In the age of the Internet, pretty much anyone can share their opinions of movies and TV shows anywhere. It’s great that folks have platforms to voice their views, but for potential movie-goers, it can be hard to decide whether or not to see a film when there are a million conflicting reviews. Thankfully, Rotten Tomatoes compiles the most prominent critics and audience scores into one place, making it easier to make decisions.
While you might want to take any review with a grain of salt, you have to admit the immense influence that Rotten Tomatoes has on modern movies. With innumerable movies getting released each year, Rotten Tomatoes is generally a reliable indicator of a movie’s quality and a good way to help you narrow down your never-ending to-watch list.
Not all of the top-ranked comedies over at Rotten Tomatoes have 100% ratings, but they’re sure to entertain pretty much anyone. Some of those funny flicks might even make you cry, both from laughter and nostalgia. The ones stuck at 0%, on the other hand, will probably make you cry from boredom, fling your computer across the room, or mourn for the time you just wasted.
Of course, how funny a comedy is can really vary from person to person, depending on one’s sense of humour. So keep in mind that the list below is based on critics’ reviews, and if you disagree, hey, to each their own.
In no particular order, here are the 13 Best Comedies According to Rotten Tomatoes (and 12 Stuck With 0%).
Good: Toy Story 2 (100 %)
Let’s be real, this one isn’t that big a surprise. With Toy Story 4 on the horizon, it’s needless to say that the franchise has cemented its place in pop culture forever. Toy Story 2 is a particular stand-out.
The first sequel follows Buzz and friends as they try to rescue Woody, who has been taken by a toy collector. The production process was plagued with a number of issues, but what was meant as a direct-to-video release ended up becoming one of Pixar and Disney’s greatest hits, with a whopping 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Bad: Bucky Larson: Born To Be A Star (0%)
When you hear Bucky, you’ll probably think of Bucky Barnes. When you see the words ‘born’ and ‘star’, you’ll probably think of the various remakes of A Star is Born. We’re sad to inform you that Bucky Larson: Born to be a Star falls short of both franchises. Dreadfully short.
The 2011 comedy racked up six Golden Rasberry nominations, including for Worst Picture. In a nutshell, the movie is about a guy who tries to follow in his parents’ footsteps in Hollywood, but considering the screenplay was penned by Adam Sandler, Allen Covert, and Nick Swardson, it’s really not the most family-friendly flick.
Good: Singin’ In The Rain (100%)
Singin’ in the Rain is one of those magical movies that can put a smile on the face of even the grumpiest, most bitter musical haters. Who doesn’t know at least a few lines of the titular musical number or the iconic ‘Good Morning’, one of the most epic dance numbers of all time? The movie is so popular that it’s even prompted stage productions all across the globe.
Starring Hollywood royalty like Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O’Connor, the movie is set in the 1920s, as movie studios began transitioning to talkies.
Bad: Pinocchio (0%)
No, this isn’t Disney’s animated classic that has a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s the 2002 Italian movie with a 0% rating that stars Roberto Benigni as the titular puppet. Benigni intended for the movie to be a fantastical adaptation of the much-beloved tale but instead ended up what Rotten Tomatoes calls “an unfunny, poorly-made, creepy vanity project.” Quite a scalding critique of the Oscar-winning actor.
This iteration of Pinocchio pretty much adheres to the same classic plot. A wooden puppet named Pinocchio comes to life, and after a lot of mischief and turmoil, he finally becomes a real boy.
Good: La La Land (91%)
Who could ever forget the dramatic ending of the 89th Academy Awards, when a giant mix-up had La La Land handing over the Oscar for Best Picture to Moonlight? However, the high critics and audience ratings over at Rotten Tomatoes leave no room for doubt about La La Land’s popularity.
The musical movie stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone as Sebastian and Mia, two young artists trying to make their big breaks in Los Angeles. The two fall in love and learn to navigate both their budding relationship and careers.
Bad: Merci Docteur Rey (0%)
Dianne Wiest is, simply put, an icon. She’s been in multiple critically acclaimed theatre productions and so many high-profile movies that we’ve lost count. Sadly, even Wiest’s stardom couldn’t save Merci Docteur Rey from critical reviews and a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The movie follows Thomas, a young man who witnesses a man’s passing and then seeks help from a psychiatrist – the titular Docteur Rey – to alleviate the burden. But as it turns out, the doctor has also passed, and Thomas has confided in an actress. What follows is a farcical crime mystery that ultimately falls short of its potential.
Good: Modern Times (100%)
Modern Times is truly one of the most monumental movies ever made – even the Library of Congress agrees and has included it in the United States National Film Registry. Industry legend Charlie Chaplin not only stars in the movie as his Little Tramp character. He also wrote, directed, produced and scored this hilarious and biting satire.
Chaplin’s Little Tramp character is an assembly line worker who gets swept up in an increasingly industrialized society. Modern Times may be a silent film released over 80 years ago, but its unwavering popularity shows how relevant it remains.
Bad: Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2 (0%)
Yes, the ‘2’ in the title means there was an original Baby Geniuses movie. The basic premise is that babies are born with immense knowledge and speak in “Babytalk”, which is impossible to translate. The babies then lose that knowledge when they begin to learn how to speak human languages. Long story short, some scientists transform a bunch of babies into baby geniuses and hijinks ensue.
The first movie was panned, but not enough for its sequel to get shelved. Oh, and there’s a TV series that aired in Italy, the episodes of which were later released as movies directly to video.
Good: Coco (97%)
Get your tissues ready people, because even though Rotten Tomatoes lists Disney and Pixar’s Coco as a comedy, you are guaranteed to at least tear up a little bit.
