The 55 Best Feel-Good Movies to Make You Smile, Laugh and Happy Cry
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Whether I need to shake off a long day or just need a good laugh, I can always count on an uplifting flick (and a bowl of popcorn) to brighten my mood. For instance, Elle Woods’s iconic bend-and-snap makes me smile every time I watch Legally Blonde, and I can't tell you how many times I've sung along to the musical numbers in Mamma Mia! (*cue "Dancing Queen" by ABBA*).
Thanks to streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video and Max, I have the best feel-good movies right at my fingertips. And fortunately for you, a few PureWow editors and I have hand-selected the best of the best. Keep reading for 55 feel-good films that are guaranteed to make your day even better.
55 Funny Lady Movies for When You Need a Good Laugh
1. Barbie (2023)
WARNER BROS.
Cast: Margot Robbie, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae
Director: Greta Gerwig
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy
When Stereotypical Barbie starts to glitch and think about death, she goes to the real world for the first time—and she's truly taken aback by what she finds. In his review of the film, Editor Joel Calfee wrote, “It borrows from beloved films about toys but offers a uniquely feminist perspective. It's a comical, moving and thoughtful film.” Aside from cleaning up at the box office (and majorly padding Margot Robbie's net worth), the film was nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award, but lost out to Oppenheimer.
2. Quiz Lady (2023)
Hulu
Cast: Awkwafina, Sandra Oh, Will Ferrell, Jason Schwartzman, Holland Taylor
Director: Jessica Wu
Genre: Comedy
A game show-obsessed woman joins forces with her reckless sister to help settle their mom's gambling debts. And anyone who's ever had a complicated relationship with a sibling will find this a must-watch. In her 5-star review, Karelle McKay, Assistant Editor of News and Entertainment at PureWow, wrote, “It’s a funny, feel-good movie that isn’t afraid to delve into deeper topics and real-life scenarios.”
3. Legally Blonde (2001)
METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER
Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, Selma Blair, Jennifer Coolidge
Director: Robert Luketic
Genre: Comedy
When Elle gets dumped by her boyfriend, she tries to win him back by enrolling at Harvard Law School. You’ll want to bend and snap too after watching Elle Woods’s ascent from stereotype to law-school hero. As fans of the film such as myself will remember, Jennifer Coolidge gives a standout performance as Elle's manicurist and friend, Paulette. And Coolidge keeps the fun coming in the equally enjoyable sequel where she gives us the classic lines, "You look like the Fourth of July! Makes me want a hot dog real bad!"
4. Bridesmaids (2011)
UNIVERSAL PICTURES
Cast: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Melissa McCarthy
Director: Paul Feig
Genre: Comedy
When Annie's newly engaged BFF, Lillian, chooses her to be the maid of honor, their friendship is tested as she struggles to make everything perfect. It's irreverent, empowering and all too real at times. (Obviously, we’re talking about the dress salon scene.)
PureWow exclusively spoke with the film's director Paul Feig several years back and he said, "That cast was just so wonderful to work with. And the camaraderie was so strong. Everyone wanted to make sure they all came off their best." He even detailed a deleted scene from the movie involving Paul Rudd: "Paul Rudd was seemingly the perfect guy who then turns out to have anger issues when he gets his finger run over at an ice skating rink and goes crazy trying to get the kid who did it."
5. You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (2023)
Scott Yamano/Netflix
Cast: Idina Menzel, Jackie Sandler, Adam Sandler, Sadie Sandler, Sunny Sandler
Director: Sammi Cohen
Genre: Comedy Drama
Based on Fiona Rosenbloom's YA novel, the comedy follows 12-year-old Stacy, who enlists the help of her best friend while planning the perfect Bat Mitzvah. However, chaos ensues when she catches her BFF secretly kissing her school crush. Rachel Gulmi, PureWow's Director of Special Projects, said of the film, "It made me feel like I was that age again with all the drama and friendship circles and party invites. It was so cute and hit on all the right notes." This Adam Sandler flick is definitely one to watch with the family, particularly given the fact that it stars members of Sandler's real-life family, Sadie and Sunny.
6. Love Actually (2003)
StudioCanal
Cast: Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Laura Linney, Keira Knightley
Director: Richard Curtis
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Who says you have to wait until the holidays to watch Mark declare his love for Juliet with giant cue cards? This classic features a star-studded cast and overlapping romantic storylines, making it a must-watch. PureWow's VP of Entertainment & News, Philip Mutz, said, "It might be cheesy and have its sad moments (when Emma Thompson opens that Joni Mitchell CD?!), but few things are more comforting than Hugh Grant standing up to the president or Colin Firth marching into a restaurant to declare his love."
A fun fact about the film: Bill Nighy didn't realize he was auditioning for his role until after he was cast. He told The Daily Beast, "I did a rehearsal reading of the script as a favor to the great casting director, Mary Selway, who had been trying to get me into a film for a long time. I thought it was simply to help her out to hear the script aloud and to my genuine surprise I was given the job."
7. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
Netflix
Cast: Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Janel Parrish, Anna Cathcart, Madeleine Arthur
Director: Susan Johnson
Genre: Romantic Comedy
When Lara Jean's secret letters are accidentally sent out to her crushes, awkwardness—and a new romantic relationship—ensues. This charming, coming-of-age rom-com will definitely remind you of high school and the sweet gesture of a love letter.
Take it from Associate SEO Editor Marissa Wu, who said, "It made my heart completely melt. The premise is crazy, the sister dynamics fantastic, and Lana Condor is amazing!" Unsurprisingly, the film received two sequels following its success, with the third film quickly hitting #1 on Netflix's top 10 movies list.
8. The Princess Bride (1987)
Act III Communications
Cast: Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Christopher Guest, Peter Falk, Billy Crystal
Director: Rob Reiner
Genre: Comedy
A humble farmhand goes above and beyond to rescue Princess Buttercup, who also happens to be his true love, in this cult classic. It's very quotable ("As you wish!") and there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. Fun fact: According to Screenrant, Robin Wright wasn't the only name in contention for the role of Buttercup. Courteney Cox, Uma Thurman and Meg Ryan were all reportedly being considered.
9. Billy Madison (1995)
UNIVERSAL PICTURES
Cast: Adam Sandler, Bradley Whitford, Josh Mostel
Director: Tamra Davis
Genre: Comedy
Fact: There’s no way you can watch a young Adam Sandler tackle elementary school without almost peeing your pants from laughing so hard. The actor plays Billy, a dim-witted 27-year-old who's forced to go back to school to keep his inheritance. Sandler penned the script for the movie, which became a box-office hit. And while discussing the film's legacy, director Tamra Davis told Yahoo Entertainment, "It's almost like this skit comedy we were doing...Yes we're telling a story and you just have to kind of remember that that story is laid out in the script, but as artists, when we do that scene, it's our job to make sure we made the funniest scene possible."
10. Bring It On (2000)
Universal Studios
Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Gabrielle Union, Eliza Dushku, Jesse Bradford
Director: Peyton Reed
Genre: Sports Comedy
After discovering that their best cheerleading routines were stolen from an inner-city high school, the Rancho Carne Toros must come up with a brand-new routine to compete in the championships. Whether you’re a Clover or a Toro, the nostalgia is real with this cult-fave.
FYI, on TikTok, Gabrielle Union revealed that she and fellow co-stars who played Clovers cheerleaders had to film additional scenes for the trailer after they finished filming the movie. She said, "We shot these snippets that you see here after the movie wrapped. Because once test audiences saw the movie, they wanted more of the Clovers. So, we shot these only for the trailer, not for the movie, to make people think we were in the movie more than we were."
11. Clueless (1995)
PARAMOUNT PICTURES
Cast: Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash, Brittany Murphy, Paul Rudd
Director: Amy Heckerling
Genre: Comedy
Confession: I like to revisit this gem for '90s fashion inspo, but it always delivers the best laughs. In this Beverly Hills take on Jane Austen’s Emma, the privileged Cher gives the new girl, Tai, a makeover. Unfortunately, her plan backfires when Tai becomes more popular.
As it turns out, Silverstone was initially turned off by Cher's iconic character when she read the script. She told Vogue, “I found Cher on the page to be materialistic and unappealing. And really annoying, to be honest. But I realized that was just me judging her. Once I started working on her I found all the heart and all the love.”
12. Chef (2014)
OPEN ROAD FILMS
Cast: Jon Favreau, Sofia Vergara, John Leguizamo
Director: Jon Favreau
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Favreau stars as an acclaimed but troubled chef who quits his job and opens a food truck with his son. From compelling characters and strong writing to timely themes (like the importance of resilience and determination), this touching flick is a must-see.
Believe it or not, Favreau went through some intense culinary training to prep for this role, thanks to famous chef Roy Choi. Favreau told Vulture, "He was there on the set every day we did any cooking. He really put me through the paces. I started off by just shadowing him in his kitchens. Then he sent me off to a really intensive, week-long training at a culinary school."
13. 13 Going On 30 (2004)
REVOLUTION STUDIOS
Cast: Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo, Judy Greer
Director: Gary Winick
Genre: Romantic Comedy, Fantasy
A 13-year-old girl wakes up one morning to find that she is suddenly "30, flirty and thriving," but it's not all it's cracked up to be. In my humble opinion, this is a must-watch for every teenage girl, because for one, it proves that everyone is embarrassing at 13—even Jennifer Garner. Plus, it teaches a few valuable lessons about self-love and the importance of being kind.
While chatting with Screenslam, Ruffalo explained why the film still appeals to so many fans. He said, "I personally like the [kind of] comedy that is grounded in some sort of real situation and just has an honesty to it, and in this film, it delivers on both of those promises—romance and comedy."
14. Forrest Gump (1994)
Paramount Pictures
Cast: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Genre: Drama
Hanks delivers an unforgettable performance as the simple-minded Forrest, who leads a successful life, but longs to be with his childhood love. The “life is like a box of chocolates” line gets me every single time.
