20 Funny Movies on Hulu to Stream Right Now
Updated: Apr. 12, 2023Need a good laugh? Check out these funny movies on Hulu. They'll have you roaring at the screen in no time.
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.
Stream funny movies on Hulu for a dose of nonstop laughter
There are so many great reasons to watch films that make us laugh: to check out the new comedy movies everyone is talking about, add to our ongoing collection of funny movie quotes and forget a rotten day. When you really think about it, there’s never a wrong time to watch a funny movie. And while you might already be aware of the funniest movies on Netflix or the available funny movies on Amazon Prime, you might not know there are also a ton of funny movies on Hulu.
Whether you’re hunting for a family-friendly comedy, a raunchy chick flick or a sappy rom-com, it’s important to remember that a lot of genuinely funny movies also sit on several lists of classic good movies. Since films tend to come and go on most streaming platforms, we’ve done the hard work for you by compiling the ideal list of the best funny movies you can stream if you’re a Hulu subscriber.
How we chose the best comedies on Hulu
We chose the best comedy movies on Hulu by looking at several factors, including box office success and critic and audience reception, as well as availability. Some of these movies are outlandish 1980s comedies your parents might have enjoyed, whereas others are modern classics beloved by 21st-century audiences. But we’ve made sure to include something for all kinds of movie-watchers, so read on for our choices, and then start streaming!
Get Reader’s Digest’s Read Up newsletter for more humor, entertainment, cleaning, travel, tech and fun facts all week long.
I, Tonya
Released: 2017
Rated: R
Memorable quote: “America: They want someone to love, they want someone to hate.” —Tonya Harding
This mockumentary-style black comedy examines the bizarre true story of Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie), a figure skater entangled in a ruthless plot to injure her rival, Nancy Kerrigan (Caitlin Carver), shortly before the 1994 Winter Olympics. It was a global media circus, and not helping Harding’s image was the skater’s penchant for clownish makeup and her tendency to throw tantrums on the ice. While there is nothing funny about the vicious assault on Kerrigan—the future silver medalist was physically attacked by an assailant hired by Harding’s ex-husband—the events are played for laughs in I, Tonya, though the real punchline of the movie is America’s obsession with trashy tabloid news.
Never Been Kissed
Released: 1999
Rated: PG-13
Memorable quote: “I’m not Josie Grossie anymore!” —Josie Geller
Never Been Kissed is one of those pitch-perfect romantic comedy movies in which, yes, the girl gets the seemingly unattainable guy, but more important, she makes her own career dreams come true. Josie Geller (Drew Barrymore) is a copy editor at the Chicago Sun-Times who has just scored her first big writing assignment: going undercover to report on modern-day teenagers at her former high school.
At first, it seems like Josie is destined to repeat her own nightmarish high school experience (she was regularly bullied and called “Josie Grossie”). She’s ridiculed by the popular girls for wearing white jeans and unknowingly scarfs a THC-laced brownie at a club. But soon enough, Josie infiltrates the cool kids’ clique and accidentally falls in love with her English teacher, Sam (Michael Vartan). After her cover is blown on prom night (because of course), Josie seems to be worse off than she was as a teen. Can she find a way to snag her dream job—and dream guy? We won’t spoil the ending, but this is a rom-com, after all.
Fire Island
Released: 2022
Rated: R
Memorable quote: “We’re going to Fire Island. It’s like gay Disney World.” —Noah
There are so many things to love about Fire Island. First of all, it’s about a group of gay male friends spending a week at New York’s queer summer enclave, Fire Island. This detail alone makes the film a welcome addition to the ever-growing group of influential LGBTQ movies. Fire Island is also a clever take on Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice, with the film examining classism in the gay community.
Noah (Joel Kim Booster), an Asian American nurse, is attracted to Will (Conrad Ricamora), a lawyer. But Will and his affluent White friends aren’t exactly welcoming to Noah and his crew. That’s not to say Fire Island isn’t bursting at the seams with laughs, though. The film earns its place as one of the best funny movies on Hulu for the gut-busting Heads Up! scene alone. We never knew how badly we needed a flawless duel of Marisa Tomei in My Cousin Vinny impressions.
