads van Beek and Madeleine Sami). For a reasonable fee, these fearless Breaker Upperers will impersonate police officers, play pregnant, or even fake your death to help you ghost an ex. Whatever the shenanigans, van Beek and Sami sparkle. Booming with wild humor and big heart, this comedy is guaranteed to leave you cackling.* — K.P.

Where to watch: The Breaker Upperers is now streaming on Netflix.

2. Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

Credit: John Wilson / Netflix

With its reputation for wacky musical numbers, the Eurovision Song Contest is ripe for parody. Luckily for Eurovision lovers, the contest gets the send-up it deserves in this gloriously goofy flick starring Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams. They play the Icelandic musical duo Fire Saga, who find themselves in the Eurovision spotlight. There, they discover that the famed competition is a world of cutthroat competitors, glitzy costumes, and many, many bops.

Eurovision Song Contest is full of larger-than-life characters and ridiculous humor, but it’s also teeming with Eurovision references that will have fans laughing and cheering. For every “Jaja Ding Dong,” there’s a joyful Song-A-Long — and both are great! Pair all that with pitch-perfect comedic performances from Ferrell and McAdams, and you have a comedy that will both have you in stitches and win your heart. (Best of all, if you weren’t a Eurovision fanatic before seeing this movie, you’ll definitely be one by the time it ends.)* — B.E.

How to watch: Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga is now streaming on Netflix.

1. Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Credit: FilmPublicityArchive / United Arch

Made up of Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, John Cleese, Michael Palin, and Terry Gilliam, the comedy troupe Monty Python are the uncontested kings of comedy. So it’s only fitting that we raise a glass to their most popular film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Sure, Life of Brian has iconoclastic fun with Bible stories — and a toe-tapping sound number to boot! But many of the crew’s most memorable characters tumble forth in this parody of Arthurian lore.

From the Knights Who Say “Ni!” to the dreaded Rabbit of Caerbannog to a taunting Frenchman to the Black Knight who’ll never say die, Holy Grail is overflowing with madcap comedy. It’s endlessly quotable, stupidly funny, and captures everything that made this comedy team spectacular. Not to mention, it forever changed how we see coconuts, swallows, hamsters, and elderberries. — K.P. & A.F.

How to watch: Monty Python and the Holy Grail is now streaming on Netflix.

* denotes that this blurb appeared in a previous Mashable list. 

UPDATE: Oct. 8, 2024, 2:21 p.m. EDT This list was originally published on March 26, 2020. It has been updated to reflect the current selection on Netflix.