BTW, did you know that Michael Humphreys, who plays the younger Forrest, inspired Hanks's portrayal of the character? He told BAFTA Guru, "Everything that came out of Forrest was based on him. The way he held his hands this opposite way and the way he just kind of had [his unique mannerisms] came from little Michael Humphreys."
15. Footloose (1984)
PARAMOUNT PICTURES
Cast: Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, Dianne Wiest, John Lithgow
Director: Herbert Ross
Genre: Drama
Kick off your Sunday shoes and dance along with a young, light-on-his-feet Kevin Bacon. He stars as Ren McCormack, a rebellious boy who moves to an uptight town and tries to overturn their ban on dancing.
The film was a major box office success and became the seventh highest-grossing film in 1984. Plus, the movie earned two Academy Award nominations for Best Original Song (for "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins and "Let's Hear It for the Boy" by Deniece Williams.)
16. Groundhog Day (1993)
Columbia Pictures
Cast: Bill Murray, Richard Henzel, Andie MacDowell
Director: Harold Ramis
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Imagine living one day over and over again. Well, Bill Murray may know a thing or two about that. In this movie, he plays a cynical TV reporter who gets trapped in a time loop after covering an annual Groundhog Day event.
Groundhog Day has become a cultural phenomenon, popularizing the trope of someone getting trapped in time, and it even inspired a 2016 musical. Per Playbill, Murray was moved to tears when he saw the musical. He said, “It was really beautiful. You got me. You really got me. As actors, I can’t respect enough how disciplined you are and how serving you are of the process. There’s nothing worse than seeing someone that’s out for themselves. And you are all in it for each other.”
17. When Harry Met Sally (1989)
CASTLE ROCK ENTERTAINMENT
Cast: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher, Bruno Kirby
Director: Rob Reiner
Genre: Romantic Comedy
This timeless classic explores whether women and men can just be platonic friends, and the chemistry between Crystal and Ryan is unmatched. Perhaps the most iconic scene is when Ryan's character, Sally, has a fake orgasm at Katz's Delicatessen.
While discussing the film's impact, Crystal told The Hollywood Reporter, “It’s actually more important as time goes by because people fall in love every day. People fall out of love every day. People find each other, they lose each other every day. And new generations keep finding When Harry Met Sally. We’re forever young in that movie, and we represent them. They relate to us.”
18. The Pursuit Of Happyness (2006)
Zade Rosenthal/Columbia Pictures
Cast: Will Smith, Thandiwe Newton, Jaden Smith
Director: Gabriele Muccino
Genre: Drama
Based on the true story of Chris Gardner, this flick is bound to make you smile—but you may also reach for the tissue box for a good cry. The movie details Gardner's experience with homelessness, his humble beginnings as a stockbroker and his efforts to provide a better life for his son.
Regarding the film's message, Smith told Black Film, "I love and connected to the idea that your will and your desire creates what your future is. That the white man don’t create your future, and your circumstances don’t create your future, and none of that creates your future. Your desire to be who you want to be and your commitment to that is what creates your future. To me, that’s the idea that this country is designed upon. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
19. Mamma Mia! (2008)
Universal Pictures
Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski, Pierce Brosnan, Dominic Cooper
Director: Phyllida Lloyd
Genre: Musical, Comedy
Get ready to sing your heart out and jam to every ABBA song in existence, from "Take a Chance on Me" to "Dancing Queen." Plus, there’s Meryl Streep, so enough said.
Brosnan, who plays Sam Carmichael, revealed that Streep was the only reason he agreed to do this film. In fact, he didn't even know what the project was. Per IMDB, the producers only told him that the movie was being filmed in Greece and that Meryl Streep would star. Brosnan reportedly said he would've signed on for anything that involved Streep, describing her as "that gorgeous blonde I fancied terribly in Drama School."
The 51 Best Musical Movies to Watch (and Sing at the Top of Your Lungs) from the Couch
20. Matilda (1996)
TriStar Pictures
Cast: Mara Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman
Director: Danny DeVito
Genre: Comedy
Let’s face it: Everyone (me included) wanted to be Matilda as a kid. Minus the scary principal and neglectful parents, of course. Revisit the star student as she uses her smarts and telekinetic powers for good. Fun fact: The picture of Miss Honey's dad, Magnus, in the flashback sequence is really a portrait of Roald Dahl, the author of the book the movie is based upon. And according to IMDB, Wilson's on-screen parents were the total opposite of their characters in real life. During filming, both DeVito and Perlman would let Wilson stay at their home while her father worked and her mother was in the hospital.
21. Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
Archive Photos/Stringer/Getty Images
Cast: Robin Williams, Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan, Harvey Fierstein
Director: Chris Columbus
Genre: Comedy
Any Robin Williams comedy can put a smile on my face, and this classic ’90s film is no exception. The movie follows Daniel Hillard, a divorced father who invents another persona—the charming Mrs. Doubtfire—to maintain a relationship with his children.
