The 15 best comedy movies on Hulu

Anora (2024)

Much like the journey its title character goes on, Anora is a wild ride of emotions, part screwball comedy, part meditation on the American class system, and part absorbing character study. Tying it all together is Mikey Madison, who plays a stripper/sex worker living in Brooklyn’s Brighton Beach who meets and soon marries the son of a Russian oligarch. Things take a turn for the worse when her new husband’s family learns of the marriage and makes great efforts to tear them apart. Madison is an utter revelation in a role that won her an Oscar — of which the film won four others, including Best Picture. —Kevin Jacobsen

Where to watch Anora: Hulu

EW grade: B+

Director: Sean Baker

Cast: Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan

The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)

Somewhere on Inisherin, a (fictional) isle off the coast of Ireland, a quiet war is being waged. After his best mate Colm (Brendan Gleeson) abruptly ends their friendship, Pádraic (Colin Farrell) is left confused and hurt. Like a loyal dog, Pádraic tries in vain to get his friend back, but Colm is stubborn, even threatening to cut off his own fingers if Pádraic tries to talk to him again. While bleakly dramatic in its theming, writer-director Martin McDonagh infuses the film with his signature black-hearted humor. EW’s critic calls The Banshees of Inisherin McDonagh’s “most humane and deeply felt offering to date — which says a lot about a movie rife with blasphemy, self-mutilation, and miniature donkeys.” —K.J.

Where to watch The Banshees of Inisherin: Hulu

EW grade: A–

Director: Martin McDonagh

Cast: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

The Devil Wears Prada? On a list of great movie comedies? Groundbreaking. Miranda Priestly may not approve of such a standard choice, but we can’t help but return to this 2006 adaptation of Lauren Weisberger’s novel again and again. Anne Hathaway stars as Andy, a budding journalist who takes an assistant job working for Meryl Streep’s Miranda, a demanding fashion editor who inspires fear without even raising her voice. The film remains endlessly rewatchable, not only for its quotable lines and fun atmosphere but also for its potent themes, from Andy’s evolution into a more confident person to its depiction of the fashion industry and its surprising impact on the world. That’s all. —K.J.

Where to watch The Devil Wears Prada: Hulu

Director: David Frankel

Cast: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci

Fire Island (2022)

Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice gets a queer, Millennial makeover in Fire Island, the debut film from comedic multihyphenate Joel Kim Booster. Booster stars as Noah, a broke thirtysomething with a longstanding tradition of vacationing with his friends on Fire Island. When the group learns their house mother (Margaret Cho) plans to sell her home, the friends are forced to confront their love lives and class issues during their last week together. Fire Island also stars Bowen Yang as Howie, Noah’s neurotic best friend. A clutch casting choice, Yang imbues the film with some of its most memorable comic sequences.

EW’s critic writes, “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a very small swimsuit must be in want of a rom-com to call his own; Fire Island sets the stage, messy and sweet, and lets its freak flag fly.” —Andrew Walsh

Where to watch Fire Island: Hulu

EW grade: B

Director: Max Barbakow

Cast: Joel Kim Booster, Bowen Yang, Conrad Ricamora, Margaret Cho, Matt Rogers

Happiest Season (2020)

In 2020, actress, writer, and director Clea DuVall pulled us out of our collective pandemic funk with the gift of Happiest Season, a queer holiday rom-com released on Hulu. Co-written with actress Mary Holland and directed by DuVall, Happiest Season follows Abby (Kristen Stewart) as she goes to meet her girlfriend Harper’s (Mackenzie Davis) parents and spend Christmas at their family’s home. The visit is only slightly complicated by the fact that Harper’s conservative family — including her perfectionistic mother Tipper (Mary Steenburgen) and her mayoral candidate father (Victor Garber) — don’t know she’s gay…or that she’s dating Abby. Hijinks ensue, feelings are hurt, and the city of Pittsburgh has never looked more inviting.

With a monster cast that includes Alison Brie and Holland as Harper’s eccentric sisters, Aubrey Plaza as her ex, and Dan Levy as Abby’s best friend, Happiest Season manages to be, as EW’s critic puts it, “a smart, heartfelt comedy whose small flaws are easily blotted out by bigger charms.” —A.W.