This feel-good tearjerker won multiple awards, including Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song for “Remember Me” at the 2017 Oscars. It follows Miguel as he gets transported to the Land of the Dead and tries to reverse his family’s ban on music. It features an all-Latin cast and beautifully depicts Mexican culture with respect, all while reminding the audience what family is about.
Bad: Wagons East (0%)
Westerns have long been a staple of the film industry, exploring the lives of cowboys in the late 19th century. While the genre’s popularity has seen ups and downs, but from the old John Wayne classics to the Coen brothers’ Ballad of Buster Scruggs released in 2018, it’s safe to say that the genre isn’t going entirely away any time soon.
That said, having a rugged sheriff and showdowns in dusty streets won’t guarantee success. Wagons East is technically a Western, but actually follows a group as they venture back home to the East coast.
Good: Paddington 2 (100%)
Live-action remakes for beloved childhood characters are all the rage nowadays, and they can often fall short of high expectations. Fortunately, Paddington Bear has had a much better time on the silver screen.
Following the success of Paddington in 2014, Ben Whishaw reprises his role of the lovable anthropomorphized bear in this sequel. After surviving the turmoil of the first movie, Paddington finally settles in with the Brown family but is then framed for a theft and thrown into jail during an attempt to buy a book for his Aunt Lucy.
Bad: 3 Strikes (0%)
Paddington isn’t the only one to have spent time in jail. In 3 Strikes, Brian Hooks plays Robert, a man who has finished his sentence and already has two strikes under California’s three-strikes law. Robert makes sure to stay out of trouble, but no luck. He, too, is implicated in a crime he didn’t commit and tries to clear his name.
It’s the same basic plot as Paddington 2, but clearly failed to charm critics, resulting in a 0% score. The movie is also a lot less family-friendly than Paddington 2, just so you know.
Good: The Big Sick (98%)
This charming romantic comedy written by Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani is actually loosely based on their real-life relationship. Zoe Kazan plays Emily, who attends a comedy show and heckles Nanjiani. One thing leads to another, and the couple have to navigate the tensions of being an interracial couple as well as Emily’s illness.
The Big Sick became one of the highest-grossing indie movies of the year, and critics’ reviews reflect the film’s popularity – it has a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars.
Bad: A Thousand Words (0%)
The premise of A Thousand Words seems solid enough. Eddie Murphy stars as Jack, a literary agent who sweet talks his way through life and doesn’t hesitate to spout some lies in order to get what he wants. One day a Bodhi Tree appears in his backyard, and he discovers that a leaf will fall off for each word he says or writes.
Unfortunately, the combined star power and talents of Murphy and Kerry Washington couldn’t salvage the movie. Not only does it have 0% on Rotten Tomatoes, but the site also awarded the film its Moldy Tomato award.
Good: Zootopia (97%)
Zootopia is yet another Disney animation up on the Rotten Tomatoes best comedies list, further cementing the entertainment giant’s hold on the industry. The movie has received numerous awards and became the fourth animated movie to pass the $1 billion mark for the global box office.
The world of Zootopia is filled with talking animals, including rabbit Judy Hopps, who dreams of becoming a police officer. She teams up with a reluctant Nick to find multiple missing people (animals?), all while tackling social injustices one after another and teaching kids and adults alike the value of inclusion.
Bad: Police Academy 4: Citizens On Patrol (0%)
Not all police movies have enjoyed the same success as Zootopia though. The premise of the Police Academy franchise is that the police department now has to accept all willing recruits. There are seven films total, but only the fourth one has the dubious honor of being a rare 0% on Rotten Tomatoes.
In Citizens on Patrol, graduates are sent back to the Police Academy to train a crop of civilians as part of a new program that recruits civilian volunteers to work alongside police officers. The band of misfits then have to prove their worth after some mishaps.
Good: It Happened One Night (98%)
Many of the movies on the best comedies list are more recent releases, but classics like It Happened One Night have endured the tests of time. The screwball comedy was released in 1934, before the implementation of the Motion Picture Production Code, aka the Hays Code. It’s the first of only three movies that have won all five major Oscars and was later included into the National Film Registry.
The movie follows Ellie, an heiress who teams up with an unemployed newspaper reporter, Peter, to get back with her lover. What starts out as a functional relationship turns into a romance that changes their lives.
Bad: MAC And Me (0%)
Science fiction movies have captivated audiences everywhere, but not all sci-fi flicks are created equal. Case in point: Mac and Me, a sci-fi comedy that has been criticised for essentially being a knock-off of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
First off, MAC is also an abbreviation like E.T., but this time for “Mysterious Alien Creature.” Mac escapes from NASA and becomes friends with a boy named Eric. Eric then helps MAC reunite with his family. Sound familiar? The movie ends by declaring the franchise’s return, but obviously, the sequel never happens due to the bad reception.
Good: Lady Bird (99%)
Coming-of-age stories have always been a popular genre, spanning movies, books, and video games. Among the plethora of these movies, Lady Bird stood out in 2017 for its depiction of the tense relationship between high school senior Lady Bird (played by Saoirse Ronan) and her mom (Laurie Metcalf).
The movie received multiple nominations at both Academy Awards and the British Academy Film Awards and won two Golden Globes. Thanks to Lady Bird’s roaring success both at the box office and among critics, director Greta Gerwig is considering making a quartet of Sacramento-based movies.
Bad: Look Who’s Talking Now (0%)
The first Look Who’s Talking movie got a lukewarm response, with a 59% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and was successful enough to lead to two sequels. John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, and Olympia Dukakis appear in all three movies, including the final one, Look Who’s Talking Now, which sits at 0%.
The first two films have voiceovers for the child characters to express their inner thoughts, but now that the kids are old enough, this sequel has voiceovers for two dogs instead, played by Danny DeVito and Diane Keaton. But no amount of star power can ever make up for weak writing.