By the way, did you know that almost two million feet of film was shot for the movie? While chatting with Business Insider, director Chris Columbus said that Williams improvised so much that he only stopped when the cameras ran out of film. Columbus said, "Back then, we were shooting film so once we were out of film in the camera, we would say to Robin, 'We're out of film.' That happened on several occasions. It got to the point that I had to shoot the entire movie with four cameras to keep up with him. None of us knew what he was going to say when he got going, and so I wanted a camera on the other actors to get their reactions."
22. Jerry Maguire (1996)
TriStar Pictures
Cast: Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding, Renee Zellweger
Director: Cameron Crowe
Genre: Romantic Comedy
This sports film starring Tom Cruise will have you rooting for his character from start to finish. Cruise stars as a successful sports agent who launches his own management firm after getting fired. With just one person on staff and a single client, he struggles to keep the new business afloat.
As it turns out, the role of Jerry Maguire was originally written for Tom Hanks. However, he couldn't commit because he was busy working on his 1996 film, That Thing You Do. Cruise told Access Hollywood, "I think that he would have done something very special with it also, had he decided to do that. He is such a brilliant actor."
23. Love, Simon (2018)
Fox 2000 Pictures
Cast: Nick Robinson, Josh Duhamel, Jennifer Garner
Director: Greg Berlanti
Genre: Romance, Drama
This rom-com pulls on the heartstrings when 17-year-old Simon is ready to finally embrace his sexual identity. Assistant Editor Delia Curtis said, "It's romantic, comedic and very true to a lot of queer experiences. It has lots of raw, authentic moments and tons of jokes that both straight and queer audiences enjoy."
The gay romance flick became the third highest-grossing teen film by 20th Century Fox at the box office since 1980. It also spawned a successful sequel television series called Love, Victor, which you can stream on Hulu.
24. The Princess Diaries (2001)
Walt Disney Pictures
Cast: Anne Hathaway, Heather Matarazzo, Hector Elizondo, Mandy Moore
Director: Garry Marshall
Genre: Comedy
This coming-of-age film taught me one thing: Anne Hathaway will always be the princess of Genovia. Per Wu, "The Princess Diaries made me wish I had a grandma who was the queen of a tiny country. I just love the transformation for Mia. Not physically (though that's fun), but over the course of the two films, she learns how to be a leader and stand up for her values—that's automatic queen status for me."
Earlier this year, Vanity Fair shared footage of Hathaway rewatching the iconic film, and she got visibly emotional. She said, "This was the film that changed my life. It's so weird to watch it. I haven't seen this movie in maybe 20 years, and I'm a little bit speechless with this one. It's very emotional to see it."
25. Big (1988)
Gracie Films
Cast: Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Perkins, Robert Loggia, John Heard
Director: Penny Marshall
Genre: Comedy
Unleash your inner child with this classic starring an ‘80s Tom Hanks. (And who can forget the iconic piano dance scene?) Not surprisingly, the movie catapulted Hanks to fame and earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
In an interview with Bobbie Wygant, Hanks explained the theme of the film, saying, "I think we're a bit saddened because we know that aspect of innocence is gone forever. It's literally an era past for ourselves, whether our childhood was good or bad. We at least didn't have to take so much responsibility for so many things, and I think we missed that. That was what we were trying to point out in this movie, is that let's not rush these kids. Let's let them be kids for as long as possible. The longer you can put it off, the better, because you do have to put it off, eventually."
26. Sister Act (1992)
Touchstone Pictures
Cast: Whoopi Goldberg, Maggie Smith, Kathy Najimy, Wendy Makkena
Director: Emile Ardolino
Genre: Comedy, Musical
Deloris Van Cartier's life takes a wild turn when she joins Saint Katherine's Convent, where she's assigned to lead their struggling choir. As always, Goldberg is phenomenal, and the movie boasts an epic soundtrack with standouts like "My Guy (My God)" and "Rescue Me."
The film was followed up by a 1993 sequel, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit and a third movie is currently in development for Disney+. On The Late Late Show with James Corden, Goldberg said, “For a long time, they kept saying no one wanted to see it. And then quite recently, it turns out, that that may not be true. People may want to see it. So we're working diligently to try to figure out how to get the gang together and come back. It's a really fun movie. It's fun and it's feel-good, you know, nobody's mad. It's just like, listen, bad singing, great singing, okay singing and then nuns. What's better than that?"
27. The Parent Trap (1998)
Walt Disney Pictures
Cast: Dennis Quaid, Natasha Richardson, Lindsay Lohan
Director: Nancy Meyers
Genre: Comedy
Lindsey Lohan is not only playing twins (and one is even British!) but she manages to make this a must-watch for every age group. PureWow Editor Abby Hepworth said, "I have really strong memories of it from my youth, and it's such a feel-good film. It's funny, sweet and (spoiler alert) has a happy ending that makes me feel content."
Rumor has it that Mara Wilson auditioned for the dual roles, but she was passed over because producers thought she was too young at the time. Per IMDB, Scarlett Johansson, Alex McKenna, Michelle Trachtenberg and Tina Majorino auditioned for the leads as well.
