Just like the saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”, you need a laugh a day may keep away the sense of doom. It is crucial to laugh, and what better way to do that than with a movie? TechTrends picked the best comedy movies of all time for you as comedies are the best medicine for relieving stress.
American comedian Lenny Bruce once said, “The only honest art form is laughter. You can’t fake it.” Keep that in mind while you go through TechTrends’ list of the best comedy movies of all time. With everything that is happening in the world now, maybe we are keeping less cheery emotions at bay by laughing. Since many of us are in desperate need of some humor, it may be vital to see some of the best comedy films ever made. However, if you are not in the mood for a chuckle at the moment, you can definitely check out the list of the Best Drama Movies of All Time, Best Sci-Fi Movies of 2022, or Best Horror Movies of All Time that may hit the spot instead. If you are in the mood, then let’s get to the list without further ado.
Best Comedy Movies of All Time
When it comes to best comedies ever, the 21st century has done a great job. In this list, we will guide you through the most hilarious comedies of the century. Although there were amazing comedies in the 20th century as well, we decided to stick with the most recent ones more. However, you can find some for the last century, too. Therefore, our list includes “Mean girls”, “The Hangover”, “Booksmart”, “American Pie”, “Some Like It Hot”, and more.
Some Like It Hot 1959
- Director: Billy Wilder
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 94%, IMDb 8.2
In this classic comedy movie, Marilyn Monroe shows off one of her best performances. The story starts with Joe and Jerry witnessing a mafia murder and trying to escape with their lives. To do that, they disguise themselves as women and join a group of all-female jazz. Joe acts as though he is a millionaire to get the sexy singer, Sugar, played by Monroe, to love him. Much to the surprise, Jerry finds himself pursued by a real millionaire, Joe E. Brown, when things start to heat up. Some Like It Hot is definitely one of the best comedy movies of all time.
American Pie 1999
- Director: Paul Weitz
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 61%, IMDb 7
Losing one’s virginity is the most anticipated rite of becoming an adult. In this comedy movie, there is a raunchy exploration of that anticipation. A group of friends then decide to do something in this funny lesson in life. Following that, they make a pact to lose it before their graduation. This is one of the best comedies to watch when you need a good laugh.
Old School 2003
- Director: Todd Phillips
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 60%, IMDb 7
Todd Phillips is the director of a movie cast by Luke Wilson, Will Ferrell and Vince Vaugh, called Old School. These three friends are eager to return to the good old days. They decide to turn their place near college into a fraternity for wild parties. This is much to the ire of the dean of the college. Therefore, they battle jealous opposing frats, which is quite hilarious. So make sure to see this on the list of the best comedy movies of all time.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy 2004
- Director: Adam McKay
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 66%, IMDb 7.1
The most memorable character Will Ferrell most likely portrayed has to be the arrogant, dumb, misogynistic, yet really charming Ron Burgundy. Anchorman set the gold standard for Ferrell comedies. This next one on the list of the best comedy movies of all time is jam-packed with hilarious humor and one of the funniest films of 2004. The main character was not the only one to have a landmark since the whole Frat pack, including Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, and David Koechner got to shine. The story starts when Burgundy welcomes new reporter Veronica Corningstone into the broadcast news. Then, when she starts to outshine him, his jealousy ruins his career. Following that, he has to find a chance to redeem himself.
Mean Girls 2004
- Director: Mark Waters
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 84%, IMDb 7.1
Going through the list of the best comedy movies of all time, we reach the 2004 Mean Girls. The plot of the movie goes with Cady Heron and her family moving to Illinois from Africa. She starts to experience life in public school and sees that there are cruel laws for becoming popular. She then finds herself becoming a member of an elite group of popular students named “the Plastics”. However, he slowly comes to the conclusion of how this nickname came to existence. This classic comedy is hilarious and unforgettable.
The 40-Year-Old Virgin 2005
- Director: Judd Apatow
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 85%, IMDb 7.1
Before Steve Carell became the star of the show The Office, he played the role of a middle-aged virgin who was desperate to get rid of his slump. The director changed the landscape of comedy in the mid-2000s. Moreover, he even allowed his cast to improvise in the movie, which led to a more relaxed genre. The story is about a 40-year-old man, who is as the title indicates, a virgin. Catherine Keener plays the role of his love interest and Paul Rudd shows off an impressive and hilarious performance. This helped the film become one of the best comedy movies of all time. Although the premise might be a little crude, it was one of the top 10 best 2005 films named by the American Film Institute. That turned out to be a surprise for many, as not only was there humor but there was also cleverness behind it.