Big
Released: 1988
Rated: PG
Memorable quote: “I wish I were big.” —Josh Baskin
Although Tom Hanks had already starred in a string of Hollywood films throughout the 1980s, it wasn’t until he appeared in Big that he became a major box-office draw. When it comes to classic family movies, Big checks every box.
Josh Baskin is a 13-year-old boy (initially played by David Moscow) who, after making a wish to a demonic-looking carnival fortune-telling machine, wakes up the next morning in, well, Tom Hanks’s body. Now Josh must embark on a crash course in adulthood, navigating how to manage a job, expenses and workplace crushes while remaining an adolescent on the inside. We were constantly in stitches watching Josh live it up in the iconic FAO Schwarz toy store scene, playing “Heart and Soul” and “Chopsticks” with his boss (Robert Loggia) on a Walking Piano. It’s no wonder Hanks earned his first Academy Award nomination for his performance in Big.
Shrek
Released: 2001
Rated: PG
Memorable quote: “We can stay up late, swapping manly stories, and in the morning, I’m making waffles!” —Donkey
Not only is Shrek one of the best animated movies ever made, but the original 2001 film also spawned a decades-long franchise that is now the second-highest-grossing animated series of all time. Twenty years ago, the story of a bad-tempered ogre forced to rescue an imprisoned princess turned the traditional fairy-tale formula on its head, and we’ve been laughing ever since.
Can you really think of a better—or funnier—warrior duo than the green-skinned, Scottish-accented ogre Shrek (Mike Myers) and his talkative sidekick Donkey (Eddie Murphy)? Shrek even flips the stereotypical damsel-in-distress character by giving Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) some fierce martial arts skills and an ear-piercing singing voice that literally causes birds to explode. A Disney Princess she is not, and we love her for it.
50/50
Released: 2011
Rated: R
Memorable quote: “Driving! That’s what you want to do? That’s your ‘Make a Wish’? To drive? We could be having sex with hookers while skydiving, and instead, you want to do something I learned to do when I was 15!” —Kyle Hirons
50/50 epitomizes the old adage “laughter is the best medicine”: It’s the story of a 27-year-old ostensibly healthy man named Adam Lerner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who learns he has spinal cancer. But fortunately for Adam—and the audience—his best friend, Kyle Hirons, is played by Seth Rogen.
Kyle provides much-needed comic relief as the film tackles an understandably heavy subject. For example, during the pivotal moment when Adam, who’s undergoing chemotherapy, decides to shave his head, it’s Kyle, not Adam, who cringes more over the impending hair loss. Oh, and did we mention Adam shaves his head using the razor Kyle reserves for more, erm, intimate areas?
If you’re looking for more heartfelt flicks that will get the tears flowing, check out our list of sad movies.
Bridesmaids
Released: 2011
Rated: R
Memorable quote: “Help me, I’m poor.” —Annie Walker
There are a lot of funny movies on Hulu, but if we had to pick just one to watch, it would be Bridesmaids, hands down. It’s a rare movie that can make a bout of food poisoning funny—especially when all the characters are wearing bridal finery. And when put in the hands of pros like Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne and Kristin Wiig, you just know that scene is going to be comedy gold.
Co-written by comedy powerhouse Wiig and starring an A-list ensemble of funny females, Bridesmaids skewers everything about weddings, bachelorette parties, showers and all the ridiculousness that comes with being a bridesmaid. Like, say, hiring Wilson Phillips to perform “Hold On” at your friend’s wedding. Speaking of great music (of which there is a ton in Bridesmaids), be sure to check out our list of best movie soundtracks.
History of the World, Part I
Released: 1981
Rated: R
Memorable quote: “It’s good to be the king!” —King Louis XVI
As soon as you read the name Mel Brooks, you know you’re in for a hilarious couple of hours. The comedic genius behind classic movies like The Producers, Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein wrote and directed History of the World, Part I, a parody of the epic film genre. Brooks—who also appears in numerous roles throughout the movie—covers five eras in the, well, history of the world.