28. The Birdcage (1996)
Nichols Film Company
Cast: Robin Williams, Gene Hackman, Nathan Lane, Dianne Wiest, Christine Baranski
Director: Mike Nichols
Genre: Comedy
When you put Robin Williams and Nathan Lane in a comedy together, you’re bound to laugh the whole way through. The pair star as a gay couple whose son gets engaged to the daughter of a super conservative couple. (What could go wrong?)
The Oscar-nominated film, which marked a turning point for LGBTQ representation in the media, was originally supposed to star Steve Martin as Armand, and Robin Williams was cast as Albert. However, when Martin dropped out, Williams asked to switch roles because his flamboyant character felt too similar to Mrs. Doubtfire.
29. You’ve Got Mail (1998)
Lauren Shuler Donner Productions
Cast: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Parker Posey, Jean Stapleton
Director: Nora Ephron
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Before dating apps were introduced, this rom-com was taking online dating to the next level. Senior Food Editor Katherine Gillen says, "The plot is kinda ick (big box bookstore owner puts independent seller out of business and then she falls in love with him), but I can’t get enough of the romanticized New York City vibes, late '90s fashion and AIM romance—simpler times!"
This was the third time that Ryan and Hanks worked together, following Joe Versus the Volcano (1990) and Sleepless in Seattle (1993). And according to Hanks, they had effortless chemistry on the set. He told ET Online, "In [You've Got Mail], we would just start talking in the scenes. We'd know that they were rolling the cameras, so we would steer the conversation into the dialogue of the scene. And then as soon as we were done with the scene, we'd steer that dialogue back out to the topic that we were talking, and we did that like 20 times in a row, sometimes."
30. Elf (2003)
New Line Cinema
Cast: Will Ferrell, James Caan, Bob Newhart, Zooey Deschanel
Director: Jon Favreau
Genre: Comedy
If smiling is your favorite, you’ll want to add this holiday film to your queue (even if Christmas is months away). Curtis said, "This is a movie that I can wholeheartedly say I watch year round. If you ever need a silly, festive pick-me-up, this will do the trick. Will Ferrell running lose through the streets of Manhattan dressed as an elf, a sassy and unbothered blonde Zooey Deschanel and Christmas decorations galore?! What’s not to love?"
Fun fact: Remember the scene where Buddy eats a bunch of cotton balls at the doctor's office? Those were actually cotton candy balls that hadn't been dyed. And the infamous spaghetti scene? That had to be shot twice because Ferrell puked during the first take.
31. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
GOLD CIRCLE FILMS
Cast: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Lainie Kazan
Director: Joel Zwick
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Who’s crazier than a bridesmaid? The bride’s big over-the-top family. In this laugh-out-loud rom-com, Vardalos stars as Toula, a 30-year-old woman who falls for a charming guy named Ian. However, chaos ensues when her non-Greek beau meets her very Greek family.
The movie led to a franchise, including My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 and My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3. For the third film, Vardalos revealed that she intentionally left out the exact origins of the Portokalos family. She said, “We filmed on several different islands and in Athens, but I didn’t want to say the family was from a specific island. This way everyone watching can feel like maybe they’re from their island.”
32. Pitch Perfect (2012)
Richard P. Ulivella/Gold Circle Films
Cast: Anna Kendrick, Skylar Astin, Rebel Wilson
Director: Jason Moore
Genre: Comedy
“Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson has never been the same after this acapella-centered comedy, which follows an all-girl acapella group who compete at Nationals. McKay, said, "I just feel pure joy any time I watch this movie, even if I shed happy tears."
Pitch Perfect became a sleeper hit and inspired two successful sequels. While chatting with Elle about the third installment, Kendrick said, "We got especially close on the third one. I just feel so proud. It's such a diverse group. I think I didn't fully appreciate until the third one how rare it is to work with ten women from such different backgrounds. We're close in age, but we have such different points of view and such different senses of humor. I feel very lucky."
33. Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Sanja Bucko/Warner Bros. Pictures
Cast: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Gemma Chan
Director: Jon M. Chu
Genre: Romantic Comedy
One of the most nerve-racking steps in a relationship is finally meeting the family...especially when your boyfriend happens to come from a very wealthy Singapore family. Thanks to the film's major success (it grossed over $238 million, making it the highest-grossing rom-com of the 2010s), it's been rumored that Crazy Rich Asians 2 is in development. However, according to ScreenRant, a sequel hasn't been confirmed just yet.
Michelle Yeoh, who stars as Eleanor, revealed what the film means to her while chatting with Variety. She said, "It's a beautiful romantic comedy. It's a beautiful story about family, about love and a story that we can all relate to, regardless of where we come from. And I think that is the most important message that we want out there."
34. A League of Their Own (1992)
Parkway Productions
Cast: Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Madonna, Rosie O'Donnell
Director: Penny Marshall
Genre: Sports Drama, Comedy
I can't say no to a sports film loosely based on the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. The star-studded cast delivers unforgettable performances, and I especially love its positive messages about leadership, teamwork and perseverance.
