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Bob Akester/Paramount Photos; Frank Trapper/Corbis through Getty; Nicole Rivelli/Lionsgate
One of many many nice facets of comedy is that not every little thing will make you giggle the identical approach — and that's okay. Comedy is a extremely subjective artwork type, and it may take many shapes, from goofy farces like The Birdcage (1995), to charming confections like Moonstruck (1987), to darkish satires like Heathers (1989).
Amazon Prime Video has quite a few comedy choices free to look at with a subscription, together with the aforementioned classics and newer genre-bending comedies like Purple, White & Royal Blue (2023), Completely Killer (2023), and My Outdated Ass (2024). No matter type of comedy you're within the temper for, Amazon probably has one thing for you.
Listed below are our picks for the 15 finest comedies on Amazon Prime Video.
01 of 15
Afternoon Delight (2013)
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Jim Frohna/Movie Arcade
Kathryn Hahn is considered one of our best actresses who makes a speciality of tales of modern-day girls going by way of deep inner struggles, and this quirky indie dramedy isn’t any exception. Hahn performs Rachel, a stay-at-home mother rising more and more pissed off by the monotony of her life. In an effort to spice issues up, she goes together with her husband to a strip membership the place she meets McKenna (Juno Temple), a dancer to whom she's drawn. She quickly befriends McKenna, although Rachel's insecurities quickly come out, resulting in stress of their relationship. —Kevin Jacobsen
The place to look at Afternoon Delight: Amazon Prime Video
Director: Joey Soloway
Forged: Kathryn Hahn, Juno Temple, Josh Radnor, Jane Lynch
02 of 15
Bernie (2012)
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This engrossing black comedy, based mostly on a wild true story, incorporates considered one of Jack Black's finest performances. The actor stars as Bernie Tiede, a mortician's assistant who’s treasured by his neighborhood due to his caring nature towards aged widows. After befriending the irritable Marjorie Nugent (Shirley MacLaine), she persuades him to work for her full-time, the place her demanding nature results in Bernie finally taking pictures her. —Ok.J.
The place to look at Bernie: Amazon Prime Video
Director: Richard Linklater
Forged: Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, Matthew McConaughey
03 of 15
The Birdcage (1996)
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United Artists/Courtesy Everett Assortment
These birds have gotten fairly a pedigree. Primarily based on the 1978 movie La Cage aux Folles (and, by proxy, the unique 1973 French play), this adaptation was created by one of many best comedy groups of all time: director Mike Nichols and author Elaine Could. The story of a son returning to the roost together with his fiancée and asking his homosexual dad (and stepdad) to fake to be straight might sound a bit dated, however hear us out. Led by the superlative duo of Robin Williams and Nathan Lane, EW's critic factors out that the thought of "a grown man asking his dad and mom — a long-term, dedicated homosexual couple — to take part in such a self-loathing ruse borders on the fiendish. However that's to not say the couple in query aren't hilarious." —Debby Wolfinsohn
The place to look at The Birdcage: Amazon Prime Video
EW grade: A–
Director: Mike Nichols
Forged: Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Gene Hackman, Dianne Wiest
04 of 15
The Large Sick (2017)
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Sarah Shatz/Lionsgate
If you happen to like your comedy with a aspect of tragedy, The Large Sick has received you coated. That is really a singular, one-of-a-kind manufacturing: stomach-achingly hilarious, mega-touching, and…all true? Yep, written by the couple who went by way of it IRL (Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon) and acted by one (Nanjiani, with Gordon performed by Zoe Kazan), the pair deftly turned her surprising prognosis/near-death expertise into true laughs. The most effective medication? We expect so. —D.W.
The place to look at The Large Sick: Amazon Prime Video
Director: Michael Showalter
Forged: Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Ray Romano, Holly Hunter
05 of 15
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020)
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Amazon Studios
Exposing the worst of America in a fearless, laugh-while-you-cringe model is Sacha Baron Cohen’s specialty. Disguising himself as a mustachioed, overly-confident Kazakh allowed Cohen a type of magic entry: the power to journey into the darkish corners of the U.S. as an "harmless." This ruse inspired others to open up in methods they may not have in any other case, creating jaw-dropping moments of comedy (veering into tragedy) you may't look away from.