Where to watch Happiest Season: Hulu

EW grade: B+

Director: Clea DuVall

Cast: Kristen Stewart, Mackenzie Davis, Alison Brie, Aubrey Plaza, Dan Levy

A Nice Indian Boy (2025)

The pressure to have your parents accept you for who you are is a common struggle — especially when you’re gay and come from a traditional family. As this sweet romantic comedy explores, Naveen Gavaskar (Kanan Sonik) knows this feeling all too well, fretting over having to introduce his white fiancé, Jay (Jonathan Groff), to his family. While things don’t entirely go as planned and their relationship is put to the test, Naveen gradually becomes more comfortable in his skin and learns to reconcile these two important areas of his life. While A Nice Indian Boy may have its formulaic moments, the chemistry between Sonik and Groff makes it a total joy. —K.J.

Where to watch A Nice Indian Boy: Hulu

Director: Roshan Sethi

Cast: Karan Sonik, Jonathan Groff, Sunita Mani, Zarna Garg, Harish Patel

Nightbitch (2024)

In this dark comedy, an overstressed stay-at-home mom (Amy Adams) fears she may be turning into a dog. Yes, seriously. While the concept makes it sound like a farce directed by the Farrelly brothers in the early-2000s, Nightbitch is, in reality, a clever, surprisingly tender examination of motherhood that gives Adams her best role in years. Horrified yet fascinated by her sudden transformation, Adams’ character, credited only as “Mother,” gradually begins to embrace her new identity. EW’s critic calls Nightbitch “a frank dissection of female rage and post-pawrtum (sorry, not sorry) fracture.” —K.J.

Where to watch Nightbitch: Hulu

EW grade: A–

Director: Marielle Heller

Cast: Amy Adams, Scoot McNairy, Arleigh Snowden, Emmett Snowden, Zoë Chao

No Hard Feelings (2023)

While No Hard Feelings may have been sold as a raunchy comedy, the film has an underlying sweetness that makes for a well-rounded experience. But don’t get us wrong, the film’s setup certainly provides plenty of broad, laugh-out-loud humor: Jennifer Lawrence stars as Maddie, a 32-year-old Uber driver desperate for money. She finds a Craigslist ad from a wealthy couple hoping to hire a woman to date (and perhaps do more with) their inexperienced 19-year-old son, Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman), before he goes to college. Maddie’s attempts to court Percy lead to hilarious results, though they soon come to appreciate each other over the course of the summer.

The film proves Lawrence’s adeptness as a comedic star, fully committing to even the most ludicrous of scenes. “No Hard Feelings is a welcome addition to a dwindling genre,” writes EW’s critic, “and a reminder that Lawrence is one [of] Hollywood’s best (and funniest) leads.” —K.J.

Where to watch No Hard Feelings: Hulu

EW grade: B

Director: Gene Stupnitsky

Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Andrew Barth Feldman, Laura Benanti, Natalie Morales, Matthew Broderick

Palm Springs (2020)

Nyles (Andy Samberg) and Sarah (Cristin Milioti) are stuck at a Palm Springs wedding that will literally never end. While Nyles is resigned to his fate, Sarah — the maid of honor — is desperate to escape this desert hell. Directed by Max Barbakow with a script from Andy Siara, Palm Springs adds a trippy time loop twist to the rom-com genre. This existential comedy — which broke Sundance sales records by 69 cents (nice) — uses its sci-fi hook to explore what it really means to forgive yourself and let go of the past. Then there’s the standout performance from J.K. Simmons as deranged wedding guest Roy, who manages to be inspiring, terrifying, and hilarious all at once. Still, it’s the budding romance between Milioti and Samberg that will make you want to revisit Palm Springs again and again. —A.W.

Where to watch Palm Springs: Hulu

EW grade: B+

Director: Max Barbakow

Cast: Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J.K. Simmons

Quiz Lady (2023)

Part of the appeal of this charming, Emmy-winning TV movie from Jessica Yu is in seeing its stars stretch beyond their typical roles. Awkwafina, often cast as the brazen comic relief, plays anxious game-show aficionado Anne, while the typically hyper-competent Sandra Oh plays Anne’s messy older sister Jenny. They are reunited after their mother flees the country on a gambling streak, and after a loan shark comes out of the woodwork, the sisters come up with a scheme for Anne to go on her favorite game show to get enough money to pay him back. Awkwafina and especially Oh excel in their against-type roles, creating a believable chemistry that goes beyond silly antics; their bonding allows them to confront old traumas and get to a more hopeful place as sisters. —K.J.