P.S., when you finish the film, you should totally check out the Prime Video reboot series, which, according to Calfee, "highlights the experiences of players during this time who weren't made the focus of the nineties film and offers a rich expansion of these women's story."
35. Julie & Julia (2009)
Columbia Pictures
Cast: Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci
Director: Nora Ephron
Genre: Drama
All I can say is, Meryl Streep as Julia Child will make you do a double take. She does a scarily accurate portrayal of the real-life chef, and her chemistry with Tucci is unmatched. Director Nora Ephron told Cinemablend, "When Meryl read the script, she said one of the things she loved about it was that it's like life, in that not a whole lot happens in it. You're lucky if that works in a movie. But I think Julia's life, and Julie's, there are no car chases, but there's some suspense. Most people don't know the endless saga that Julia went through to get that book finally published. It's an amazing story."
36. Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
Miramax Films
Cast: Renee Zellweger, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones
Director: Sharon Maguire
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Honestly, I'd be writing in a diary too if I had to choose between Colin Firth and Hugh Grant. Zellweger shines as Bridget Jones, a young woman struggling to cope with her flaws, job and her single status. In an effort to gain control of her life, she keeps a diary where she spills all the juicy details of her everyday life.
The film, which earned Zellweger an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, led to a Bridget Jones franchise with two popular sequels, including Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and Bridget Jones's Baby. Oh, and did I mention that she's totally down to do another sequel? She said, “I love being in her shoes. I mean, it makes me giggle, you know, every day on set the choices that we get to make about just how awkward we can make her circumstances. It's just so much fun.”
37. La La Land (2016)
Dale Robinette/Summit Entertainment
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Amiee Conn
Director: Damien Chazelle
Genre: Drama, Comedy
An aspiring actress meets and falls for and an up-and-coming musician after they cross paths one night. But there's just one problem: They're finding it impossible to pursue their dreams and maintain a healthy relationship. It's worth noting that the film made more than quadruple its budget ($447 million, to be exact). Also, if a movie receives 14 Academy Award nominations, chances are it’s worth the viewing (even for the musical numbers alone).
38. Always Be My Maybe (2019)
Ed Araquel / Netflix
Cast: Ali Wong, Randall Park, James Saito, Michelle Buteau, Vivian Bang
Director: Dan Villegas
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Anything with comedian Ali Wong and Randall Park is going to make you laugh. Mix in some romance and you have a Netflix original masterpiece. And did I mention Keanu Reeves is in this movie?
Wong, who co-wrote the script, told NPR, "It was very important to me, personally, that all of Sasha's love interests be Asian American. And we thought to ourselves: 'OK, we should get an Asian American icon who's a great actor, who's funny and is willing to make fun of himself?' And the only person in the entire universe who fits those first three parameters is Keanu Reeves."
39. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
Paramount Pictures
Cast: Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara
Director: John Hughes
Genre: Comedy
The classic teen comedy follows Ferris Bueller who decides to cut school one last time before graduation by using a fake sick day. If you ask me, Matthew Broderick’s iconic monologue is enough motivation to rewatch this ‘80s comedy.
FYI, Anthony Michael Hall originally landed the role of Ferris, but he had to turn it down to work on another project. And get this: Jim Carrey, John Cusack, Johnny Depp, George Clooney, Tom Cruise and Michael J. Fox were also considered for the iconic role.
40. Booksmart (2019)
Annapurna Pictures
Cast: Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein, Jessica Williams
Director: Olivia Wilde
Genre: Comedy
You may or may not have a few flashbacks of your own high school days while watching this coming-of-age film. In it, two teens are on a quest to make the day before graduation one to remember.
This marked Olivia Wilde's feature directorial debut, and it was well-received by critics, even earning a Golden Globe nomination. While chatting with Deadline about Booksmart’s target demographic of young women, she said, "It’s fascinating to me, because they are such a discerning demographic, and they have so many options and they don’t want to be underestimated and patronized. I feel that what we were able to tap into was the intelligence of this demographic, who felt like they wanted to see a story about their lives. They wanted to feel represented onscreen but no longer put in a box of a superficial obsession with boys, or assimilation to pop culture."
41. The Proposal (2009)
Walt Disney Studios
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Malin Akerman
Director: Anne Fletcher
Genre: Romantic Comedy
When an uptight book editor learns that she’s being deported to Canada, she comes up with a plan to stay in the U.S. by marrying her assistant. He reluctantly agrees and of course, hilarity ensues.
Reynolds once told CBC that he and Bullock had instant chemistry on set. He said, “Within the first 45 minutes we had fireworks. You have an innate sense of each other, you can do scenes without even looking at each other, you can sort of feel each other. It really helps, particularly in this type of comedy.” He continued, “For me, I was concentrating on setting that kind of vibe early on. The rest is kind of a cakewalk once you get the chemistry down pat.”
