So you’re browsing through Netflix, looking for something to watch, but you’re in the mood for something light. Netflix’s massive library can be intimidating, especially when you’re looking for a good comedy amidst a sea of subpar entries in the genre. Not to fear, though, because we here at Collider have you covered. Below, we’ve curated a list of the very best comedies on Netflix right now. We’ve got everything from silly buddy comedies, big splashy commercial comedies, more esoteric indies, and even a couple of films that toe the line between comedy and drama. Surely you’ll find something to your liking, so scroll through our list below and find that perfect pick.


The 40-Year-Old Virgin


Directed by: Judd Apatow
Written by: Steve Carell and Judd Apatow
Cast: Steve Carell, Catherine Keener, Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen, Romany Malco, Jane Lynch, Elizabeth Banks, Kat Dennings, and Mindy Kaling
When The 40-Year-Old-Virgin was released in 2005, it was a huge hit. But in hindsight we can clearly see this was also a game-changer for the comedy genre. Judd Apatow’s heavily improvised style led to a looseness from scene to scene, and the film’s tone—which was equal parts raunchy and heartwarming—felt unique. You usually had your sex comedies and your emotional romantic comedies separate, but here Apatow combined the two sensibilities and had the perfect actor for the titular lead: Steve Carell. The result is a hilarious, very NSFW, but also oddly sweet and sensitive story of a mild-mannered 40-year-old man looking to get laid who ends up finding love, complete with outstanding supporting performances by folks like Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen. This one holds up.


Ghostbusters


Director: Ivan Reitman
Writers: Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis
Cast: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis, and Annie Potts
A classic through and through, Ghostbusters more than holds up over 30 years later. At the time of release the film was a big deal, bringing together SNL alums Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd with sci-fi heroine Sigourney Weaver, but what makes Ghostbusters work so well is its camaraderie. There’s a congeniality amongst the team of paranormal investigators that you can’t fake, and their good-natured ribbing of each other doesn’t come off as mean or belitting like some other 80s comedies. Moreover, the sci-fi of Ghostbusters is genuinely compelling, with effects that still spook pretty well today.


Bring It On


Directed by: Peyton Reed
Written by: Jessica Bendinger
Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku, Jesse Bradford, Gabrielle Union
Before he made Ant-Man or Down with Love, filmmaker Peyton Reed introduced a new comedy classic into the lexicon with Bring It On. The 2000 comedy takes on the world of competitive cheerleading through the eyes of an eager high school senior (Kirsten Dunst) and a punk-ish but talented newcomer (Eliza Dushku). The resulting film is far meatier and satisfying than it has any reason to be, due in large part to the flighty tone Reed strikes and the charismatic performances of this bright ensemble. The cheer sequences are presented with the verve and vigor of a crucial sports game, and by the end of the film you’re wholly invested in the success or failure of the Rancho Carne Toros. Throughout, the film is consistently hilarious and biting, with a razor sharp wit and raunchy jokes that breeze by. This is a wildly entertaining watch.


Forgetting Sarah Marshall


Director: Nicholas Stoller
Writer: Jason Segel
Cast: Jason Segel, Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Russell Brand, Jonah Hill, Paul Rudd, and Bill Hader
The 2008 comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall is secretly one of the best romantic comedies ever made. Produced by Judd Apatow, the film saw Freaks and Geeks breakout Jason Segel writing a script inspired by his own experiences. The story revolves around a guy who gets dumped by his famous girlfriend (Kristen Bell) and heads to Hawaii to try and forget about his troubles. As it turns out his ex and her new rock star lover (Russell Brand) are staying at the same resort. Hilarity and male nudity ensue, but what makes Forgetting Sarah Marshall linger is the sensitivity at the heart of the film. It’s ultimately an incredibly sweet story bolstered by tremendous performances that also happens to feature a Dracula musical.


While We're Young


Directed and Written by: Noah Baumbach
Cast: Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Adam Driver, Amanda Seyfried, Charles Grodin, Adam Yauch
Starting with Frances Ha, filmmaker Noah Baumbach hit a much more joyous, optimistic stride with his films, and that’s certainly the case of his 2015 movie While We’re Young. This is almost in the vein of a traditional studio comedy for the Squid and the Whale filmmaker, but it’s a very, very good one. Ben Still and Naomi Watts star as a middle-aged couple living in New York City who are having trouble coming to terms with the fact that they’re no longer young. Stiller plays a documentary filmmaker who strikes up a friendship with an aspiring documentary filmmaker played by Adam Driver, who with his very hipster girlfriend (Amanda Seyfried) befriend Stiller and Watts’ characters. A culture clash of sorts ensues, as Stiller and Watts struggle to prove they’re still hip while Driver and Seyfried struggle to prove they’re cool. The film has a lot to say about image and the passage of time, but it’s also just incredibly funny.


