The 7 Best Comedies On Hulu Right Now
Just as everybody finds different things frightening, so too does everyone laugh at certain things they find funny.
It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about someone falling down a flight of stairs or getting hit with a face full of pie, every viewer maintains a very specific sense of humor, allowing them to form deep connections to everything from The Office and Parks and Recreation to Shrek and The Hangover.
But even then, some comedy films have a way of delighting a universal audience, touching the hearts and minds of everyone fortunate to enjoy their layered plot lines, rich narratives, and routinely agreeable comedic performances. With that in mind, Hulu has plenty of wonderful comedy films that make up its digital library, from unorthodox romantic comedies like Palm Springs and Poor Things to crowd-pleasing Pixar films like Ratatouille.
Palm Springs (2020)
Numerous films have tackled Groundhog Day’s central time loop premise, but few films have effectively recreated the concept as ingeniously as 2020’s Palm Springs. A creative romantic comedy with a high-concept fantasy overhaul, Palm Springs involves Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti’s hapless wedding guests reliving the same day in the desert oasis of Palm Springs, California. With Samberg and Milioti maintaining luminous comedic chemistry throughout, Palm Springs delivers a healthy dose of laughs and an unforgettably inventive take on traditional time travel tropes, paving the way to a satisfying romcom unlike any other.
Sorry to Bother You (2018)
A satirical comedy that isn’t afraid to take chances, Sorry to Bother You delights in its irreverent humor, using its off-beat comedic style to broach a variety of socially relevant topics from race and wealth disparity in modern America to its brutal portrayal of the capitalist system. Channeling the same sense of absurdism as Monty Python or Charlie Kaufman, Sorry to Bother You’s narrative is both heartily hilarious and endlessly thought-provoking, encouraging audiences to ponder the deeper implications of its plot, all the while giggling at its increasingly surreal main story.
Ratatouille (2007)
It’s a matter of taste and individual opinion regarding which Pixar film is the studios’ best, but a strong case can be made in favor of Ratatouille: itself one of the greatest animated films of the 21st century yet. Outfitted with Pixar’s characteristically breathtaking visual style, Ratatouille deserves praise for its stunning emotional resonance, hammering home the idea that food – like all great art – can come from the most unexpected places imaginable. A wondrous film perfect for viewers of every age and respective demographic, it’s a movie that only further emphasizes why Pixar holds such an integral place in the modern animation industry.
Thelma (2024)
Every generation has a recognizable face attached to the action genre. In the ‘80s, it was Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. In the ‘90s, it was Bruce Willis and Jackie Chan. And in the 2020s, it’s the 94-year-old June Squibb, who receives the role of a lifetime as an elderly retiree attempting to track down the con artist who swindled her out of $10,000. A laugh-out-loud action comedy that tackles deep issues related to age, grief, elderly exploitation, and life-altering financial scams, Thelma’s swift and self-assured humor helps the movie move along at a rapid pace – not unlike Squibb and Richard Roundtree’s eventful journeys on the back of their two-person scooter.
Birdman (2014)
As one of the most talked-about filmmakers of the modern generation, Alejandro G. Iñárritu has released several breathtaking films thus far in his career. Along with Iñárritu’s earlier work on Amores perros and Babel, Birdman serves as an extraordinary illustration of the director’s clear capabilities as a storyteller, as well as his deft handling of immersive filmmaking techniques. Incorporating numerous unbroken takes that allow each actor to shine in their respective roles, Birdman eloquently evaluates the concept of fame, ambition, and the artistry that lie behind effective acting performances in its riveting two-hour runtime. Winning the Academy Award for Best Picture and a slew of other similarly prestigious accolades, it’s a film perfectly deserving of the momentous critical acclaim it received in 2014, aging remarkably well in the decade since its release.
Poor Things (2023)
Yorgos Lanthimos, you magnificent madman. Like all of the director’s previous films, Lanthimos’s 2023 Poor Things is every bit as weird and delightfully absurd as The Lobster, The Favourite, and The Killing of a Sacred Deer before it. A creative inversion of the tried-and-true Frankenstein narrative, Poor Things offers a stylized portrayal of the world as experienced through the eyes of its recently reanimated protagonist. Disturbing in some areas yet overwhelmingly imaginative in others, Poor Things is guaranteed to leave viewers laughing, cringing, and/or gasping in sheer disbelief at its unwaveringly original narrative.
A Real Pain (2024)
Among the best releases of 2024, A Real Pain finds Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg’s wildly contrasting cousins embarking on a heritage tour through Eastern Poland. Possessing an indelible comedic bite and making ample use of Culkin and Eisenberg’s masterful performances, A Real Pain is a life-affirming comedy absolutely everyone will enjoy seeing. Dark, methodical, and philosophical in its exploration of family, grief, and mental health, it’s a sensational film that packs plenty of weighty emotion and buoyant comedy into its 90-minute runtime, delighting viewers from its riveting start to its bittersweet conclusion.