The setup is easy — Cohen's character Borat returns to the West together with his daughter, Tutar (the superb Maria Bakalova), to win the favor of its chief, "a powerful new Premier named McDonald Trump." In a type of bizarro buddy comedy, the 2 go to synagogues, debutante balls, and freedom rallies, creating moments so indelible they may go down in cinematic historical past. It's arduous to decide on only one, so we'll decide two: Rudy Giuliani, and the horrifying father-daughter OB-GYN go to. As EW’s critic writes, "his outrageous, uncountable isms — the assured screeds in opposition to girls and Jew[ish people], the informal endorsements of incest or indentured servitude — are after all satirical, and completely the purpose." —D.W.
The place to look at Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Amazon Prime Video
EW grade: A–
Director: Jason Woliner
Forged: Sacha Baron Cohen, Maria Bakalova
06 of 15
Brittany Runs a Marathon (2019)
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Amazon Studios
Jillian Bell stars as Brittany, a New York get together lady who decides to alter her life the old school approach: jogging! EW's critic says Bell brings a "actual, messy humanity to Brittany that comedies rarely enable a lead character — not to mention a non-impossibly-bodied feminine — to have." Stored afloat by her operating buddies — Michaela Watkins' divorcée with points and Micah Inventory’s sardonic homosexual dad — the film avoids a easy pleased ending however does present a satisfying, uplifting one. It’s excellent for watching on the treadmill or stationary bike (or mendacity in mattress consuming ice cream). —D.W.
The place to look at Brittany Runs a Marathon: Amazon Prime Video
EW grade: A–
Director: Paul Downs Colaizzo
Forged: Jillian Bell, Michaela Watkins, Utkarsh Ambudkar
07 of 15
Election (1999)
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Paramount/Courtesy Everett Assortment
The ruthless nature of highschool is as contentious and nasty as real-world politics, as this satirical comedy proves. The movie follows a historical past instructor (Matthew Broderick) who tries to sabotage extremely formidable scholar Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon) — whom he dislikes for numerous causes — from profitable the upcoming scholar authorities presidential election. EW's critic calls Election a "scathing tragicomedy" and that "Witherspoon is terrifically steely because the infernally perky candidate." —Ok.J.
The place to look at Election: Amazon Prime Video
Director: Alexander Payne
Forged: Reese Witherspoon, Matthew Broderick, Chris Klein, Jessica Campbell, Mark Harelik
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08 of 15
Heathers (1989)
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New World Photos/Courtesy Everett Assortment
Veronica (Winona Ryder) is a teen who will get concerned with the favored mean-girl clique at her highschool, often called the Heathers. She additionally befriends the mysterious new scholar, J.D. (Christian Slater), a loner whose thought of revenge entails homicide staged as a suicide and orchestrating a disturbing plan to get again on the Heathers for his or her cruelty. On paper, a plot description for this seminal cult traditional sounds removed from humorous. However the movie's heightened tone and memorable one-liners ("Expensive diary, my teen angst bulls— has a physique rely") make for a darkly entertaining reply to the formulaic '80s teen comedies that got here earlier than it, whereas nonetheless holding up at present. —Ok.J.
The place to look at Heathers: Amazon Prime Video
Director: Michael Lehmann
Forged: Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Shannen Doherty
09 of 15
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
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EMI Movies/Getty
Amazon Prime has fairly a couple of Monty Python initiatives to select from, however Holy Grail is, properly, the holy grail of the comedy troupe's inventive output. This send-up of Arthurian legend finds King Arthur (Graham Chapman) traversing England within the hope of recruiting knights to his Spherical Desk. After assembling his males, God instructions him to search out the Holy Grail, resulting in a deadly journey with a lot a memorable sequence (shout out to these pesky knights who say "Ni.") —Ok.J.
The place to look at Monty Python and the Holy Grail: Amazon Prime Video
Administrators: Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones
Forged: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones
10 of 15
Moonstruck (1987)
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Sundown Boulevard/Corbis through Getty
Practically 40 years later, the thought of Cher and Nicolas Cage starring in a rom-com collectively could appear wild, however anybody who's truly seen Moonstruck will acknowledge what an oddly excellent pairing they’re. Cher stars as Loretta, a widow who develops an surprising romantic relationship together with her new fiancé's brother, Ronny (Cage). Surrounding them is a solid of clutch supporting gamers, from Vincent Gardenia and Olympia Dukakis as Loretta's hilariously cussed dad and mom to Danny Aiello as her unfortunate fiancé. —Ok.J.