42. Sylvie’s Love (2020)
Prime Video
Cast: Tessa Thompson, Nnamdi Asomugha, Eva Longoria
Director: Eugene Ashe
Genre: Romance
Aspiring filmmaker Sylvie Parker pursues a whirlwind romance after meeting a dashing saxophonist named Robert. Expect picturesque New York landscapes, stunning ’60s fashion and sizzling on-screen chemistry between Thompson and Asomugha.
While discussing his inspiration for the movie, Ashe told ScreenRant, "Looking at old family photos of my family told a very different story of Black life than we usually see depicted during this time. It's usually focused on the civil rights movement, and through our trauma and outside oppression that happens to us. I wanted to tell a more personal story and really kind of highlight and focus on our humanity. That's really what it's about. And what more of a human emotion is there than love?"
43. Free Guy (2021)
20th Century Studios
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Lil Rel Howery
Director: Shawn Levy
Genre: Action Comedy
Reynolds is charming as ever in this action-packed comedy, where he plays a bank teller who learns he's been living inside a video game. (I dare you to watch without getting Mariah Carey's "Sweet Fantasy" stuck in your head.)
The Oscar-nominated film made a whopping $331 million at the box office, and according to Levy, he had to rewrite the original script. He told IndieWire, "We wanted to make an action-comedy that takes this video game concept into a more broadly accessible area of how we live and deal with empowerment as individuals, the yearning that we really believe every person has to step out of the background role and have an impact on the world. Thus began almost a year of rewriting the script to bring out the characters and humanist themes more and more."
44. Girl’s Trip (2017)
Michele K. Short/Will Packer Productions
Cast: Regina Hall, Tiffany Haddish, Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah
Director:
Genre:
In this raunchy, laugh-out-loud comedy, Ryan, Sasha, Lisa and Dina, better known as the Flossy Posse, reunite and make the most out of their wild trip to New Orleans. The film grossed over $140 million worldwide, and Haddish's standout performance as Dina became her breakthrough in Hollywood. But did you know that the role was originally offered to Niecy Nash-Betts?
Nash-Betts told Business Insider, "I turned down Girls Trip, and they ended up booking Tiffany Haddish and her career completely took off. And I think it was one of the biggest blessings for her. Now everybody can have a turn."
45. The Holiday (2006)
COLUMBIA PICTURES
Cast: Jack Black, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Kate Winslet
Director: Nancy Meyers
Genre: Romantic Comedy
With such an incredible cast, it’s easier to overlook the occasionally cheesy moments. (Although I kind of live for the cheesy moments...) The movie revolves around an L.A. writer and a London-based journalist who swap houses for two weeks during the holidays.
Winslet gushed about her character and told Collider, "I think the thing I loved the most about Iris is that it was an opportunity for me to play somebody who was emotionally complex, because I do believe that she is. But at the same time she is such a good person, she really is. She's a very decent, honest, English girl, you know, she has quite traditional values and I'm like that myself also. And it was really a pleasure to play somebody who I was able to fully embrace and really adore."
46. Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret (2023)
Lionsgate
Cast: Abby Ryder Fortson, Rachel McAdams, Elle Graham, Kathy Bates
Director: Kelly Fremon Craig
Genre: Comedy, Coming of Age
Based on Judy Blume’s iconic novel, Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret, the film follows a young girl who explores different religions, questions the existence of God and tries to navigate the ups and downs of puberty. The cast is charming as ever, and those infamous bust exercises still make me chuckle.
Blume, who was involved in the film-making process, gave the adaptation her stamp of approval. Regarding the cast, she told Entertainment Weekly, "They are the dream cast. It couldn't get any better. The way Kelly wrote it is so that you're not meeting all the adult characters from the point of view of only a 12-year-old child, which is the book, because it's in first person. I think the adults are wonderful, brilliant, and fabulous."
47. Home Alone (1990)
20th Century Fox
Cast: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Catherine O'Hara
Director: Chris Columbus
Genre: Comedy
Though I've watched Kevin McCallister outsmart those two burglars more times than I can count, I still find it hilarious when I revisit the classic. PureWow Editor-in-Chief Jillian Quint said, "My kids have watched it every year since they were 5 and still belly laugh so hard they fall off the couch. But it's fun for grownups too. The plotting is pretty perfect and there's a real sweetness behind the slapstick." Home Alone grossed a staggering $476.7 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing live-action comedy until the release of The Hangover Part II in 2011.
48. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)
TriStar Pictures
Cast: Tom Hanks, Matthew Rhys, Susan Kelechi Watson
Director: Marielle Heller
Genre: Biography, Drama
Lloyd Vogel, a cynical journalist, is tasked with profiling the iconic Fred Rogers for Esquire. As he gets to know the beloved TV host, however, they develop an unlikely friendship.
Hanks totally nailed his role, which is why I find it so surprising that he was "terrified" to portray Fred Rogers. He told CBS News, "The moment I said yes…I began to have the night sweats that go along with trying to play. [He] was a very, very public persona. And everybody has an idea of what Fred is, what Fred was like, the mysteries behind Fred."