Where to watch Quiz Lady: Hulu

Director: Jessica Yu

Cast: Awkwafina, Sandra Oh, Will Ferrell, Jason Schwartzman, Holland Taylor

A Real Pain (2024)

A pair of cousins tour Poland in tribute to their late grandmother in this acclaimed comedy-drama. Jesse Eisenberg stars as the neurotic David, who grows resentful of his erratic, outgoing cousin, Benji (Best Supporting Actor Oscar winner Kieran Culkin), as the trip goes on. Eisenberg and Culkin “make for an all-time comedic odd-couple,” writes EW’s critic, “with both actors showcasing their comedic and dramatic talents.” Eisenberg, who also wrote and directed the film, infuses the plot with smart, observational humor and subtle notes of melancholy. —K.J.

Where to watch A Real Pain: Hulu

EW grade: B+

Director: Jesse Eisenberg

Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin

Rye Lane (2023)

Fresh off a splashy, well-received premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, this British rom-com centers on Dom (David Jonsson) and Yas (Vivian Oparah), who meet in a gender-neutral bathroom and bond over their recent breakups. Walking around Rye Lane Market in South London, they discuss life and love as their bond inevitably grows closer. While rom-coms of this variety have existed for decades and decades, critics were universal in their praise of Rye Lane as an invigorating addition to the genre. There is a warmth and vibrancy to the film, with first-time feature director Raine Allen-Miller infusing her South London setting with specificity and genuine affection, and Jonsson and Oparah have the kind of complementary energies that make such films so magical. —K.J.

Where to watch Rye Lane: Hulu

Director: Raine Allen-Miller

Cast: David Jonsson, Vivian Oparah

Saturday Night (2024)

If you knew what went down during production on the first episode of Saturday Night Live, you would never assume it would become the 50-plus-year institution it is today. In this kinetic dramedy, Jason Reitman captures all the chaos and mishaps that nearly took down the sketch comedy show before it could even begin. Gabriel LaBelle, fresh off playing a young Steven Spielberg analog in 2022’s The Fabelmans, proves adept at inhabiting SNL boss Lorne Michaels in all his plate-spinning worry. EW’s critic praises Saturday Night as “a wildly entertaining love letter to a night of television that marked a cultural watershed.” —K.J.

Where to watch Saturday Night: Hulu

EW grade: A–

Director: Jason Reitman

Cast: Gabriel LaBelle, Rachel Sennott, Cory Michael Smith, Ella Hunt, Dylan O’Brien

Thelma (2024)

Hell hath no fury like Thelma Post (June Squibb) scorned. After being duped by a phone scam, 93-year-old Thelma goes on the warpath to find those involved and get back her money. Of course, it’s not easy for her to navigate the streets of Los Angeles (having lost her driving privileges), so she takes an old pal across town via motor scooter to help her hunt down the culprits. Hilarious and quietly moving in equal measure, Thelma provides Squibb with the first leading role of her career, and she makes the absolute most of it, delivering a complex performance as a woman who refuses to let age slow her down. —K.J.

Where to watch Thelma: Hulu

EW grade: B+

Director: Josh Margolin

Cast: June Squibb, Fred Hechinger, Richard Roundtree, Parker Posey, Malcolm McDowell

Wicked Little Letters (2023)

This British mystery comedy, based on true events, is as deliciously naughty as its title suggests. Olivia Colman stars as Edith Swan, a repressed, religious Englishwoman who lives with her parents in 1920s Britain. After receiving a series of profane letters in the mail, her family seeks answers and accuses their Irish neighbor — a single mother named Rose (Jessie Buckley) — causing a scandal around their seaside town of Littlehampton. Yes, it’s comparatively low-stakes compared to other films on this list, but it’s good, cheeky fun, ideally watched on a lazy Sunday afternoon. —K.J.

Where to watch Wicked Little Letters: Hulu

Director: Thea Sharrock

Cast: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Anjana Vasan, Joanna Scanlan, Gemma Jones