September is heavy on action comedy for Netflix, but it’s hard to complain when Zombieland, Bad Boys, and The Other Guys shore up a lineup that was getting a little thin. Dumb and Dumber, Back to the Future, Serial Mom, The Breakfast Club, and Hot Tub Time Machine are all leaving Netflix by the end of September, and those are some big comedies to lose under any circumstances.
The other addition to our roundup is Life, a dramedy starring Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence that’s celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. You can find that film and more among our picks for the best comedies on Netflix right now.
We’ve also curated guides to the best comedies on Hulu, the best romantic comedies on Netflix, and the best rom-coms on Hulu if you’re looking for additional recommendations.
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Zombieland2009 -
Bad Boys1995
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Life1999
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The Other Guys2010
Zombieland (2009)
74%
7.5/10Action, comedy, and horror collide in Zombieland, which features Jesse Eisenberg as Columbus, one of the few remaining survivors of a zombie apocalypse. After some trepidation, Columbus partners with an older man, Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson).
The duo’s bond fractures when they encounter two sisters, Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), both of whom delight in fooling Columbus and Tallahassee. In this world, trust isn’t a given, but this odd group of strangers may need each other if they want to do more than just survive.
Bad Boys (1995)
41%
6.8/10It’s been so long since the original Bad Boys was in theaters that you may have forgotten that this is a Michael Bay film. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence star as Miami PD detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Miles Burnett, respectively.
When their department comes under suspicion for missing drugs, a call girl named Julie Mott (Téa Leoni) may hold the key to solving the case. That’s why the bad guys want Julie dead.
Life (1999)
63%
6.8/10Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence are behind bars in Life. The comedy/drama chronicles the lives of Rayford “Ray” Gibson (Murphy) and Claude Banks (Lawrence), two strangers framed for a murder in the 1930s that they didn’t commit.
Over their decades behind bars, Ray and Claude form a close friendship. Yet, that bond is strained by their desire to be free. Time and time again, they attempt different schemes to get out of prison, but this duo may be doomed to die as they’ve lived.
The Other Guys (2010)
65%
6.6/10There’s a very funny moment very early in The Other Guys when Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson, as typical action comedy movie cops, are doing action hero things — and paying the price for it. So instead of those movie stars, the focus falls on two losers in the department, Detective Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell) and Detective Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg).
The careers of Gamble and Hoitz have been hobbled by their own mistakes and personal flaws. But when paired together, they stumble upon a case that could change everything for them … if they can stay alive long enough to solve it.
Night School (2018)
43%
5.6/10Borderlands star Kevin Hart headlines Night School as Teddy Walker, a guy who has coasted through life despite never finishing high school. But just when Teddy is on the verge of having everything he ever wanted, his job goes up in flames and his lack of education is keeping him from landing a new gig.
Teddy is also desperate to hold on to his wealthy girlfriend, Lisa King (Megalyn Echikunwoke), and to keep her in the dark about his financial setback. That’s why Teddy goes back to his old high school for night school classes run by Carrie Carter (Tiffany Haddish). Teddy’s very good at making friends with his fellow outcasts in the class, but if he wants to rebuild his life, then he’ll need to get serious about his education.
The House Bunny (2008)
43%
5.5/10Anna Faris goes from the Playboy Mansion to a sorority house in the cult comedy The House Bunny. Shelley Darlingson (Faris) doesn’t realize that she’s been tricked into leaving her life of luxury behind, and she just wants to find a place that will accept her. What she finds is Zeta house, a collection of socially awkward college girls including Natalie Sandler (Emma Stone) and Mona Rita (Kat Dennings).
It turns out that Shelley has a lot that she can teach the girls about attracting men, but she needs some help courting Oliver Hauser (Colin Hanks), a regular guy who isn’t just attracted to Shelley for her beauty. Unfortunately for Shelley, her newfound success with the Zetas earns her a few enemies on campus too, and they want to shut down the sorority for good.
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024)
55%
6.5/10It only took 30 years, but the fourth Beverly Hills Cop movie has arrived on Netflix. Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F brings Eddie Murphy back to one of his most iconic roles for the first time since 1994, as his reputation for causing trouble comes back to haunt him. Axel’s daughter, Jane Saunders (Taylour Paige), is estranged from him, but as soon as he hears that she’s in trouble, he’s on the first plane to Beverly Hills.