Men in Black


Directed by: Barry Sonnenfeld
Written by: Ed Solomon
Cast: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Linda Fiorentino, Vincent D’Onofrio, Rip Torn, and Tony Shalhoub
It’s easy to forget just how big of a deal Men in Black was when it hit theaters in 1997, but this movie was a thing—and it holds up! The loose sci-fi comics adaptation stars Will Smith as an NYPD officer whose encounter with an extra-terrestrial brings him into the secret world of MiB, a government agency that oversees the various aliens living amongst us on Earth—and who is tasked with keeping out the baddies. The heart and soul of the film is the contrast between Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, which makes for wonderful comedic chemistry. Add in director Barry Sonnenfeld’s offbeat sense of humor and a truly eye-popping sci-fi adventure, and you have yourself a very good time.


13 Going on 30


Director: Gary Winick
Writers: Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa
Cast: Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo, Judy Greer, and Andy Serkis
So 13 Going on 30 is basically a riff on Big, except instead of coming off as a ripoff, it’s charming as all get-out. Jennifer Garner plays a 13-year-old girl who suddenly wakes up in her 30-year-old self’s body. She’s horrified to discover that her adult self has eschewed the friendships and virtues that she once held dear for cold-hearted success as the co-editor of a fashion magazine. Thus begins a journey of self-rediscovery littered with laughs, romance, and a ton of heart. Mark Ruffalo is terrific as her former best friend, and Andy Serkis dances to “Thriller”. What more could you ask for?


Tropic Thunder


Directed by: Ben Stiller
Written by: Justin Theroux
Cast: Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Jay Baruchel, Steve Coogan, Danny McBride, Bill Hader, Nick Nolte, and Matthew McConaughey
Ben Stiller’s 2008 action-comedy Tropic Thunder is a great comedy for movie lovers. The film takes on self-important Hollywood types by chronicling the production of a big budget Vietnam War film that marks key career turns for its stars. Ben Stiller is a huge action superstar trying to recover from a misstep into drama territory; Jack Black is an Adam Sandler/Eddie Murphy-esque comedy actor with a severe drug addition; and Robert Downey Jr. is a lauded Australian performer known for going intensely method. Chaos ensues when the actors find themselves in real danger, which they think is simply their director making things as “real” as possible. This is a big comedy with lots of laughs and an unforgettable RDJ performance that earned him an Oscar nod.


A Futile and Stupid Gesture


Directed by: David Wain
Written by: John Aboud and Michael Colton
Cast: Will Forte, Domhnall Gleeson, Martin Mull, Emmy Rossum, Joel McHale, Thomas Lennon, Matt Walsh, Neil Casey, Matt Lucas, Natasha Lyonne, Ed Helms, Max Greenfield, Paul Scheer, and Jon Daly
If you’re a comedy nerd, A Futile and Stupid Gesture is a must-watch. The Netflix original film chronicles the origins of National Lampoon magazine through the eyes of co-founder Doug Kenney (Will Forte), a hilarious free spirit who would go on to co-write Animal House and Caddyshack before meeting an untimely end. Forte is the driving force of the film as it tracks the irreverent beginnings of National Lampoon, and the actor delivers a dynamic turn that is equal parts funny and sad. But Domhnall Gleeson nearly steals the show as his more dry partner Henry Beard, with cameos galore of folks playing famous actors from the time like Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, John Belushi, and Gilda Radner. Wet Hot American Summer and Role Models filmmaker David Wain directs with a knowing eye, but takes the drama inherent in Kenney’s tragedy seriously.


Sleeping with Other People


Writer/Director: Leslye Headland
Cast: Allison Brie, Jason Sudeikis, Adam Scott, Jason Mantzoukas, Natasha Lyonne, Adam Brody, and Amanda Peet
Filmmaker Leslye Headland broke out in a big way with the raunchy comedy Bachelorette, and her follow-up feature is a straight up romantic comedy—with a bit of an edge of course. Lovably described as “When Harry Met Sally with assholes,” Sleeping with Other People stars Jason Sudeikis and Allison Brie as a pair of acquaintances who lost their virginity to each other in high school, and reconnect years later in New York City. They quickly become platonic best friends, airing romantic grievances with one another while they both have trouble commiting to their respective relationships. It’s a hilarious, sweet, and at times very dirty spin on the romcom formula that’s a pure delight to watch.