The comedy genius pokes fun at time periods like the Stone Age and the French Revolution. But nothing can prepare you for his unhinged take on sanctioned torture, better known as the Spanish Inquisition: As the Grand Inquisitor Tomás de Torquemada, Brooks leads his crew of friars in an elaborate song-and-dance number featuring a catchy earworm (“The Inquisition! The Inquisition! What a show!”) and an aquatic ballet. Yikes. Although there weren’t any initial plans to make a sequel to the film (which was part of the title’s joke), in 2023 Brooks wrote and produced History of the World, Part II, an eight-episode series also available to Hulu subscribers.
Baby Mama
Released: 2008
Rated: PG-13
Memorable quote: “It costs more to have someone born than to have someone killed!” —Kate Holbrook
In Baby Mama, the dynamic Saturday Night Live duo of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler team up for a hilarious examination of how difficult it can be for some women to become mothers. Fey plays Kate Holbrook, a successful executive struggling with infertility. Desperate for a child, Kate hires Angie Ostrowski (Poehler), a crude and obnoxious homeless woman, to be her surrogate.
This is not exactly a match made in heaven, as Kate is so organized and fastidious, she baby-proofs her apartment months before Angie is due to give birth. And Angie … well, Angie is decidedly less concerned with cleanliness. (When nature calls and Angie can’t figure out the lock on Kate’s toilet, she shamelessly pees in Kate’s sink!) Silly high jinks aside, there’s really no excuse to sleep on Baby Mama, because watching Fey and Poehler do comedy together is like wrapping yourself in a fuzzy blanket and munching on warm chocolate chip cookies. On that note, be sure to check out our list for more of the best Mother’s Day movies.
As Good As It Gets
Released: 1997
Rated: PG-13
Memorable quote: “You make me want to be a better man.” —Melvin Udall
It’s not easy to warm up to Melvin Udall, a misogynistic, homophobic novelist, even if he is played by Jack Nicholson. After all, this is a guy who explains his technique for writing women characters as, “I think of a man, and I take away reason and accountability.” Then again, one of the reasons As Good As It Gets is so funny—seriously, it’s one of the best ’90s movies—is because Nicholson deadpans lines like that one with just the right amount of charisma.
Although Melvin’s bigoted attitudes from 25 years ago didn’t age well, Nicholson gave such an indelible performance that he walked away with the Best Actor Academy Award for As Good As It Gets. The only person who can tolerate Melvin and his nasty behavior is Carol Connelly (Helen Hunt, who won the Best Actress Oscar for her performance), a saintlike waitress at his local breakfast spot. It’s thanks to Carol that viewers get to watch Melvin transform in a film that’s both heartwarming and legitimately funny.
The Cable Guy
Released: 1996
Rated: PG-13
Memorable quote: “I can be your best friend or your worst enemy. You seem to prefer the latter.” —Chip Douglas, the cable guy
Back in 1996, Jim Carrey was Hollywood’s comedy darling, and his role in The Cable Guy made major headlines, not because of Carrey’s performance—which was equal parts frightening and hilarious—but because of his then-record-breaking $20 million paycheck.
More than 25 years later, The Cable Guy has achieved cult-classic status, mainly thanks to Carrey’s preternatural ability to steal every scene he’s in. He plays a creepy, television-obsessed cable installer who encroaches on the life of unsuspecting customer Steven Kovacs (Matthew Broderick). Soon enough, this nameless interloper (Carrey’s character uses numerous 1960s TV character aliases throughout the film) has gotten Steven arrested and fired from his job. But who cares about Steven’s hard luck when we’re too busy laughing at Carrey’s dirty version of the password game and his Medieval Times chicken-skin Hannibal Lecter impression?
