The 25 best comedy movies on Hulu

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021)

Break out your culottes: This daffy comedy written by and starring Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo is friendship cinema at its finest. The pair play the titular BFFs, middle-aged Midwesterners who finally venture outside of their humble hometown in Nebraska to vacation in Vista Del Mar, Fla. After their arrival, they befriend Edgar (Jamie Dornan), the henchman of the villainous Sharon (also played by Wiig), who intends to terrorize Vista Del Mar as revenge for being bullied as a child.

Unabashedly goofy, Barb and Star will ideally earn its place as a cult classic in years to come for its bevy of silly gags (Dornan's go-for-broke musical number in particular), with EW's critic comparing the film favorably to "Blazing Saddles, Airplane, [and] the first Austin Powers." —Kevin Jacobsen

Where to watch Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar: Hulu

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Josh Greenbaum

Cast: Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo, Jamie Dornan, Damon Wayans Jr.

Big (1988)

Tom Hanks fulfilled every child's dream in this beloved fantasy-comedy about a 12-year-old named Josh, whose wish to be "big" is granted one day as he wakes up as an adult-sized version of himself. While still maintaining the mind of a pre-adolescent boy, he navigates New York City and inadvertently a job at FAO Schwarz, where he excels thanks to his knowledge of what kinds of toys excite kids. Josh also stumbles into a romance with a co-worker (Elizabeth Perkins), which naturally becomes complicated when the truth is finally revealed.

Hanks won a Golden Globe and earned his first Oscar nomination for his performance, which EW's critic describes as "the best encapsulation of the lovably zany first act of Hanks' career." —K.J.

Where to watch Big: Hulu

EW grade: A (read the review)

Director: Penny Marshall

Cast: Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Perkins, Robert Loggia, John Heard

Fire Island (2022)

Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice gets a queer, Millennial makeover in Fire Island, the debut film from comedic multihyphenate Joel Kim Booster. Booster stars as Noah, a broke thirtysomething with a longstanding tradition of vacationing with his friends on Fire Island. When the group learns their house mother (Margaret Cho) plans to sell her home, the friends are forced to confront their love lives and class issues during their last week together. Fire Island also stars Saturday Night Live's Bowen Yang as Howie, Noah's neurotic best friend. A clutch casting choice, Yang imbues the film with some of its most memorable comic sequences.

EW's critic writes, "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a very small swimsuit must be in want of a rom-com to call his own; Fire Island sets the stage, messy and sweet, and lets its freak flag fly." —Andrew Walsh

Where to watch Fire Island: Hulu

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Max Barbakow

Cast: Joel Kim Booster, Bowen Yang, Conrad Ricamora, James Scully, Margaret Cho, Matt Rogers

Freaky Friday (2003)

Body swap comedies can be hit or miss depending on the execution; luckily, this adaptation of Mary Rodgers' classic novel gets it just right thanks to its winning combination of stars Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis. Freaky Friday, which EW's critic calls "a funny, shrewd, no-bull family comedy," follows teenage rocker Anna (Lohan) and her overextended mother Tess (Curtis), whose lives are turned upside down when they wake up in each other's bodies. Plenty of comedy is mined from the pair trying to acclimate to the other's life, but the film also resonates as a commentary on the unique relationship between mothers and daughters. —K.J.

Where to watch Freaky Friday: Hulu

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Director: Mark Waters

Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Harold Gould, Chad Michael Murray, Mark Harmon

Happiest Season (2020)

In 2020, actress, writer, and director Clea DuVall pulled us out of our collective pandemic funk with the gift of Happiest Season, a queer holiday rom-com released on Hulu. Co-written with actress Mary Holland and directed by DuVall, Happiest Season follows Abby (Kristen Stewart) as she goes to meet her girlfriend Harper's (Mackenzie Davis) parents and spend Christmas at their family's home. The visit is only slightly complicated by the fact that Harper's conservative family — including her perfectionistic mother Tipper (Mary Steenburgen) and her mayoral candidate father (Victor Garber) — don't know she's gay...or that she's dating Abby. Hijinks ensue, feelings are hurt, and the city of Pittsburgh has never looked more inviting.