Pee-wee's Big Adventure


Director: Tim Burton
Writers: Phil Hartman, Paul Reubens, and Michael Varhol
Cast: Paul Reubens, Elizabeth Daily, Mark Holton, Diane Salinger, Judd Omen
Filmmaker Tim Burton‘s feature directorial debut Pee-wee’s Big Adventure would serve as a fitting announcement of Burton as a series filmmaking talent, but also still stands today as a tremendously inventive comedy. Paul Reubens‘ Pee-wee gets the big screen treatment as he sets out on a “big adventure” to find and return his stolen bike. Shenanigans ensue, but the combination of Reubens’ silly comedy and Burton’s whimsy makes for a wholly unique and somewhat trippy experience unlike anything else.


Burn After Reading


Directors/Writers: Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Cast: George Clooney, Frances McDormand, Richard Jenkins, Brad Pitt, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, and J.K. Simmons
How did the Coen Brothers cash in on their clout from winning Best Director and Best Picture with No Country for Old Men? With an absurdist comedy that adds up to a punchline, of course. Burn After Reading is a hilarious romp of sorts played very, very straight, as the Coens pack this espionage story to the brim with idiots, but shoot, edit, and score it as if it’s a Michael Clayton-esque thriller. It’s a brilliant subversion of expectations, and while some certainly felt slighted by the ending, the way the story abruptly deflates is precisely the point. This is a movie that gets better and better with each watch, and though it may feel slight in the shadow of something as rich and complex as No Country, the range it displays from the Coen Brothers only solidifies them as two of America’s greatest directors of all time.


Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story


Director: Jake Kasdan
Writers: Judd Apatow and Jake Kasdan
Cast: John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Kristen Wiig, Tim Meadows, Chris Parnell, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, Raymond J. Barry, Jane Lynch, David Krumholtz
There was a time when Hollywood was obsessed with cradle-to-grave boics—films about famous people that covered their entire lives from childhood to death. And during this time, filmmaker Jake Kasdan teamed up with Judd Apatow and John C. Reilly to take aim at this genre trope, making one of the best comedies of the 21st century in the process. Walk Hard tracks the story of Dewey Cox, a world famous country singer whose life mirrors that of Johnny Cash’s, while taking quite a few detours into other famous musicians territory (from The Beatles to The Beach Boys). The film is clearly riffing on movies like Walk the Line and Ray, but it’s compelling in its own right and features catchy original songs to boot. Oh, and it’s absolutely hilarious.


I Love You, Man


Directed by: John Hamburg
Written by: John Hamburg and Larry Levin
Cast: Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, Jon Favreau, Rob Heubel, Joe Lo Truglio, and Andy Samberg
This 2009 “bromantic comedy” pairs Paul Rudd and Jason Segel to delightfully funny results. Rudd plays a mild mannered man who recently proposed to his girlfriend, but when wedding planning begins, he discovers he doesn’t really have any male friends. He meets Segel’s character, a free-spirited goofball, and the two hit it off immediately. I Love You, Man is basically a romantic comedy about male friendships, but what really makes it worthwhile is the chemistry between Rudd and Segel, and the ridiculous improv riffs they find that somehow spawn iconic lines. Slappa da bass, man!


Frances Ha


Director: Noah Baumbach
Writers: Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig
Cast: Greta Gerwig, Mickey Summer, Charlotte d’Amboise, and Adam Driver
Before 2012’s Frances Ha, filmmaker Noah Baumbach was the king of melancholy. With this breezy black-and-white indie, however, Baumbach changed course dramatically, churning out something that is much more optimistic and downright playful. In a star-making turn, Greta Gerwig plays a 27-year-old dancer living in Brooklyn who is forced to find a new place to live when her best friend opts to move out, thus meaning Frances is unable to afford rent. Frances subsequently bums around with her friends, returns to her home for Christmas, and even jets off the Paris, all the while trying stave off adulthood for as long as possible. Narratively there’s little to Frances Ha, but thematically and character-wise, this thing is rich beyond belief. It’s also just an absolute delight to watch, with a stellar soundtrack and a camera that adores Greta Gerwig.


Hot Fuzz


Director: Edgar Wright
Writers: Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg
Cast: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jim Broadbent, Paddy Considine, Rafe Spall, Olivia Colman, Timothy Dalton, and Paul Freeman
Edgar Wright is one of the best filmmakers working today, and his 2007 take on the action genre Hot Fuzz remains one of the best films of the past decade. Simon Pegg stars as an obsessive British cop who is assigned to work in a small village when the big city department becomes tired of his unending drive for perfection. What is meant as a means of getting him away from the action soon turns out to be a blessing, as Pegg’s character soon uncovers strange goings-on in the seemingly perfect village of Sandford. The ensemble here is stacked, led by a hilarious (and heartbreaking) co-starring turn from Nick Frost as well as icons of cinema past like Timothy Dalton and Paul Freeman. The film goes places you’d never expect, all while tipping its hat to the action greats like Michael Bay. Hot Fuzz is a comedy, but it’s a comedy that takes its action, characters, and story very seriously, which makes all the difference.


