Funny Movies That Arent Sex Comedies

If it's true that laughter is the best medicine, consider this list a panacea.

60. "Jackass Forever" (2021)

"Jackass Forever"

Paramount

The groin shot is to comedy what the 12-bar blues is to music: A simple building block, sure, but true masters of the art form understand that it's perfect all by itself. No franchise is more aware of that than "Jackass," the media empire built on the idea that it's really fucking fun to watch your buddies get hurt. After two years of social distancing and anxiety-inducing caution, Johnny Knoxville's unwavering disregard for safety in the name of comedy was a much needed refresher on the stupid joys of being alive. The stunts are awesome, but as always, the real humor comes from watching everyone's giddy reactions to friends in agonizing pain. The old "Jackass" crew was as charming as ever, and the movie gets a shot of energy from a new group of younger cast members who bridge the gap between the MTV and TikTok crowds. The chemistry between the cast, and everyone's good sportsmanship about sacrificing their bits for the sake of the bit, separate "Jackass Forever" from the multitude of injury-related YouTube videos out there and lets it stand out as something truly special. —Christian Zilko

59. "MacGruber" (2010)

"MacGruber"

©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection

Will Forte's running "Saturday Night Live" spoof of "MacGyver" landed him a parody film and even a Peacock spin-off series — and there's no mystery why. Forte's ongoing collaboration with writer-director Jorma Taccone, along with Kristen Wiig and Ryan Phillippe, proves to be the perfect balance of wide-eyed, heartfelt slapstick humor, with a mystery to boot. "This was probably one of my worst pitches ever," Forte joked during the 2020 SXSW presentation, about first pitching "SNL" showrunner Lorne Michaels on the parody. "I think it went something like, 'MacGruber, who diffuses bombs only using pieces of shit and pubic hair.' And I just got the worst groan… so the fact that we're sitting here is remarkable." —Samantha Bergeson

58. "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" (2008)

"Forgetting Sarah Marshall"

Universal/courtesy Everett / Everett Collection

IndieWire has listed "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" as both one of the greatest romantic comedies and one of the best break-up movies. That double honor is, what, held by like one other movie? "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" doesn't just have a stellar ensemble cast – Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Paul Rudd, Jonah Hill, Russell Brand, and Bill Hader – but the comedy hits the perfect tone between WTF wallowing in heartbreak, sad-sack sickness, and elated new romance feels. The 2008 comedy stars Segel (who also wrote the screenplay) as Peter, a TV music supervisor who tries to do the impossible: get over his actress ex-girlfriend Sarah (Bell) by traveling to Hawaii. Turns out, Sarah is also staying at the same resort with her new rockstar love (Brand). Cue up a series of cringe run-ins as Peter attempts to forget Sarah at all costs and a concierge (Kunis) helps him get his groove back. "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" is undoubtedly a classic — what other film ends with a vampire puppet musical? — and a serious no-brainer for our best comedy list. —Samantha Bergeson

57. "Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping" (2016)

"Popstar"

©Universal/courtesy Everett / Everett Collection

The Lonely Island guys have made a career out of making criminally ignored movies, but "Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping" might be the most criminally ignored of them all. Utter stupidity and biting pop culture satire go hand-in-hand in this music mockumentary that can easily give "This Is Spinal Tap" a run for its money. Andy Samberg gives a committed performance as an egotistical pop star, but the film's real star is The Lonely Island's trademark brand of humor. Their beautifully manic, joke-a-minute style is just as funny here as it was in "Hot Rod," but somehow feels depressingly realistic in the film's world of narcissistic pop stars with short attention spans. The result is a feature-length movie that is every bit as funny as their best "SNL" sketches while still standing on its own as a narrative. And then you have the songs. Any movie that gives you "Finest Girl (The Bin Laden Song)," "Things in My Jeep," and of course "Incredible Thoughts" not only deserves to be regarded as one of the century's greatest comedies, but one of its greatest musicals as well. —Christian Zilko

56. "Frances Ha" (2013)

"Frances Ha"

©IFC Films/Courtesy Everett Collection

The "charming-but-unremarkable artist struggles to grow up" story has been standard indie film territory since the beginning of time. By 2012, it was hard to avoid feeling like the Hipster Hero's Journey had run its course. But "Frances Ha" had an ace up its sleeve that comparable films lacked: Greta Gerwig.

