Entertainment
The 15 Best Netflix Original Comedy Movies, Ranked
While the streaming era as a whole has provided a great deal of engaging and iconic original content across a wide variety of different streaming services, Netflix has continued to be at the forefront when it comes to its original content. The platform has proven time and time again why it is the king of the streaming era, with its multitude of original films being just one way that it has held dominance over other streaming services. While Netflix has provided many iconic titles in a wide variety of genres, some of their strongest offerings are easily in the realm of comedy.
Ranging from exclusive installments in massive comedy film series, or new stories brought to life by the modern day’s biggest and brightest comedic filmmakers, there is no shortage of brilliant original comedies on the platform. When it comes to the absolute best comedies that the platform has released, the films have been highly regarded and considered some of the most successful and beloved comedy films of recent memory.
Easily one of the most underrated Netflix original films out there, Metal Lords is a coming-of-age teen comedy that follows a duo of misfits with big dreams of performing a heavy metal song at their school’s battle of the bands, becoming school legends just like their heroes. The overwhelming strength of the film is its signature sense of charm and earnestness, finding an effective balance between comedic elements and some genuine emotional heart.
Especially as so many other teen movies of the modern age feel limited by characters that act more as caricatures and basic personality traits, Metal Lords gets a lot of mileage out of treating its characters like real people, with a layered understanding of the stresses and difficulties of modern teenage life. While it might not be one of the first films that come to mind when considering the must-watch Netflix comedies, Metal Lords is absolutely worth checking out for fans of the teen coming-of-age genre.
14
‘Always Be My Maybe’ (2019)
One of the better romantic comedies on the platform, Always Be My Maybe follows the story of Sasha (Ali Wong) and Marcus (Randall Park), two childhood friends who drifted apart after an awkward fling. However, fifteen years later, fate has seemingly brought the two together again, yet the stark differences between Sasha’s life as a world-famous chef and Marcus’s average, local lifestyle prove to come with their own difficulties. However, it’s undeniable that the two still have sparks, so they do their best to make this second chance at a relationship work.
As with all great romantic comedies, the crux and biggest strength of Always Be My Maybe comes from the genuine connection and on-screen chemistry between Wong and Park. Both in terms of the genuine romance that the characters build throughout the film, and acting as great comedic foils that constantly bounce off of one another, the duo are on-screen dynamite. As far as Netflix’s original romantic comedy movies, Always Be My Maybe is easily one of their best.
13
‘They Cloned Tyrone’ (2023)
An exceptionally hilarious sci-fi satire defined by an overwhelming sense of style and personality in its filmmaking, They Cloned Tyrone proves to be much more insightful and intelligent with its comedy than the average Netflix original movie. It follows the unlikely trio of a drug dealer (John Boyega), one of his customers (Jamie Foxx), and a sex worker (Teyonah Parris) uncovering a mass cloning conspiracy happening right underneath their town, as it seems that every aspect of their lives has been set up by a nefarious shadow government.
From the extravagant costumes to the over-the-top set designs and background elements, They Cloned Tyrone places a lot of emphasis on the smallest of details to create a satirical edge to its world, making its shift to conspiratorial sci-fi all the more effective. It also helps that Boyega, Foxx, and Parris each provide exceptional comedic performances, bouncing off of one another and adding layers to this story of clones and conspiracy.
12
‘Don’t Look Up’ (2021)
Acting as an in-your-face satire of climate change, Don’t Look Up follows two low-level astronomers who come upon the terrifying discovery that a meteor is set to crash into Earth in six months. In an attempt to warn everyone about the impending doom of the planet, they attempt to go on a press tour to spread the word and hopefully get a solution rolling. However, much to their dismay, most of the world either doesn’t believe their claims, or even worse, doesn’t care.
Adam McKay‘s recent comedy films have always been able to successfully toe the line between biting and cutthroat satire with a signature, broadly appealing style of humor that greatly defined his earlier works. Don’t Look Up acts as the true pinnacle and combination of the two eras of his career, able to feature both relevant social commentary with absurdist characters and caricatures to create a distinct viewing experience. While not everybody’s cup of tea, it’s hard to deny the reach and impact that the film has had, being one of Netflix’s most successful films of all time, comedy or otherwise.
11
‘The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)’ (2017)
One of many distinct collaborations between Netflix and acclaimed director Noah Baumbach, The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) follows the estranged Meyerowitz family during a long-awaited reunion. With the father of the family, Harold Meyerowitz, having an event in New York meant to celebrate his artistic work, the rest of the family, including the likes of Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, and Emma Thompson, come together for a celebration. It doesn’t take long, however, before the family falls back on the infighting and division that had kept them away to begin with.
