The 10 Funniest Comedy Movies Of 2023
Some moviegoers believe funny films are extinct. In a way, they're not wrong ... Gone are the box office days when mid-budget comedies like 2002's "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" rank among the year's highest-grossing films. (Yes, that rom-com with a reportedly $5 million budget made over $300 million globally at the box office!) Lately, most films fall under the umbrella of "dramedy," which seems to confuse even critics. (Seriously, why is the tense dark comedy thriller "May December" nominated for best comedy movie by 2023's Golden Globes?)
But comedies are still being made, and we're here to examine the funniest movies of the year — proving there are still inventive jokes and new ways to deconstruct the genre. After all, comedies bring some of the most memorable moviegoing experiences to crowds. There's nothing like being packed in a crowded theater when a joke hits just right, and everyone laughs. Since comedy is inherently a subjective idea, this list isn't ranked. These are simply the best comedies of 2023, according to one Looper writer and comedian who went through a bad divorce this year and actively sought out some extra laughs. The movies here are in no particular order but are great additions to your watchlist so that you too can laugh silly.
No Hard Feelings
If there was one film to prove the comedy genre still hits in 2023, it's Jennifer Lawrence's sex-comedy romp, "No Hard Feelings." Lawrence stars as Maddie Barker, a woman in need of cash to save her family's home. She takes an unusual job — pretending to date introvert Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman) — in exchange for a car. Feldman is an ideal straight man for Lawrence's antics. See: Lawrence's hilarious skinny dipping scene. Of course, the bit escalates when their clothes are stolen by some hooligans. Maddie then goes into attack mode in her birthday suit.
Sadly, Lawrence's comedic sensibilities have usually been relegated to interviews and awards show appearances. She always had a cool, girl-next-door demeanor, which never really had a chance to shine onscreen when she's playing serious roles in the likes of "Winter's Bone" and "Silver Linings Playbook." Here, she gets to let loose under the direction of Gene Stupnitsky, and she's fantastic. Feldman is also a revelation, as he brings depth to Percy — making an engaging third act where the jokes begin to dissipate as Maddie and Percy figure out their respective truths.
A raunchy, R-rated sex comedy like "No Hard Feelings," written by Stupnitsky and John Phillips, feels like something relegated to the questionable teen comedy films of the 2000s. But this one proves that there are still ways to explore this sub-genre with sex jokes that rely on genuine character development, visual gags, and surprisingly valuable life lessons.
Bottoms
Speaking of sex comedies, "Bottoms" hilariously took the genre in a far less heteronormative direction. "Bottoms" follows PJ (Rachel Sennott) and Josie (Ayo Edebiri) as they start a high school fight club as an excuse to hit on the hot girls in their class.
"Bottoms" contains pitch-black humor, with jokes about death and school violence, but none of it feels forced under the expert direction of Emma Seligman. Writers Seligman and Rachel Sennott created a bizarre world where those things are simply the norm. This is a high school where the cocky football player has a mural of his image in the cafeteria. When the finale descends into anarchy, it doesn't feel out of the blue. The absurdity is a pitch-perfect crescendo. To its credit, "Bottoms" delivers a far more effective critique of toxic masculinity than "Fight Club" too.
We can't talk about the amazing humor of "Bottoms" without giving credit to Marshawn Lynch's Mr. G. The former NFL player delivers one iconic line after another — like ranting about Amelia Earhart before saying, "Many a guy fly a plane ... without crashing." If Lynch ends up getting more comedy roles out of "Bottoms," the film deserves a spot on this list for that reason alone.
Theater Camp
2023 is Ayo Edebiri's year. She had roles in "Bottoms," "Abbott Elementary," "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," "I Think You Should Leave," "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem," "The Bear," and ... Oh yeah, a little (and already beloved) indie film called "Theater Camp."
In addition to Edebiri, the cast has some of the funniest performers in the game right now like Molly Gordon, Jimmy Tatro, and Patti Harrison. Gordon was also a director on this film alongside Nick Lieberman. The pair are also credited writers in addition to Noah Galvin and Ben Platt. Within this faux documentary, the cast plays various roles within a struggling theater camp. But what works best about this movie is how it balances hyper-specific jokes only former theater kids would find amusing with broader comedy anyone can enjoy. Many of the jokes hinge on the particular personalities of the cast like Tatro playing a guy in over his head trying to keep the camp afloat because it was his mother's.
"Theater Camp" follows the tradition of Christopher Guest — serving a documentary that relies on the cast's comedic talents and chemistry. Unlike Marvel Cinematic Universe movies filled with cheap one-liners, "Theater Camp" has a simple premise that's elevated by its characters. Much like AdirondACTS, "Theater Camp" is the spunky underdog more people need to give a chance.