Borat 2006
- Director: Larry Charles
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 90%, IMDb 7.6
In this 2006 comedy movie, Bort, portrayed by Sacha Baron Cohen, comes to the United States from Kazakhstan as a reporter. He is there to film a documentary on why America is known as a great nation. During his journey, he comes to offend everyone he meets. After that, he starts to fall in love with Pamela Anderson, keen on making her his wife. There has recently been a sequel, which lived up to the expectations and brought many jokes to the table. However, the original movie’s cultural landmark was not quite reached with the sequel.
Tropic Thunder 2008
- Director: Ben Stiller
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 82%, IMDb 7
As far as ensemble pieces go, few can contend with this film’s lineup of hilarious heavyweights. It also features several dramatic actors who surprised us with their comedic job. While shooting a war film, the director aims to liven up proceedings when the actors find themselves in the middle of a real jungle. He claims that there are hidden cameras that will capture their performance. However, a series of unexpected and unfortunate events lead the group into a real war zone.
The Hangover 2009
- Director: Todd Phillips
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 79%, IMDb 7.7
One of the funniest and best comedy movies of all time is The Hangover. The plot of the movie is about a group of friends who drive to Las Vegas two days before one of them gets married to make wild memories. However, when they wake up the day after, they don’t remember a thing. Moreover, they can’t find the groom to be. They have little time to find him, so they start to re-trace their steps and find the groom to bring him to the wedding on time. This raunchy and extremely engaging comedy is cast perfectly, which has contributed to its popularity. The movie reached a level of success that was not seen since the 80s. The movie made Zack Galifianakis a star while advancing the career of Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms.
Bridesmaids 2011
- Director: Paul Feig
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 90%, IMDb 6.8
The crowning achievement of the Apatow machine has to be Bridesmaids despite all the other great comedies the film production released. The character development in this comedy is top notch. As one of the best comedy movies of all time, it received two Oscar nominations, Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress, with Melissa McCarthy’s eye-catching performance as Megan. The story is about a single woman named Annie, who leads a messy life. However, her lifelong friend, Lillian, gets engaged and chooses her as the maid of honor. She is keen on doing things perfectly. Therefore, she has Lillian and the other bridesmaids down the wild road to the aisle.
The Heat 2013
- Director: Paul Feig
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 66%, IMDb 6.6
Another one of the best comedy movies of all time is indeed the Heat. Paul Feig directs the story of an FBI Special Agent, Sarah Ashburn, who is a methodical investigator. She is known for her excellence reputation as well as arrogance. Shannon Mullins, on the other hand, is a hot-tempered and foul-mouthed detective who follows her gut instincts. Moreover, she is street smart when it comes to catching criminals. These two polar opposites working together make this a hilarious adventure as they aim to remove a drug lord. However, during that time, they become buddies, which is the last thing expected. Make sure to watch the Heat, one of the best comedy films of all time.
This Is the End 2013
- Directors: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 83%, IMDb 6.6
Jonah Hills, Seth Rogen, James Franco and too many other famous celebrities play exaggerated versions of themselves facing an apocalyptic scenario. This is one of the best comedy movies of all time. Moreover, this high concept comedy peels back the facade of Hollywood by revealing how self-centered celebs can be. With the apocalypse of biblical proportions eruption, these six friends are at their worst and their funniest, and they have nothing to lose.
Ted 2012
- Director: Seth MacFarlane
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 69%, IMDb 6.9
One of the most hilarious and best comedies ever made, Ted, has so many iconic scenes and legendary moments. As for the storyline, when Mar Wahlberg, playing the role of John Bennet, was a little boy, he made a wish for his Teddy bear to be his real friend and come alive. So, he does come alive and thirty years later, foul-mouthed Ted and John are still friends and accompany each other all the time. This makes Lori, John’s girlfriend annoyed when they are constantly drinking beer and smoking weed.
Deadpool 2016
- Director: Tim Miller
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 85%, IMDb 8
Wade Wilson is working as a mercenary, but he used to be a Special Forces operative. When Ajax, the evil scientist, tortures, disfigures and changes him into Deadpool, his world takes a turn and alters forever. Deadpool is gifted with healing powers as well as a twisted sense of humor. After that, he decides to use his new skills to find the man who did this to him. Deadpool lived up to the expectations and hype by being hilarious and entertaining. Ryan Reynolds appears as so he was born to play this role as he did the character justice. Deadpool is one of the best comedy movies of all time, so don’t miss it.
Booksmart 2019
- Director: Olivia Wilde
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 96%, IMDb 7.1
After directing the movie Booksmart in 2019, Olivia Wilde has been swamped with many job offers. She upgraded a stagnant comedy subgenre that is of the modern age interest. She recaptured John Hughes’ high school comedies and their nostalgic tone. However, most importantly, she told the story of two friends, played by Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever, whose chemistry on screen was amazing. They are totally believable as best friends forever. The duo realize that during all those years at school, they might have missed out on some special moments of being a teen. Therefore, they decide to do all the not-to-be-missed fun in just one night, which will be a chaotic adventure.