The place to look at Moonstruck: Amazon Prime Video
Director: Norman Jewison
Forged: Cher, Nicolas Cage, Vincent Gardenia, Olympia Dukakis, Danny Aiello
11 of 15
My Outdated Ass (2024)
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Marni Grossman/Amazon Content material Providers LLC
A teenage lady (Maisy Stella) goes on a mushroom journey and sees a imaginative and prescient of her older self (Aubrey Plaza), who tells her all about her future. The premise (and title) of My Outdated Ass might make it appear to be a disposable broad comedy, however writer-director Megan Park imbues her movie with shocking depth. It is a coming-of-age story, one with helpful classes to impart about our relationship to ourselves and the worth of residing within the current. "The pitch-perfect script and spectacular appearing made for a hilarious, charming, and surprisingly devastating cautionary story about life, love, and loss," writes EW's critic. —Ok.J.
The place to look at My Outdated Ass: Amazon Prime Video
Director: Megan Park
Forged: Maisy Stella, Aubrey Plaza, Percy Hynes White, Maddie Ziegler, Kerrice Brooks
12 of 15
The Individuals We Hate on the Wedding ceremony (2022)
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Amazon Prime Video
Query: How are marriage ceremony comedies like marriage ceremony desserts? Reply: The dysfunction's baked proper in! Primarily based on the 2016 Grant Ginder novel and directed by Claire Scanlon (of Netflix's Set It Up), the movie follows relatably flawed, baggage-laden siblings Ben Platt and Kristen Bell to England, the place they have to be a part of their mom (the all the time stellar Allison Janney) on the marriage ceremony of their rich half-sister (Cynthia Addai-Robinson). The comedic antics circulate like champagne on this bride-com with an edge. —D.W.
The place to look at The Individuals We Hate on the Wedding ceremony: Amazon Prime Video
Director: Claire Scanlon
Forged: Ben Platt, Allison Janney, Kristen Bell
13 of 15
Purple, White & Royal Blue (2023)
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Primarily based on Casey McQuiston's best-selling novel of the identical identify, Purple, White & Royal Blue is a captivating romantic comedy that charts the unlikely romance between a British prince and the son of the president of america. In a traditional story of enemies-to-lovers, American Alex (Taylor Zakhar Perez) has a feud with Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine), which escalates to a slightly unlucky cake accident (pictured above). Following the next tabloid scandal, the pair finally make amends and are available to comprehend their emotions for one another, which blossoms into an affair.
It's a frothy good time with two star-making performances at its middle; it additionally occurs to characteristic Uma Thurman in what could also be her campiest efficiency since 1997's Batman & Robin. (Some excellent news: We’re getting a sequel!) —Ok.J.
The place to look at Purple, White & Royal Blue: Amazon Prime Video
Director: Matthew López
Forged: Taylor Zakhar Perez, Nicholas Galitzine, Sarah Shahi, Stephen Fry, Uma Thurman
14 of 15
Some Like It Sizzling (1959)
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Silver Display screen Assortment/Getty
Regarded by the American Movie Institute as the perfect comedy of all time, Some Like It Sizzling has change into such a lauded movie that it may fall sufferer to overhype for contemporary audiences. And but, if you watch this Billy Wilder farce, its genius immediately reveals itself because it tells the story of two males who witness a mob homicide and proceed to disguise themselves as girls and flee on a bus to Miami. Alongside the way in which, they meet the glamorous Sugar (Marilyn Monroe), who believes them to be girls, and a sequence of misunderstandings and problems ensue from there. All of it results in probably the greatest punchline endings in movie historical past. —Ok.J.
The place to look at Some Prefer it Sizzling: Amazon Prime Video
Director: Billy Wilder
Forged: Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, George Raft, Joe E. Brown
15 of 15
Completely Killer (2023)
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James Dittiger/Courtesy of Prime Video
Completely Killer boasts 4 main cinematic promoting factors assured to make a horror fan pleased: a Nineteen Eighties setting, serial killers, a Halloween night time theme, and time journey. To not say Completely Killer doesn't take a contemporary strategy, as a result of it completely does.Right here, we meet teenage lady Jamie (Kiernan Shipka), who goes again to 1987 to save lots of her mother's pals from being murdered (as you do). Neatly referencing the Finest Films of All Time (Again to the Future, Scream, and many others.), Completely Killer joins an extended line of style flicks led by kick-ass heroines. —D.W.
The place to look at Completely Killer: Amazon Prime Video
Director: Nahnatchka Khan
Forged: Kiernan Shipka, Julie Bowen, Olivia Holt, Randall Park
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