Noah Baumbach's movie, co-written by and starring Gerwig, was arguably the first film to unleash her true power onto the world. And it's a Pandora's Box that nobody's been able to close since. Her performance is remarkable in that she brings so much joy to a character that frankly has no reason to be happy. Her loyalty to her friends is so strong, and her passion for dance (even if she's just an apprentice) so infectious that it's impossible to look away. At the same time, the film's craftsmanship and commentary are impeccably smart, never shying away from the real problems staring Frances down. The combination proves fatal: We fully understand why Frances shouldn't be making these choices, but we can't help but support her. This pattern culminates with Frances taking a spontaneous trip to Paris as her life collapses around her; it's a funny-but-heartbreaking attempt to mimic the success of her friends for a day. But as her life deteriorates, her joie de vivre still finds a way to shine through. —Christian Zilko

55. "21 Jump Street" (2012)

"21 Jump Street"

©Columbia Pictures/courtesy Everett Co / Everett Collection

Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum resurrect the 1980s TV series "21 Jump Street" for the present day. The young cop duo go undercover as high school students to infiltrate a drug ring, á la "Never Been Kissed" but with guns and badges. Tatum and Hill's hilarious chemistry as rival police officers turned best friends, now undercover as faux brothers, carries the film, along with standout performances by Ice-T as their boss, and Brie Larson and Dave Franco as the teens in question. Never mind the questionable love triangles between the cops and the high schoolers; "21 Jump Street" is a wild good time. —Samantha Bergeson

54. "The LEGO Movie" (2014)

"The LEGO Movie"

©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection

IndieWire called 2014 ' s " The Lego Movie " " review proof, " in part due to its unavoidably positive attitude and, let ' s be real, adorable animation. Emmett (voiced by Chris Pratt) is happy as an anonymous construction worker in Lego City whose monotonous occupation is met every day with a smile. However , after meeting Wildstyle (Elizabeth Banks), Emmett ' s world is turned upside down in a quest to save Lego City from its evil President Business (Will Ferrell). The tongue-in-cheek humor makes " The Lego Movie " oddly more geared towards adults than tots, and Emmett ' s existential quest for purpose is relatable in a darker way. As the IndieWire review included, " Emmett never thinks outside the box: He IS the box, and his ordinariness runs deep. " The " clever and funny " film reminds viewers to break every mold with a smile. —Samantha Bergeson

53. "Game Night" (2018)

"Game Night"

Warner Bros.

A friendly couples game night goes horribly wrong as a real murder mystery unfolds in front of spouses Max (Jason Bateman) and Annie (Rachel McAdams) and their friends, played by Billy Magnussen, Lamorne Morris, and Kylie Bunbury. It all starts when Max's older brother Brooks (Kyle Chandler) unexpectedly crashes their monthly game, and nosey cop neighbor Gary (Jesse Plemons) starts to clue in that a real crime may be afoot. " 'Game Night' is refreshingly self-aware," IndieWire's Steve Greene wrote in his review. "For this group of characters with diverging comic sensibilities, there are certainly enough laughs here to work as glue to keep the whole stretched-out bits from falling apart." —Samantha Bergeson

52. "Blockers" (2018)

"Blockers"

Quantrell D. Colbert

The R-rated, sex-positive teen comedy "Blockers" could be compared to the female version of "American Pie." But what is the "female version of" anything? Kay Cannon's "inspired sex comedy," as IndieWire's Eric Kohn penned, puts as much emphasis on the parents as it does the kids while tracking the multiple storylines surrounding a friend group on prom night. Leslie Mann, Ike Barinholtz, and John Cena are parents who try to prevent their daughters from having sex on the big senior year night, but their teens —played by Kathryn Newton, Gideon Adlon, and Geraldine Viswanathan  — have already made a pact to lose their virginities. "Their parents' obsessive behavior reveals more about their own insecurities than any real dangers faced by their children," Kohn wrote. "It's a clever inversion of the usual teen sex comedy dynamic, because nobody really does anything seriously wrong and for the most part, the kids are alright. We've come a long way since the era of John Hughes: The sexual politics of 'Blockers' have been mapped out so carefully that it's impossible to assail the raunchiness for crossing a line. But that's part of the point: The parents assume the worst in part because they fail to understand at sexually-charged teens aren't actually doing something wrong because they want to go all the way, and by the time they realize they've gone too far in their mission, it's too late to pull back." Thankfully, none of our laughs have to be restrained in the meantime. —Samantha Bergeson

51. "Palm Springs" (2020)

"Palm Springs"

Hulu

"Groundhog Day" meets "Plus One" in "Palm Springs," where Cristin Milioti and Andy Samberg are trapped in a time-loop rom-com that feeds our existential dread while also paralleling the quest to find a partner to waste away with. Max Barbakow's film made history at 2020 Sundance, and aptly premiered during a year where quarantine made the twist of "Palm Springs" feel like a prophecy. "Imagine being stuck in a perpetually static purgatory where meaningful change can only be seen through the eyes of the sad bastard suffering alongside you," IndieWire's David Ehrlich wrote in his review. "Imagine being surrounded by a million strangers in a world of limitless possibilities, and winding up with the same one every night because of one fateful choice that seemed like a good idea a million years ago. Imagine…being married." In fact, "Palm Springs" centers around the events of one wedding that takes place over and over again, like a reverse "Melancholia." —Samantha Bergeson
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Source: https://www.indiewire.com/feature/best-comedy-movies-funniest-comedies-ranked-1201835289/2/

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