Moonrise Kingdom


Director: Wes Anderson
Writers: Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola
Cast: Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Bruce Willis, Jason Schwarztman, Bob Balaban, and Tilda Swinton
Wes Anderson’s ode to summer lovin’ is quite possibly his most romantic film yet, as the filmmaker perfectly encapsulates what it feels like to be young and head-over-heels in love. It’s a delightful picture with an undercurrent of sadness running throughout, and it features some of the most stunning production design of Anderson’s oeuvre—and that’s saying something. Moonrise Kingdom also features the anachronistic casting of Bruce Willis and Edward Norton, who turn out to be absolute perfect fits for Anderson’s brand of auteurism. This is one melancholic treat worth savoring.


The Overnight


Director/Writer: Patrick Brice
Cast: Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman, and Judith Godrèche
If you’re in the mood for a raunchy comedy that really goes there, then The Overnight might be right up your alley. The film stars Adam Scott and Orange Is the New Black star Taylor Schilling as a somewhat conservative couple who, while at the park with their son, meet a nice and somewhat mysterious parent named Kurt (Jason Schwartzman), who invites them and their son over to his family’s house for a playdate. All is going somewhat normal until the kids are put to bed, at which point Kurt and his wife Charlotte (Judith Godrèche) pull Scott and Schilling’s characters out of their shells, taking them to sexually adventurous places with plenty of humor to boot. For anyone who’s been itching to see Scott and Schwartzman don some hilariously exaggerated prosthetic genitals, The Overnight is for you.


I Give It a Year


Director/Writer: Dan Mazer
Cast: Rafe Spall, Rose Byrne, Anna Faris, Simon Baker, Stephen Merchant, Minnie Driver, Jason Flemyng, and Olivia Colman
If you’re in the mood for a romantic comedy with a little bite to it, look no further than I Give It a Year. The feature directorial debut of Borat and Bruno co-writer Dan Mazer is the perfect mix of salty and sweet, chronicling the first year of marriage between the ambitious Nat (Rose Byrne) and struggling writer Josh (Rafe Spall). The couple comes to the realization that they may not know each other as well as they think they do, and while the comedy can get sharp and a little dark, there’s a good heart throughout that keeps things at least somewhat optimistic. Byrne proves she’s one of our most underrated comedic actresses and Spall proves he’s leading man material, while scene-stealing supporting turns from folks like Stephen Merchant and Minnie Driver make this a delight to sit through. Here’s the very definition of an underseen gem, and one that’ll make you seem very in-the-know once you start recommending it to folks.


Tucker and Dale vs. Evil


Director: Eli Craig
Writer: Eli Craig and Morgan Jurgenson
A comedic spin on the “party-going youths meet backwoods sociopaths” subgenre of horror, a la Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is a straight up comedy of errors in horror movie clothing. The film follows the titular Tucker (Alan Tudyk) and Dale (Tyler Labine), two country bumpkins best friends renovating their dilapidated remote vacation home where they encounter a group of preppy, wildly biased college kids. When Dale’s attempt at friendly conversation is perceived as a threat, it sets off a series of ever-escalating confrontations that are only as hilarious as they are deadly. As far as I’m concerned, every Alan Tudyk performance is a gift, but it’s Tyler Labine’s soft-hearted Dale who steals the show as he tries to comprehend the fresh hell he somehow wandered into. Thanks to their on-point performances and some gore gags that are equal parts gruesome and guffaw-inducing, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is one of the most delightful horror comedies in recent memory.


Tangerine


Director: Sean Baker
Writers: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch
Cast: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian, Mickey O’Hagan, and James Ransone
If you’re in the mood for a comedy of a different sort, or maybe just something energetic and colorful, Tangerine is a must-watch. Shot entirely on an iPhone to tremendous results, the film follows a day in the life of two transgender prostitutes on the streets of Los Angeles, as fresh-from-jail Sin-Dee Rella (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) goes on the hunt to find the woman her boyfriend (James Ransone) has been shacking up with in her absence, all the while her quiet, aspirational friend and co-worker Alexandra (Mya Taylor) tries her best to put out the fires. It’s a hilarious, heartfelt, and surprisingly emotional little film that’s a breath of fresh air from the cliché-ridden comedies that Hollywood tends to churn out year after year.