It’s sometimes hard to predict whichcomedy movieswill be remembered as timeless classics and which hilarious films will fester in obscurity with nobody talking about them. While it’s always exciting to discover a hidden gem,underappreciated cult favorite, or comedy oddity that you’ve never heard of before, it sometimes boggles the mind how such laugh-out-loud hilarious movies end up as forgotten financial flops. While popularity is not always the best measure of success, it feels like none of these movies ever really got their due.
Although there are someunderrated comediesthat have been reappraised and gained retrospective acclaim for their underappreciated quality, none of these films reached their full potential and deserve far more attention from modern viewers. Even with majorcomedy stars like Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler, or Andy Samberg in starring roles, this was not enough to ensure box office success and enduring popularity. For anyone looking for a great comedy movie they may not have seen,all these underrated releases offer something uniquely interesting.
Tucker & Dale vs. Evilpoked fun at the hillbilly killer trope seen in movies likeDeliveranceandThe Hills Have Eyesto deliver a comedy horror about clueless college students who mistake some well-meaning hillbillies for killers. As a hilarious comedy that subverted the normal trajectory of a horror, much of the humor of this film came from the teens getting the wrong end of the stick and accidentally causing several deaths due to accidents and misunderstandings.
With a strong script, some great performances, and a uniquely clever premise that turns classic movie tropes on their head,Tucker & Dale vs. Evilwas an incredible debut from director Eli Craig that never really got its due. While the film has gained plenty of retrospective praise and Craig has even spoken about the possibility of a sequel, none of these plans ever came to fruition, andTucker & Dale vs. Evilremains criminally underseen.
Back in the 2000s it felt like Will Ferrell could do no wrong, and every movie he appeared in was comedy gold. With releases likeTalladega NightsandStep Brothersstanding as undeniable classics, sandwiched in between these movies was the forgotten sports comedySemi-Pro. Featuring Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, and André 3000,Semi-Protold the story of a fictional American basketball team desperately trying to survive their league’s merger with the NBA.
With plenty of laughs and Ferrell’s unique comedy stylings,Semi-Prohad all the markings of a classic 2000s comedy, but it just didn’t gain the same kind of ever-present audience as other Ferrell movies from that time. Looking back, it’s clearSemi-Prowas underrated, although it was overshadowed by the success ofStep Brothersthe same year, and it seemed there was only room for one iconic Will Ferrell comedy in 2008.
They Came Togetherwas a hilarious parody of all things rom-com that was maybe just a bit too absurd to become a mainstream hit. WithPaul Rudd and Amy Poehler as a couple named Joel and Molly, this satirical romance saw the pair recounting the entire history of their relationship in a story that poked fun at iconic comedies likeYou’ve Got Mail,When Harry Met Sally, andSleepless in Seattle. Through a total overexaggeration of the character archetypes, formulaic narratives, and implausible meet-cutes that make up the average rom-com,They Came Togethertook spoofing to the absolute extreme.
As a total box office flop,They Came Togetheronly took $82,780 against its $3 million budget and rarely gets mentioned by rom-com lovers. PerhapsThey Came Togethermade the mistake of being too smart for its own good and was punished for bravely embracing the absurdity of cinema’s typical depictions of romance.
Oscar winner Nicolas Cage has been involved with plenty of hugely acclaimed comedies over the years, with movies likeRaising Arizona,Vampire’s Kiss, andThe Unbearable Weight of Massive Talentall gaining huge critical acclaim. However, one fantastic Cage film that seems to be swept under the carpet constantly wasThe Weather Man, an insightful comedy-drama from thePirates of the Caribbeandirector, Gore Verbinski. As a black comedy about a middle-aged man in a state of crisis, Cage captured the funny side of sadness as the weatherman Dave Spritz’s life crumbles around him.
With an enjoyable supporting performance from Michael Caine, who delivers a questionable American accent as Dave’s father,The Weather Manwas a divisive movie that will resonate with those who prefer their comedy with a heavy dose of pessimism. As the story of a man whose success at work does not extend to his personal life,Cage was both funny and tragicas he attempted to reconnect with his estranged wife while also not damaging his chances for a big promotion in the process.