There’s Something About Mary
Released: 1998
Rated: R
Memorable quote: “I couldn’t believe that she knew my name. Some of my best friends didn’t know my name.” —Ted Stroehmann
We could probably describe There’s Something About Mary using only its endless funny quotes as a selling point, and you’d still want to add it to your Hulu queue. But the premise is an easy sell too: More than a decade after his missed chance with dream-girl prom date Mary Jensen (Cameron Diaz), Ted Stroehmann (Ben Stiller) hires private investigator Pat Healy (Matt Dillon) to track her down. But Pat complicates Ted’s plans when he ends up equally infatuated with the beautiful and brilliant Mary, now an orthopedic surgeon.
Between Ted’s brutal fight with Mary’s cute little border terrier and the infamous “hair gel” scene, There’s Something About Mary is hilarious. But let’s not forget why this movie really made an impact: This was the film that made the world fall in love with Cameron Diaz, who proved that she had killer comedy chops behind her sex symbol status. Not every actress could’ve pulled off Mary’s memorable hairdo and kept us in stitches while doing so.
Triangle of Sadness
Released: 2022
Rated: R
Memorable quote: “‘Never argue with an idiot. They’ll only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.’ Mark Twain.” —The Captain
Triangle of Sadness is a scathing black comedy that delights in mocking the rich and famous. Nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, the film holds up a mirror to the absurdist and clueless nature of the wealthy class. For example, one elderly couple thinks nothing of boasting that they made their money through the manufacture of deadly weapons, like hand grenades. But it’s while the main characters are on a luxurious yacht—under the command of a drunken captain (Woody Harrelson)—that these people realize money can’t even protect them from bad weather. When a heavy storm hits, causing the passengers to get violently seasick, no one is safe from bouts of projectile vomiting … or constant wine refills from the yacht’s dedicated staff.
Father of the Bride
Released: 1991
Rated: PG
Memorable quote: “Drive carefully, and don’t forget to fasten your condom.” —George Banks
When Annie Banks (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) comes home from a sojourn in Rome newly engaged, the news hits her neurotic father, George Banks (Steve Martin), hard. Not only is he completely gobsmacked that he’s losing his little girl, but now he has to pay $250 a head just to host a wedding in his own backyard! And don’t forget iconic wedding coordinator Franck Eggelhoffer (Martin Short): This guy has such an indecipherable accent that we can’t blame George for wondering (via voice-over) if he would be coordinating Annie’s wedding with subtitles. It’s no surprise Father of the Bride has been on numerous top-comedies lists for the past 30 years.
After the film spawned a sequel in 1995, the cast teamed up with Netflix in 2020 for a short part three. Then, in 2022, Only Murders in the Building co-stars Martin and Short teamed up with a fully grown Kieran Culkin (who played little brother Matty Banks in the movies) for a side-splitting Father of the Bride spoof on Saturday Night Live.
Date Night
Released: 2010
Rated: PG-13
Memorable quote: “I love you, Phil, but your plans are the worst!” —Claire Foster
Comedy legends Steve Carell and Tina Fey are the ultimate boring suburban married couple in Date Night, which begins with the pair trying to inject some excitement into their lives by planning a glamorous date in Manhattan. But when a case of mistaken identity turns their sedate evening out into a crime thriller, the laugh-out-loud moments are nonstop. While on the run from a pair of dirty cops, mild-mannered tax lawyer Phil (Carell) and real estate agent Claire (Fey) show off an impressive set of driving skills during an elaborate car chase scene. Who knew these two were so capable of effortlessly navigating two vehicles attached at the bumpers? And that’s nothing compared to Phil and Claire’s hilariously awkward pole dance while posing as strip club employees to expose a corrupt district attorney.