He added, "The terror that goes along with it is that...you want to land in a place that people recognize as true human behavior, whether you're playing somebody who's real or somebody who's not," he said. "And if it's not authentic, you're actively lying in an art form that is supposed to be holding the mirror up to nature."
49. The Beautiful Game (2024)
Courtesy of Netflix
Cast: Bill Nighy, Micheal Ward, Valeria Golino
Director: Thea Sharrock
Genre: Sports Drama
With the help of coach Mal, a group of football players travel from London to Rome to participate in the Homeless World Cup—an annual tournament for poor athletes. The film tackles themes like poverty, addiction and mental health.
Bill Nighy, who plays Mal, told Big Issue, “These, characters are informed by real experience. It’s a very entertaining package. You get the story of the football, and how they’re going to do. You get the comedy, of which there is a great deal. And I think the film goes some way to explode those myths about homeless people.”
50. The Greatest Showman (2017)
Niko Tavernise/20th Century Fox
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya
Director: Michael Gracey
Genre: Musical, Drama
This delightful musical details showman P.T. Barnum's rise to fame. PureWow Associate Editor Chelsea Candelario said, "This one is on the top of my must-watch list. The entire cast is phenomenal. (Um, hello Zendaya and Zac Efron's duet!) And it's such a catchy film to watch with the whole fam."
This fun musical scored a Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media, a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song (for "This Is Me") and an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.
51. Coco (2017)
Walt Disney Pictures
Cast: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach
Director: Lee Unkrich
Genre: Musical, Fantasy
Despite his family's strict ban on music, Miguel is determined to become an accomplished musician. After a chance encounter, he ends up in the Land of the Dead, where he learns quite a bit about his family's dark past.
Coco received two Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (for "Remember Me"). Director Lee Unkrich told The Verge, "The first song we created was 'Remember Me,' and that was purely driven by when we were first developing the storyline, I knew I wanted a song that could have different meanings and feelings, depending on how it was arranged and was sung. We envisioned a song we would first hear as a big, splashy showstopper, but could later hear as a lullaby."
52. Paddington (2014)
StudioCanal
Cast: Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent
Director: Paul King
Genre: Comedy
When Paddington, an adorable Peruvian bear, heads to London to find a new home, he gets taken in by a kind family. Little do they know that an evil taxidermist is determined to capture Paddington and add him to her collection.
When asked what makes the film so endearing, producer David Heyman told Movie Mom, "We all in some ways feel like an outsider and that’s what Paddington is, he’s an outsider. So Ben’s voice really seemed to capture that. What I love about it is that it is about the kindness offered to strangers, it’s about embracing people who are other, it’s about being yourself. Paddington learns to not try and fit in but to be himself and in being himself he finds a home and a place that he belongs."
53. Senior Year (2022)
Boris Martin/Netflix
Cast: Rebel Wilson, Mary Holland, Sam Richardson, Zoë Chao
Director: Alex Hardcastle
Genre: Comedy
Wilson stars as a young woman who returns to high school after waking up from a coma in this remixed version of 17 Again. Stream On co-host Phil Mutz said, “It’s surprisingly funny. I really wanted to hate it because it’s such a played-out and cliché idea. The story might be stupid, but who cares if I’m enjoying myself?”
P.S., the fabulous Alicia Silverstone makes a cameo in the film, and no one was more excited about this than Wilson. She told Newsweek, "We knew we wanted somebody really iconic for that cameo and to get her, I mean, it was weird. In every single break I was filming with her I was just asking her questions like, 'What was it like in Clueless when you did this or when you did that? And what was your life like at the time?' She could not have been more generous, she was so giving and, you know, we've chatted a lot, and we've been texting ever since."
54. Joy Ride (2023)
Ed Araquel/Lionsgate
Cast: Stephanie Hsu, David Denman, Ashley Park, Annie Mumolo
Director: Adele Lim
Genre: Comedy
In this cross between The Hangover and Girls Trip, Audrey, Lolo, Kat and Deadeye embark on a wild international adventure that leads to sisterly bonding. The raunchy comedy features a strong cast, and it tackles important themes like identity and friendship.
By the way, Lim has already confirmed that she's down to do a sequel. She told Entertainment Weekly, "It would be a dream. Everybody who's gone to see the movie has loved it. I think people have fallen in love with our four because the bond of friendship they have in the movie is a reflection of reality. People wanna see them on the next adventure, but, we've only just gotten through this movie. It's like being pregnant for five years and putting your baby out into the world. We're excited for people to discover Joy Ride and enjoy it. If it has enough resonance, hopefully we'll see another one."
55. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES
Cast: Abigail Breslin, Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Paul Dano
Directors: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Weird families never cease to make us giggle, especially if road trips and pageants are involved. This touching tragicomedy follows the Hoover family as they try to get their daughter included in the finals of a beauty pageant.
The movie, which grossed $101 million on an $8 million budget, earned two Academy Awards for Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor. It also won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.