While not as award-winning or recognized as Baumbach’s other iconic film for Netflix, Marriage Story, The Meyerowitz Stories significantly leans more into Baumbach’s talents as a comedic writer. His signature writing style combined with the all-star cast of comedic legends comes to create one of the most distinct and consistently hilarious comedies that Netflix has ever released. It’s a film that also features as much thematic resonance and powerful themes of familial ties and division as it does hilarious comedic moments that continue to stay funny on every rewatch.
10
‘The Half of It’ (2020)
The Half of It is a coming-of-age romantic comedy that follows Ellie, a reclusive straight-A student who has spent her high school years isolated from the rest of the student body. She soon finds herself being hired by straight-D student Paul, who needs help in charming the most popular girl in school and wants to use Ellie’s writing abilities to make the perfect love letters. All seems good at first before Ellie soon realizes that she is also beginning to form feelings for the same girl that Paul is into.
While many modern coming-of-age movies have floundered because of how inauthentic and unrelatable their characters were to modern teens, The Half of It succeeds where its contemporaries largely fail. The film takes a much more grounded and realistic approach to the classic teen romance story, showing that it’s OK when not everything goes according to plan, as the rocky teenage years are unpredictable and are never perfect for anyone. It has a level of respect for its audience that is rare in teen movies, making it a highly commendable take on the genre.
9
‘The Mitchells vs. the Machines’ (2021)
Easily the definitive animated comedy movie to be released by Netflix, The Mitchells vs. the Machines is a wild, unrestrained love letter to the very notions of filmmaking and creating insane, deeply personal art. Blending together a story of artistic vision, a classic family road trip, and a sci-fi story of saving the world from a robot apocalypse, the film embraces its lack of normalcy and the absolute weirdness of art and trying to be a family.
The major highlight of the film is the absolutely stunning animation, rife with personality and comedic flourishes throughout the entire thing that serve to elevate the entire experience. It’s a film tailor-made for the social outcasts and animation nerds of the world, with enough engaging central theming around family dynamics to make it a feel-good experience for the entire family. It’s easy to see the film as one of the very best animated films Netflix has released, and it works in its favor that it also happens to be hilarious from start to finish.
8
‘Bad Trip’ (2021)
A wild hidden camera comedy in the same vein as Borat and Jackass, Bad Trip follows best friends Chris (Eric Andre) and Bud (Lil Rel Howery) as they embark on a wild road trip across the country. While on their journey, they play a part in a multitude of crazy pranks and shenanigans that pull real-life people into the mayhem of the story, as they adjust the story based on their interactions. At the same time, the duo is being chased down by Bud’s sister Trina (Tiffany Haddish), who is getting up to her own inklings of chaos while hunting the duo down.
While there have been a multitude of failed attempts over the years to recapture the same manic, pranking hidden camera energy of Borat, the only comedian who was truly going to be able to come close to this manic energy was Eric Andre. Andre’s experience and similar absurdist prank-based humor seen in his show, The Eric Andre Show, is simply brought to the next level in Bad Trip, with a cinematic budget giving them limitless possibilities for the chaos that unfolds. Especially for fans of Andre’s other works, Bad Trip is a must-watch comedy experience.
7
‘Do Revenge’ (2022)
Acting as a modern-day love letter to the classic clique-based teen movies of the late 90s and early 2000s, Do Revenge perfectly recaptures the manic and cutthroat comedic energy of films like Mean Girls and Clueless. The film follows the story of Drea, a former queen bee at her private high school who has her entire social life crashing down around her, losing her status and all of her friends in the process. However, after meeting with new student Eleanor, the two hatch a scheme to get revenge on each other’s worst enemies, earning their way back to the top in the process.
Do Revenge is easily one of the best, most underrated teen movies in recent memory, acting as a perfect modernization of the classic revenge-based teen movie. Even more than simply rehashing and revitalizing a once popular trend, Do Revenge builds upon and twists the conventions of its premise to create a wildly engaging and highly unpredictable story. Still, comedy has always been the strongest aspect of these films, and Do Revenge, much like the films that inspired it, is chock full of quotable lines and hilariously memorable moments that make it a Netflix movie designed for endless rewatches.
6
‘Paddleton’ (2019)
Paddleton accomplishes the difficult task of finding the humor and pleasant moments in one of the darkest and dreariest things a human can go through. The film follows the story of Michael and Andy, two misfit neighbors who have become the closest of friends, playing games of Paddleton together and watching their favorite kung fu movie. Their friendship, however, is now taking an emotional turn, as Michael is diagnosed with terminal cancer and requests Andy’s help in making his last days on Earth worthwhile.
It’s easy to mess up a film like Paddleton, as the stark contrast between awkward, uncomfortable comedy and a genuinely uncomfortable experience can easily be misconstrued by an audience. However, what makes the film work so exceptionally well are the performances and genuine chemistry between Mark Duplass and Ray Romano, who sell their years-long friendship with constant riffing and genuine back-and-forth. Even when it gets to its most emotional and heartbreaking moments, the film still understands the importance of humor, even in the darkest of times.
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