Dicks: The Musical
As the first musical under A24's banner, a lot was riding on "Dicks: The Musical." From the title alone, audiences should know this is a completely vulgar and crass show in the best way possible. The film's plot follows two misogynistic twins who were separated from birth — Craig (Josh Sharp) and Trevor (Aaron Jackson). Sharp and Jackson also wrote the screenplay for the film ultimately directed by Larry Charles. Once they realize they're related, they embark on a hijinks-filled "Parent Trap"-esque scheme to reunite their parents.
And this isn't a film that throws in a few songs, calls itself a musical, and calls it a day. Nope! "Dicks: The Musical" is a full-fledged off-Broadway production, with numerous toe-tapping numbers filled with hilarious lyrics. A highlight of the film is the song "No One Understands," where the two twins sing about how lonely it is to be them — only to discover in the middle of the track that they have more in common than they realize. After singing about the specific time and place they were each born, they realize they were born one minute apart.
Also, the film includes the feature debut of Megan Thee Stallion. Naturally, she gets a song, titled "Out Alpha the Alpha," with choreography involving men wearing dog leashes. That's a whole lot of funny stuff without discussing the mutated sewer boys. (You'll have to watch to understand that!) "Dicks: The Musical" is one of the funniest films of 2023 but certainly not kid-friendly.
Quiz Lady
If you heard of a comedy where Sandra Oh and Awkwafina play sisters at odds — where one is flighty while the other is tightly wound — who would you guess plays who? "Quiz Lady" delightfully upends expectations and finally shows how hilarious Oh is when she's given a chance to play utterly goofy.
In "Quiz Lady," directed by Jessica Yu and written by Jen D'Angelo, Anne (Awkwafina) is obsessed with a "Jeopardy"-like game show. When the siblings need money to save their dog from gangsters, Anne and Jenny work to get on the program. Overall, it's a heartfelt comedy featuring supporting performances from Will Ferrell, Jason Schwartzman, and Paul Reubens. With slapstick bits and zinging dialogue, "Quiz Lady" entertains audiences while offering an endearing story about sisters healing their relationship and processing their tumultuous upbringing. "Quiz Lady" knows when to dial up the humor and when to let the characters breathe. Unlike the typical buddy comedy road trip movie, this comedy offers a nuanced story that'll make you reflect on your familiar relationships between each laugh.
Joy Ride
"Joy Ride" follows the journey of several gross-out and road trip movies. The central characters enter promiscuous situations and there's a drug-tripping sequence, which is pretty much mandatory. However, "Joy Ride," with a screenplay from Cherry Chevapravatdumrong and Teresa Hsiao, excels in telling a specific story about the Asian American experience while centering on female pleasure (both sexually and psychologically). But it also carries a universal message for anyone who feels like they've never belonged: Sometimes families are found, not made.
In the Adele Lim-directed film, Audrey (Ashley Park) is an adopted Asian American woman who grew up with white parents, so she always felt separated from her heritage. Along with some friends, she'll traverse China to figure out who she is. As is the case with many modern comedies, things turn more serious in the third act and the friendships hit a rough patch. Still, it leads to a genuinely moving moment where Audrey learns more about where she came from and her perspective on selfhood.
"Joy Ride" depicts how comedies don't necessarily need to reinvent the wheel. Gross-out comedies have been occupied by white men forever ... So it's about time other people have a chance to show what they can do (and oftentimes, be better at it) in the same creative space. "Joy Ride" offers a fresh perspective in a genre that desperately needs it. Plus, any movie with a K-pop rendition of "WAP" is going to be a good time, no matter what!
The Blackening
Despite being billed as a slasher-comedy, "The Blackening" leans more heavily on its comedic aspects than its horror ones — making for a clever subversion of the genre. However, unlike satires of the past, it realizes it can't support itself entirely through deconstruction. Other films may be content simply parodying horror films of the past, but the Tim Story-directed movie uses its comedy to point out tropes and discuss race (particularly how race impacts these kinds of stories) on a deeper level while being hilarious.
Arguably, the funniest moment of the film, which was written by Tracy Oliver and Dewayne Perkins, arrives when the central group has to play a game called The Blackening. The game asks them to prove their various levels of Blackness. This leads to a question where the team has to name six Black actors from "Friends," pointing at the sitcom's lack of diversity. They barely manage to name six Black actors, only for the game to tell them they're incorrect because the "Blackest" thing to do would be not to have watched "Friends" in the first place.
While its comedic and horror antics are memorable, "The Blackening" also contains a compelling story. The cast of characters grows through the adversity they face and learns how their flawed assumptions of one another are part of the violence they face too.
