Netflix features many comedy films that they either created themselves or took from the theaters. While many of these movies are popular classics, some have seemingly been buried deep in the platform’s ever-expanding streaming library when they should really be making the site’s top 10 most popular movies list more often.
With the summertime bringing families to the movies, audiences should stop to take a look at these five comedies on Netflix that are ideal to watch in the summer. From a comedic romp through wine country to a sunny 1970s California crime comedy, these movies are perfect to watch while the kids are on vacation or the relatives are away.
The Nice Guys (2016)
Led by Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe, The Nice Guys follows a private eye and a contract killer as they team up to investigate a wild conspiracy behind a porn star’s death. The film received glowing reviews back in 2016, but it had only grossed $62 million against its budget of $50 million. With Shane Black (Iron Man 3, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) as the writer/director, The Nice Guys presents a hilarious and unusual crime thriller that is only elevated by Gosling and Crowe’s performances and on-screen chemistry.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
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Between directing What We Do in the Shadows and Thor: Love and Thunder, Taiki Waititi made this film about a foster child and his new guardian as they get lost in the woods and become the center of a widespread manhunt. Stressing the importance of finding belonging and human connections, Hunt for the Wilderpeople is a strange but endearing coming-of-age story that should satisfy fans of Waititi’s quirky humor and child-centric classics of the ’80s.
Surf’s Up (2016)
This film arguably should’ve beaten Ratatouille for the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Presented like a hand-held sports documentary, Surf’s Up follows a young penguin who dreams of being a professional surfer as he leaves his Antarctic home to take part in a contest on the tropical Pen-Gu Island, where he encounters dimwitted chickens, greedy sea otters, and an aggravated sea urchin.
This animated film is a hilarious and inventive adventure with enough wacky characters, hysterical moments, and killer song choices to make it the perfect summer movie.
Wine Country (2019)
In Amy Poehler’s first film as a director, a group of friends takes a hilarious and hectic trip together to Napa Valley that forces them to confront the chaos of their lives within the swirling eddies of alcohol and a surprising amount of art inspired by The Nanny.
Basically Sideways meets Bridesmaids, Wine Country is an outrageous and enjoyable comedy topped by its ensemble cast of SNL alumni (and Asteroid City‘s Jason Schwartzman). However, Paula Pell’s scene-stealing performance alone makes this movie worth the watch.
The Dictator (2012)
In this shocking political satire, a prejudiced and warmongering dictator visits the United States and gets usurped and abandoned by rebels, forcing him to live as an American civilian. Though there was a vast marketing campaign that got people’s attention, The Dictator isn’t as fondly remembered as it should have been.
The outrageous mind behind Borat, Sacha Baron Cohen, unleashes his brand of unrelenting and offensive humor in bringing the titular Admiral General Aladeen to life, making for a film that not even the most die-hard Cohen fans can be prepared to witness.
