Need a laugh? We turn to great comedies to get a break from the world at large—especially when things seem particularly not funny. But some of these movies aren't just about making us chuckle. In fact, many of the best comedies of all time are also dramas, romances, and musicals that invoke the full spectrum of human emotion. And yes, ideally, they also inspire laughter.
For this ranking of the best comedies according to critics, we used Metacritic scores to find the top-rated comedies ever made. We focused on films that could definitely be categorized as comedies—even if some fall into different genres, and a few are particularly dark. Do you agree with the critics? Read on to see if your favorite comedy made the list. And for more of the best of the best, these are The 50 Best Horror Films of All Time, According to Critics.
50 | The Madness of King George (1994)
MGMMetascore: 89
And for more movies the critics loved, These Are the Top-Rated Movies on Rotten Tomatoes.
A2448 | The Farewell (2019)
A24Metascore: 89
And for more great films, this was The Best Movie That Came Out the Year You Graduated, According to Critics.
Columbia Pictures46 | Borat (2006)
20th Century FoxMetascore: 89
And if you're looking for a laugh, check out The 17 Best Stand-Up Comedy Specials on Netflix.
Columbia Pictures44 | Love and Death (1975)
United ArtistsMetascore: 89
And to see how some more recent comedies measure up, we're Ranking Every Adam Sandler Movie, From Worst Reviewed to Best.
Entertainment Film Distributors
Allstar Picture Library Ltd. / Alamy Stock Photo41 | Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
MGMMetascore: 90
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