Dream Scenario
Nicolas Cage is riding a career-high at the moment, consistently turning in some of the best work of his illustrious career. Interestingly, many recent Cage offerings poke fun at the inherent meme-ability of Cage's filmography — utilizing the fact that it's Nic Cage in the role to its fullest advantage. This can be seen in "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent," where Cage plays himself, and in "Renfeld," where much of the marketing centered on: "Look, it's Nic Cage as Dracula!"
"Dream Scenario," written and directed by Kristoffer Borgli, fits a similar bill, positing the question, "What if everyone in the world started seeing Nic Cage in their dreams?" Cage doesn't play himself, though: Instead, he's mild-mannered Paul Matthews, a professor who inexplicably starts popping up in everyone's dreams. Soon he becomes a minor celebrity. While he's an innocent bystander in the dreams initially, the visions become more disturbing. Over time, the world turns against Matthews, even though he hasn't physically done anything.
The A24 film is a fascinating satire on fame's fickle nature. With social media being more prevalent than ever, anyone can go viral — planned or not. As those familiar with the term "milkshake duck" can tell you, animosity replaces fame quickly. "Dream Scenario" is a surreal yet humorous journey through this very phenomenon, proving why Cage's acting deserves everyone's respect.
Polite Society
"Polite Society" takes an already amusing family melodrama plot and turns it into a kung fu spectacle. Ria (Priya Kansara) aspires to be a professional stuntwoman, and she'll use her fighting prowess to save her sister, Lena (Ritu Arya), from a terrible fate — marriage. Amid the familial drama are stylistic fight sequences that turn what could've been a straightforward, grounded story into something truly special. As the film goes on, it delves into grander absurdity with more bombastic fights.
Metaphorically, the fights in "Polite Society" exemplify the struggle between following one's path and abiding by tradition, especially as it pertains to Pakistani families. They also make the internal struggle between the two sisters external, which includes one fantastic fight the girls engage in where Ria tells Lena everything wrong about the man she wants to marry. There's also some delightful capering as Ria attempts to find incriminating evidence against her sister's soon-to-be husband only to realize he's a pretty good guy ... on the surface, at least.
The Nida Manzoor-directed and-written film follows a trend many of the best comedies of 2023 had — hosting a variety of cultures' comedic sensibilities that we don't see as often in mainstream media. For far too long, comedies were dominated by straight white men, offering a single (often skewed and stereotypical) perspective. Films like "Polite Society," "Joy Ride," and "Quiz Lady" feature people from more inclusive backgrounds to show what's funny to them. The result? Something remarkable.
Barbie
Come on, you knew this one was coming!
"Barbie" is a monumental achievement, being the highest-grossing movie of 2023 as well as one of the best films period. At its core, it's very much a fantasy comedy that delivers big laughs with an uplifting message about womanhood. From America Ferrera's monologue to "I'm Just Ken," a lot has already been written about "Barbie," especially here on Looper. Still, it's easy to forget just how well-written the jokes are from Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach. In many cases, the line delivery here elevates the comedic fare to a higher level. The way Margot Robbie says, "She thinks I'm a fascist? I don't control the railways or the flow of commerce," is sublime. There are also hyper-specific pop culture references, like how Depressed Barbie will watch the BBC's "Pride and Prejudice," which feels insanely personal and universally relatable at once.
Honestly, the fact that "Barbie" made the most money at the box office in 2023 is astounding. Yes, it's based on one of the most popular toy brands ever, but you don't make that kind of scratch without being an entertaining film. "Barbie" was one-half of the Barbenheimer double feature phenomenon, giving viewers a reprieve after watching a film about nuclear annihilation. The Gerwig-directed film showed how comedies can be popular, and it would be nice if future toy movies focused on that — rather than trying to cram in as much product placement as possible.
How the heck did Looper come out with the best comedies of 2023?
What's funny to one person can be painfully unfunny to someone else. I crafted a list of what felt funny to me as an entertainment journalist and comedian. I write about film and television constantly, so I've seen every film here and many other comedies. I have four years of experience performing improv, and I've been writing and performing in various sketch comedy teams around Los Angeles for the better part of a decade. This means two things:
1) I've spent a lot of money on UCB classes, so you can 100% question my financial decision-making skills.
2) I have a high threshold for what makes me laugh because I've seen so many comedy shows over the years.
For me, these 10 movies represent something special. They show how comedies aren't going anywhere; they're merely changing. I don't think it's surprising the best comedies of 2023 heavily feature female leads and/or people of color. White male stand-up comedians may lament how you can't say anything anymore (ironically, they say this on nationally broadcast stand-up specials), but as these films show, you can still make comedies that feature jokes about sex, race, and taboo subjects. You just have to be smart about it, which these movies accomplish with gusto. You may have different ideas than me about what's funny but these movies will give you the best bet of laughing your butt off with some impressive storytelling to boot.