The Hangoverdirector Todd Phillips reunited with Zach Galifianakis for Due Date, a hilarious road comedy co-starring Robert Downey Jr. As the story of a man (Downey) who must travel cross-country to make it to Los Angeles in time for the birth of his child, much to his dismay, he’s joined by an aspiring actor (Galifianakis) who consistently gets on his nerves in a hilarious mismatched comedy. WhileDue Dateclearly borrowed heavily from the similarly themed Steve Martin and John Candy moviePlanes, Trains and Automobiles, the chemistry between these two stars helped it stand out.
As a film that’s packed with energy from start to finish, althoughDue Datewas derivative of other works, it still stood as an enjoyable comedy that doesn’t deserve to fester in obscurity the way it has. With a kind of mean-spirited sensibility, it was thrilling to watch Downey become increasingly frustrated by the man he’s reluctantly been partnered with. As an attempt to try something new from Phillips, I’d much rather watchDue Datethan the disappointingHangoversequels he made in the following years.
While Seth Rogen made his name starring in raunchy, Judd Apatow-produced comedies, the thoughtful comedy-drama50/50was an early glimpse into his more sentimental endeavors. As a touching story of friendship during the hardest of times,50/50was written by Rogen’s close friend Will Reiser, who urged him to write a screenplay about his experiences undergoing cancer treatment. The result was50/50, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Adam Lerner, a young man undergoing chemotherapy who leans on the support of his friends while struggling to beat the disease.
There’s a real sense of heart and realism at the center of50/50, although the script remained incredibly funny throughout. Anyone who’s gone through difficult experiences and serious illness will know that maintaining a sense of humor is one of the best things you can do, and50/50was a cancer story that used comedy in a way most films dealing with these types of topics never do. With honest performances and plenty of genuine laughs,50/50was both touching and incredibly funny.
While those in the know are well aware of the hilarity ofHot Rod, it’s still incredible just how underseen this phenomenal comedy is. As one of the funniest movies of the 2000s, it’s strange how other films from the same era, like Superbad, are known and beloved by everybody, while it seems to only be comedy enthusiasts who have recognized the greatness ofHot Rod. Featuring Andy Samberg as an aspiring stuntman,Hot Rodmaintains the same eccentric sense of humor that Samberg and the rest of his Lonely Island co-starswere known for.
With laugh-out-loud sequences such as when Samberg’s Rod Kimble falls down a mountain for so long it starts to become absurdly hilarious or Will Arnett’s arrogant boyfriend character endlessly shouting “babe,” it was impossible not to be won over by Hot Rod’s unique sense of humor. As a box office flop that took in just $14 million against its $25 million budget,Hot Rodis a prime example that financial figures aren’t the best metric of a movie’s merits.
The acclaimed writer, director, and actor Albert Brooks has made plenty of amazing movies, although many of the best have been completely underrated by general viewers. Among these was Defending Your Life, a hilarious comedy about a man who finds himself on trial in the afterlife and who must defend himself in the afterlife. Brooks played Daniel Miller, an advertising executive who must convince a group of condescending bureaucrats in Judgement City that he’d made enough of his life on Earth to be allowed to move onto the next phase of existence.
With Brooks as the advertising executive Daniel Miller and Meryl Streep as his love interest Julia, this uniquely clever film captured the appeal of works likeThe Good Placeyears before that sitcom was even made. Through insightful messaging about living life to the fullest and not letting fear stand in the way of achieving our hopes, dreams, and ambitions,Defending Your Lifehas gained acclaim from all those who’ve seen it, yet despite a98% score on Rotten Tomatoes, it is still woefully unknown.
Anytime you hear somebody complaining that Hollywood has become overrun by franchises and nobody is making great original movies anymore, just point toThe Nice Guysas a prime example of directing delivering exactly what everyone says they want, yet nobody went to see it. WithRussell Crowe and Ryan Gosling in a hilarious neo-noir buddy crime story, this 1970s-set tale was absolutely bursting with style, yet it underperformed at the box office and has been largely ignored by general audiences.
WhileThe Nice Guysnever got its due from the mainstream, it’s built up its reputation as a cult classiccomedyand stands as a high point in Black’s career as both a director and writer. Through a tight script and well-constructed noir-style story,The Nice Guysharkened back to an older style of Hollywood filmmaking that’s not really done anymore.