John Tucker Must Die
Released: 2006
Rated: PG-13
Memorable quote: “Dude, I’m deep. I’m dating the poetry club.” —John Tucker
John Tucker (Jesse Metcalfe) is a popular high school basketball star who just happens to be dating three different girls at once. When the girls find out they’ve been played, they decide to band together with shy new student Kate (Brittany Snow) to plot their retaliation. That is, after they first engage in an uproarious catfight over the news of John’s infidelity during gym class. John Tucker Must Die is a no-holds-barred film about the sweet, sweet revenge the characters are so good at concocting in teen movies. Like, say, when Kate and John are on a school trip, and Kate seduces John over video chat, convincing him to don a pair of lacy thong underwear. Kate then lures John into her hotel room, deliberately giving him the number of a teacher’s room instead. John’s humiliation is not only a riot to witness, but it’s also so deserved.
The Interview
Released: 2014
Rated: R
Memorable quote: “They hate us, because they ain’t us!” —Dave Skylark
This outrageous satire pairs frequent collaborators James Franco and Seth Rogen in a savage takedown of North Korea and its leader, Kim Jong-un. Talk-show host Dave Skylark (Franco) and his loyal producer, Aaron Rapaport (Rogen, who also co-directed The Interview), while attempting to turn Dave’s show into a real news program, somehow score an in-person interview with the elusive Kim Jong-un (Randall Park) in the capital city of Pyongyang. The last thing Dave and Aaron expected, though, was for the CIA to enlist them to assassinate the North Korean Supreme Leader while they’re in town.
It’s not an easy request: Aaron has to evade a Siberian tiger, and Dave and Kim end up becoming friends, partying with escorts and bonding over their disapproving fathers. Despite its controversial subject matter, The Interview is one of the top funny movies on Hulu simply because it throws all concepts of reality out the window.
Just My Luck
Released: 2006
Rated: PG-13
Memorable quote: “Ta-da! Last one in stock and just my size. Lucky, huh?” —Ashley Albright
Just My Luck is one of those great movies that got rotten reviews back when it was released in 2006. As with a lot of other funny movies on Hulu, audiences just needed time to warm up to its charm. To be fair, the fantastical plot of the film is pretty silly: Ashley Albright (Lindsay Lohan) has a perfect life—including a successful public relations career and fantastic apartment—only because she always has good luck. So when she loses that luck by kissing a mystery man at a masquerade ball, suddenly she’s out of a job, and her apartment has been condemned. Turns out Ashley’s good fortune magically transferred to the mystery man, Jake (Chris Pine), who, for the record, had previously been the unluckiest guy in the world. Regardless of its irrational storyline, Lohan and Pine are adorably funny together, especially during their sudsy washing-machine fight.
The Waterboy
Released: 1998
Rated: PG-13
Memorable quote: “Now that’s what I call high-quality H2O.” —Bobby Boucher
Adam Sandler had audiences rolling in their seats 25 years ago as the 31-year-old, socially inept Bobby Boucher in The Waterboy. In addition to Sandler’s star power, the film had a typical feel-good story working in its favor: A bullied outcast becomes a football champion. But the real strength of this movie comes from its supporting cast, which includes Academy Award winner Kathy Bates in a hilarious turn as Bobby’s overbearing mother, Helen. We also can’t talk about The Waterboy without acknowledging Henry Winkler, who steals every single scene as the beleaguered Coach Klein, a man with no qualms about holding a private conference with an actual football.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
Released: 2017
Rated: PG-13
Memorable quote: “Why am I wearing this outfit in a jungle? Tiny, little shorts and a leather halter top. I mean, what is this?” —Ruby Roundhouse
Let’s get one thing straight: 1995’s Jumanji is a classic kids comedy movie, and no modern remake will steal its crown. But boy, does 2017’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle come close. The film brings together comedy heavyweights Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Karen Gillen for a video game update to everyone’s favorite childhood game. When four high schoolers serving a Breakfast Club-esque detention find an abandoned video game and break for a quick competition, they’re unexpectedly sucked into the world of Jumanji. Instead of the jock, the nerd, the loner and the princess, the teens transform into four adult avatars.
What makes the film so funny, though, is the way the body swaps are played for laughs. Just try not to crack up at Black’s pitch-perfect performance as a popular teen girl—especially during the bathroom scene. Go ahead and watch for the nostalgia, but be prepared to find yourself laughing the whole way through.