With a monster cast that includes Alison Brie and Holland as Harper's eccentric sisters, Aubrey Plaza as her ex, and Dan Levy as Abby's best friend, Happiest Season manages to be, as EW's critic puts it, "a smart, heartfelt comedy whose small flaws are easily blotted out by bigger charms." —A.W.

Where to watch Happiest Season: Hulu

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Clea DuVall

Cast: Kristen Stewart, Mackenzie Davis, Alison Brie, Aubrey Plaza, Dan Levy, Mary Holland, Victor Garber, Mary Steenburgen

The Heat (2013)

The Heat features the kind of pairing that makes you wish they starred in a dozen more movies together. Alas, Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy have only teamed up for this riotous crime comedy, starring the former as straitlaced FBI Special Agent Sarah Ashburn and the latter as street-smart Boston detective Shannon Mullins. Ashburn and Mullins partner up to catch a local drug lord, though their differing approaches to the case make things difficult. While its pacing may be familiar to any buddy cop comedy fan, EW's critic praises the film as "a piece of smash-and-grab policier pulp that, through the interplay of Bullock and McCarthy, spins to its own snarly/confessional feminine beat." —K.J.

Where to watch The Heat: Hulu

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Paul Feig

Cast: Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy, Demián Bichir, Marlon Wayans, Michael Rapaport

Jennifer's Body (2009)

Misunderstood at the time, Karyn Kusama's horror comedy has aged remarkably well since its release. Amanda Seyfried stars as Needy, a high school student whose popular best friend, Jennifer (a never-better Megan Fox), becomes possessed by a demon. After Jennifer kills multiple male classmates, Needy hopes to put an end to the violence, while also trying to get to the bottom of what exactly happened to her best friend.

Though critics largely dismissed Jennifer's Body as disposable in 2009 (and audiences weren't much kinder), it has since earned cult classic status for its feminist themes; what was marketed at the time as a sexy dark comedy for teen boys to ogle at is actually an ahead-of-its-time revenge thriller. —K.J.

Where to watch Jennifer's Body: Hulu

Director: Karyn Kusama

Cast: Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Simmons, J.K. Simmons, Amy Sedaris, Adam Brody

Juno (2007)

High school problems take on a much rounder shape in Juno, the story of 16-year-old Juno MacGuff (Elliot Page) who finds herself accidentally impregnated with her friend Paulie Bleeker's (Michael Cera) baby. With the support of her father (J.K. Simmons) and stepmother (Allison Janney), Juno finds the ideal adoptive candidates in Mark (Jason Bateman) and Vanessa (Jennifer Garner), only to discover there's no such thing as a perfect parental situation.

Sparkling with Diablo Cody's aggressively verbal, fast-moving dialogue, and brought to life by a cast representing some of the mid-aughts' best comedic and deadpan talents, Juno was well-deserving of the four Academy Award nominations (and one win!) the film received. The key to its success? Underneath all the linguistic acrobatics, Midwestern niceties, and pubescent sarcasm, Juno is ultimately a story about family and growing — up, out, and into oneself. —A.W.

Where to watch Juno: Hulu

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Jason Reitman

Cast: Elliot Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney, J.K. Simmons

Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)

There will never be another Robin Williams. Just watch this family comedy favorite and you'll see the kind of raw commitment missing among today's stars, portraying a divorced father who disguises himself as a kindly female housekeeper to spend time with his children. It's a wacky concept that could've gone very wrong (as most films from decades ago involving cross-dressing do), but Williams brings surprising nuance in his portrayal of a man desperate to reconnect with his family. Props also go to Sally Field as his ex-wife, whose "The whole time?" line reading is truly one for the ages. —K.J.

Where to watch Mrs. Doubtfire: Hulu

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Chris Columbus

Cast: Robin Williams, Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan, Harvey Fierstein, Robert Prosky

My Cousin Vinny (1992)

After his nephew Bill (Ralph Macchio) and his friend Stan (Mitchell Whitfield) are convicted of a murder they didn't commit in Alabama, Brooklyn lawyer Vinny Gambini (Joe Pesci) tries to defend them in this beloved courtroom comedy. Unbeknownst to Bill and Stan, however, Vinny only just became a practicing lawyer, and he completely lacks trial experience. Vinny ultimately stumbles his way through his defense, though his smart-talking fiancée Mona Lisa (Marisa Tomei) greatly helps him in assembling a case. Pesci, two years removed from his riotous performance in Goodfellas, is in full command of his instrument, but it's Tomei who steals the show here, winning an Oscar for her hilariously sassy turn. —K.J.