The actual Beverly Hills cops are less than happy to see Axel back in town. The lone exception is Jane’s ex-boyfriend, Detective Bobby Abbott (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). It’s a good thing too, because Axel needs someone to watch his back as he manages to alienate the city’s other cops in record time.
Uncle Buck (1989)
51%
7.1/10Uncle Buck is one of director John Hughes’ lesser-known comedies, but it does feature a good showcase for the late comedy legend John Candy in the title role. Candy plays Buck Russell, the unreliable brother of Bob Russell (Garrett M. Brown), who is called upon to watch his children after the latter and his wife, Cindy (Elaine Bromka), have to leave town for a family emergency.
Buck quickly bonds with Miles (Macaulay Culkin) and Maizy (Gaby Hoffmann), but the oldest daughter, Tia (Jean Louisa Kelly), is very resistant to his charms. By looking after his brother’s kids, Buck strains his relationship with his girlfriend, Chanice Kobolowski (Amy Madigan). And now, Buck needs to decide what he really wants out of life.
Easy A (2010)
73%
7.0/10Looking back at Easy A, it seems like the most-obvious thing ever that Emma Stone (Poor Things) was going to be a major star. She just effortlessly carries the movie as Olive Penderghast, a high school student who is unjustly maligned for sleeping with a guy in college. The irony is that Olive didn’t sleep with anyone, but she sees a chance to benefit from her new bad girl reputation.
Essentially, Olive accepts bribes in return for letting guys say that they slept with her. At first, it works out really well for her. But as time goes on, Olive’s rep is hurting her friendships and her chance to be with Todd (Penn Badgley). And none of the guys who Olive lied for are willing to admit the truth and help her out in return.
Hit Man (2024)
83%
7.4/10Everyone has a calling in life. In Richard Linklater’s Hit Man, Gary Johnson (Glen Powell) has found his as a fake assassin who is used by the police to nab people who want to hire him to commit murder. Gary uses this gig as an excuse to improv different hit man personas, and profile his would-be clients.
The one client who gives Gary pause is Maddy Masters (Adria Arjona), a woman who wants her husband dead so she can escape her domestic strife. Gary refuses to spring his trap on Maddy, much to the anger and confusion of his police contacts. Gary also has to stay in one of his fake personas as he starts courting Maddy, which is just an invitation for disaster.
A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014)
44%
6.1/10Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane directed, co-wrote, and stars in A Million Ways To Die in the West. MacFarlane plays Albert Stark, a sheepherder whose refusal to fight in a duel causes him to lose his girlfriend, Louise (Amanda Seyfried). However, Albert’s good nature soon wins him a new love interest, Anna Barnes-Leatherwood (Charlize Theron).
When Albert is challenged to another duel, Anna takes a week to teach him how to shoot before fixing the contest in his favor. Unfortunately for both Anna and Albert, her husband is a notorious bandit named Clinch Leatherwood (Liam Neeson), who is out to kill any man who dares to get close to his wife. This movie also features comedic cameos featuring characters from other films. We won’t spoil their identities, but trust us, you won’t miss them.
No Hard Feelings (2023)
59%
6.4/10What kind of woman answers a Craigslist ad promising money from wealthy parents in return for dating their awkward son? Why, that would be Jennifer Lawrence’s character in No Hard Feelings. Lawrence plays Maddie Barker, a woman in her early 30s who is on the verge of losing everything she has, including her home and her car.
Unfortunately for Maddie, dating 19-year-old Percy Becker (newcomer Andrew Barth Feldman) may be next to impossible. He seems impervious to her charms and even afraid of intimacy. For Maddie, it’s just a job, but she also hasn’t thought about what will happen if Percy ever learns the reason she pursued him.
Fatherhood (2021)
53%
6.6/10The Polka King (2017)
65%
5.9/10Between Two Ferns: The Movie (2019)
59%
6.1/10Metal Lords (2022)
Vampires vs. the Bronx (2020)
76%
5.7/10A Futile and Stupid Gesture (2018)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
91%
8.2/10Dolemite Is My Name (2019)
76%
7.2/10Life of Brian (1979)
77%
8/10Related Topics: Netflix | Hulu | Amazon Prime | More Streaming Services
Can’t find what you want on Netflix? Fortunately, we’ve also rounded up the best comedies on Amazon Prime Video and the best comedies on Hulu.