Where to watch My Cousin Vinny: Hulu

EW grade: C+ (read the review)

Director: Jonathan Lynn

Cast: Joe Pesci, Ralph Macchio, Marisa Tomei, Mitchell Whitfield, Fred Gwynne

Not Okay (2022)

The perils of internet fame are explored in this satirical cautionary tale. Zoey Deutch plays Danni, a photo editor whose innocent lie about attending a writers' retreat in Paris spirals out of control as she fabricates photos of her trip for online attention. Things are taken to a new level when she claims to have survived a bombing at the Arc de Triomphe, which gains her unearned sympathy as she struggles to maintain the lie. Not Okay made headlines with its tongue-in-cheek trigger warning at the start of the film, claiming some viewers may be turned off by its depiction of an "unlikable female protagonist." With its sharp, provocative edge, it won't be for everyone, but few would disagree with its messaging of the dangers of being Too Online. —K.J.

Where to watch Not Okay: Hulu

Director: Quinn Shephard

Cast: Zoey Deutch, Mia Isaac, Dylan O'Brien, Nadia Alexander, Embeth Davidtz, Karan Soni

Office Space (1999)

Before The Office, there was Office Space, written and directed by Mike Judge as a sendup of workplace culture in the late-'90s. The film stars Ron Livingston as a software company employee who hates his job. After a round of layoffs affects his two co-worker friends, the trio schemes to embezzle money from the company via a computer virus — though it all spins out of control when a clerical error leaves them with a lot more money than anticipated. Despite not being universally praised at the time (see EW's original grade), Office Space has since been celebrated as a clever satire that still resonates today. —K.J.

Where to watch Office Space: Hulu

EW grade: C (read the review)

Director: Mike Judge

Cast: Ron Livingston, Jennifer Aniston, Stephen Root, Gary Cole

On the Count of Three (2022)

Jerrod Carmichael made his feature directorial debut with this dark comedy in which he stars alongside Girls alum Christopher Abbott. The duo play friends who make a suicide pact, but decide to spend one last day doing whatever they want and resolving prior issues. Despite its dark premise, Carmichael finds the right tone to deliver an authentic portrait of friendship as his Val and Abbott's Kevin are able to find simple joys in life even through the pain. "The movie settles into the blackest kind of buddy comedy," EW's critic writes in the review, "a lacerating slice of nihilism rooted in real despair, and real I-love-you-man tenderness, too." Plus, the film's expert use of Papa Roach's "Last Resort" certainly leaves an impact. —K.J.

Where to watch On the Count of Three: Hulu

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Jerrod Carmichael

Cast: Jerrod Carmichael, Christopher Abbott, Tiffany Haddish, J.B. Smoove, Lavell Crawford, Henry Winkler

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)

Quentin Tarantino's ode to 1960s Hollywood is arguably the writer-director's most sentimental film. Bathed in the warm glow of nostalgia, the film centers on fading actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stunt double, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), each struggling to stay relevant and find work during changing times in Hollywood. The film also incorporates real-life figures like actress Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) as she experiences life as a budding star; of course, with its 1969 Los Angeles setting, the threat of the Manson Family is ever-present. It's a sprawling epic packed with stars and set pieces both big and small, with some of the funniest sequences in Tarantino's filmography, from Rick's trailer breakdown to the gonzo ending featuring a particularly well-deployed flamethrower. —K.J.

Where to watch Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: Hulu

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Emile Hirsch, Margaret Qualley, Timothy Olyphant, Austin Butler, Dakota Fanning, Bruce Dern, Al Pacino

Palm Springs (2020)

Nyles (Andy Samberg) and Sarah (Cristin Milioti) are stuck at a Palm Springs wedding that will literally never end. While Nyles is resigned to his fate, Sarah — the maid of honor — is desperate to escape this desert hell. Directed by Max Barbakow with a script from Andy Siara, Palm Springs adds a trippy time loop twist to the rom-com genre. This existential comedy — which broke Sundance sales records by 69 cents (nice) — uses its sci-fi hook to explore what it really means to forgive yourself and let go of the past. Then there's the standout performance from J.K Simmons as deranged wedding guest Roy, who manages to be inspiring, terrifying, and hilarious all at once. Still, it's the budding romance between Milioti and Samberg that will make you want to revisit Palm Springs again and again. —A.W.

Where to watch Palm Springs: Hulu

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Max Barbakow

Cast: Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J.K. Simmons

The Proposal (2009)

Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds make for a perfect match, even if their characters don't feel that way at first. Margaret (Bullock), a highly driven editor-in-chief at a successful publishing house, runs into trouble when a visa violation nearly gets her deported back to Canada. She pressures her tireless assistant, Andrew (Reynolds), to marry her so she can get a green card in exchange for him being promoted to editor. Naturally, hijinks ensue as Margaret meets Andrew's tight-knit Alaskan family (shout out to a scene-stealing Betty White as Andrew's grandma) and the pair explore their unconventional relationship.

EW's critic praises the chemistry between the two leads, observing, "Working together, both are surer and more disciplined in delivering their comedy goods." —K.J.

Where to watch The Proposal: Hulu

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Anne Fletcher

Cast: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Malin Åkerman, Craig T. Nelson, Mary Steenburgen, Betty White

Quiz Lady (2023)

Part of the appeal of this charming, Emmy-winning TV movie from Jessica Yu is in seeing its stars stretch beyond their typical roles. Awkwafina, often cast as the brazen comic relief, plays anxious game-show aficionado Anne, while the typically hyper-competent Sandra Oh plays Anne's messy older sister Jenny. They are reunited after their mother flees the country on a gambling streak, and after a loan shark comes out of the woodwork, the sisters come up with a scheme for Anne to go on her favorite game show to get enough money to pay him back. Awkwafina and especially Oh excel in their against-type roles, creating a believable chemistry that goes beyond silly antics; their bonding allows them to confront old traumas and get to a more hopeful place as sisters. —K.J.

Where to watch Quiz Lady: Hulu

Director: Jessica Yu

Cast: Awkwafina, Sandra Oh, Will Ferrell, Jason Schwartzman, Holland Taylor, Tony Hale, Jon "Dumbfoundead" Park

Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997)

One of the great underrated cinematic duos, Romy (Mira Sorvino) and Michele (Lisa Kudrow) are twentysomething slackers who enjoy their simple lives. But, with their 10-year high school reunion impending, they try to reinvent themselves as successful to impress the classmates who bullied them. Unable to put their plans into action, they resolve to lie about having led fabulous lives — including claiming to have invented the Post-It note. While EW's critic originally called the film an "amiable mess," it has since been reclaimed as a cult classic due to its giddy spirit and infectiously fun performances from Sorvino and Kudrow. —K.J.

Where to watch Romy and Michele's High School Reunion: Hulu

EW grade: C+ (read the review)

Director: David Mirkin

Cast: Mira Sorvino, Lisa Kudrow, Janeane Garofalo

Rye Lane (2023)

Fresh off a splashy, well-received premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, this British rom-com centers on Dom (David Jonsson) and Yas (Vivian Oparah), who meet in a gender-neutral bathroom and bond over their recent breakups. Walking around Rye Lane Market in South London, they discuss life and love as their bond grows inevitably closer. While rom-coms of this variety have existed for decades and decades, critics were universal in their praise of Rye Lane as an invigorating addition to the genre. There is a warmth and vibrancy to the film, with first-time feature director Raine Allen-Miller infusing her South London setting with specificity and genuine affection, and Jonsson and Oparah have the kind of complementary energies that make such films so magical. —K.J.

Where to watch Rye Lane: Hulu

Director: Raine Allen-Miller

Cast: David Jonsson, Vivian Oparah

Sideways (2004)

Few films have been as beneficial to the wine industry as this indie favorite from Alexander Payne. Paul Giamatti stars as Miles, a middle-aged man with depression who goes with his actor friend Jack (Thomas Haden Church) on a weeklong trip through wine country in Santa Barbara, Calif. Both men get romantically involved with women on their jaunt, which only complicates matters as Jack is soon to be married. Arch and moving all at once, Sideways may be a couple of decades old now but it only gets better with age, particularly in the performances by Giamatti, Church, Virginia Madsen (that monologue about wine remains a favorite), and Sandra Oh. —K.J.

Where to watch Sideways: Hulu

Director: Alexander Payne

Cast: Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen, Sandra Oh

Support the Girls (2018)

This hidden gem stars Regina Hall as Lisa, the general manager of a "breastaurant" called Double Whammies, where anything that can go wrong does go wrong. From an attempted robbery to a cable outage to wrangling her employees to pressure from her boss, Lisa tries to keep calm when one false move could cause even further headaches. Fittingly, director Andrew Bujalski keeps all these plates spinning, delivering a working-class comedy with genuine heart. EW's critic calls Support the Girls a "low-key pleasure," with particular praise for Hall, in a "lovely, nuanced performance as a woman who cares too much, even when no one else is watching." —K.J.

Where to watch Support the Girls: Hulu

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Andrew Bujalski

Cast: Regina Hall, Haley Lu Richardson, James LeGros, Shayna McHayle, Dylan Gelula, AJ Michalka, Brooklyn Decker, Jana Kramer

That Thing You Do! (1996)

This nostalgic music comedy follows a band's short-lived brush with success in 1960s Pennsylvania. Known as the Oneders (later the Wonders), the group records a single called "That Thing You Do!" which becomes a smash hit, though their sudden fame proves difficult for most of the members. Written and directed by Tom Hanks, the film has a fun satirical edge that only someone who knows the ins and outs of the industry can depict with such accuracy. As EW's critic writes, "It looks at the invention of our pop-rock mythology, and the bands that fed it until they were consumed by it, just as you’d expect Tom Hanks to: with open eyes (and a raised eyebrow)." —K.J.

Where to watch That Thing You Do!: Hulu

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Tom Hanks

Cast: Tom Everett Scott, Liv Tyler, Johnathon Schaech, Steve Zahn, Ethan Embry, Tom Hanks

Thelma (2024)

Hell hath no fury like Thelma Post (June Squibb) scorned. After being duped by a phone scam, 93-year-old Thelma goes on the warpath to find those involved and get back her money. Of course, it's not easy for her to navigate the streets of Los Angeles (having lost her driving privileges), so she takes an old pal across town via motor scooter to help her hunt down the culprits. Hilarious and quietly moving in equal measure, Thelma provides Squibb with the first leading role of her career and she makes the absolute most of it, delivering a complex performance as a woman who refuses to let age slow her down. —K.J.

Where to watch Thelma: Hulu

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Josh Margolin

Cast: June Squibb, Fred Hechinger, Richard Roundtree, Clark Gregg, Parker Posey, Malcolm McDowell

Triangle of Sadness (2022)

Triangle of Sadness comes after a slew of similarly delicious "eat the rich" satires in recent years, from Parasite (2019) to The White Lotus to The Menu (2022). Ruben Östlund, whose previous class commentaries include Force Majeure (2014) and The Square (2017), won the Palme d'Or for writing and directing this audacious comedy about a pair of dating models who set sail on a luxury cruise that ends in disaster. (Think Titanic, but with a lot more bodily fluids.) As EW's critic raves in the review, Triangle of Sadness is "not the funhouse mirror we need for these ridiculous times, maybe, but one we deserve." Östlund's film went on to score Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay, though curiously not nominated was Dolly de Leon, whose forceful presence in the film's third act makes for a wildly unpredictable ending. —K.J.

Where to watch Triangle of Sadness: Hulu

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Ruben Östlund

Cast: Harris Dickinson, Charlbi Dean, Dolly de Leon, Woody Harrelson, Zlatko Burić, Iris Berben, Vicki Berlin, Henrik Dorsin, Jean-Christophe Folly, Amanda Walker, Oliver Ford Davies, Sunnyi Melles

True Lies (1994)

No one would suspect a guy who looks like Arnold Schwarzenegger to be an ordinary computer salesman, and that just makes the setup of True Lies that much funnier. The actor plays Harry Tasker, who shields his true identity as a secret agent from his wife, Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis). After suspecting Helen of having an affair, Harry devises a mission to learn the truth...which soon escalates into Helen being kidnapped by the leader of a terrorist organization. With hilarious performances (Curtis has arguably never been better) and director James Cameron's brilliant mind for action set pieces, True Lies is a splashy delight. —K.J.

Where to watch True Lies: Hulu

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: James Cameron

Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold, Bill Paxton, Tia Carrere