Comedy movies are supposed to make their audiences laugh, but some of the best ones can just as easily make people cry. Both of these reactions are common responses to a movie which does a great job of creating an immersive, compelling world. In these cases, the comedy can enhance the impact of the drama and vice versa.
Whether they’re tears of joy or sorrow, many great comedy movies can make audiences break down and cry. It’s often been said that comedy is about truth telling, so a good comedy movie should feel like real life in some ways. Since real life is both hilarious and heartbreaking, it makes sense that these movies would try to illicit the same emotions.
10
Jojo Rabbit (2019)
Taika Waiтιтi’s Wartime Farce Can’t Ignore Reality For Too Long
Jojo Rabbit is set in Germany during the oppressive Nazi regime, but it’s surprisingly light and fun. This is because the story follows a young boy who has no real understanding or reference of the war, and Taika Waiтιтi uses dramatic irony to expose the gulf between Jojo’s simple-minded fascist ideals and the real world around him. To Jojo, Adolf Hitler is merely a childhood hero, like a professional athlete or Superman.
The scene in which Jojo finds his mother hanging in the town square is more heartbreaking than many comedies would dare attempt.
Waiтιтi manages to lull his audience into a false sense of security, but the ugly reality of fascism is hard to ignore. The scene in which Jojo finds his mother hanging in the town square is more heartbreaking than many comedies would dare attempt. It highlights that, while fascism is ludicrous, it’s also powerful and dangerous. Jojo Rabbit‘s ending provides a silver lining.
9
The Apartment (1960)
Billy Wilder Blends Witty Comedy With Heartbreaking Drama
Billy Wilder was one of the best comedy directors of his day, but his movies could also pack an emotional punch. The Apartment is the perfect example of this, as Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine’s witty, fast-paced banter is balanced out by some dark, emotional drama.
Shirley MacLaine delivers an outstanding performance in The Apartment, carrying the story throughout its tonal shifts. She gets plenty of laughs, but she’s also completely believable and relatable when the film takes a dark turn. She’s easy to root for, and this deepens the impact of the drama.
8
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Wes Anderson’s Unique Comedy-Drama Is Surprisingly Affecting
Wes Anderson’s movies have become more abstract and surreal as he has evolved his style over the years. While his recent works have some deeply affecting moments, earlier hits like Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums have a broader appeal, at least in the way that they can emotionally resonate with a bigger audience.
The Royal Tenenbaums seems to take place in the real world, but the Tenenbaum family are peculiar enough not to fit in. Their eccentricities are exactly what make them so oddly relatable, however. No family is truly normal, but The Royal Tenenbaums highlights the oddballs and strange relationships to create a meaningful portrait.
7
Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)
The Daniels Pull Meaning From Chaos
Everything Everywhere All at Once can be an ᴀssault on the senses, especially as the story picks up speed and bounces between parallel universes at will. The Daniels throw plenty of surreal imagery at the audience, asking them to cling on between Ratatouille parodies, a universe with two googly-eyed rocks and a sausage fingers dimension.
The true meaning of Everything Everywhere All at Once lies in this seemingly random onslaught of absurdity, as it allows the Daniels to focus in on the universal truths that apply to every existence. Love and devotion are constants which span the multiverse, and there’s a deep pathos to the idea that an infinite number of possibilities has brought Evelyn to the people she loves.
6
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
When Harry Met Sally Feels More Real Than Most Rom-Coms
Rom-coms often have the power to carry audiences through the full spectrum of emotions, and When Harry Met Sally is a perfect example of this. Rob Reiner’s comedy feels more honest and relatable than others, simply because the only obstacle standing in the way of Harry and Sally’s happiness is themselves.
Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan strike up an infectious chemistry together, turning each of their scenes into an opportunity for hilarious comedy. Even when Harry and Sally are doing something as mundane as shopping together, there’s a natural tension to their dynamic that makes them interesting. The film’s emotional payoff proves that it’s also the ultimate tearjerker.
5
La La Land (2016)
La La Land Is A Deeply Moving Love Story
La La Land evokes the feeling of Old Hollywood musicals like Singin’ in the Rain, with bright pops of color and an unabashed sentimentality that motivates its characters. However, it’s also a love story that could only take place in the modern day, since Mia and Seb are often torn between their relationship and their personal goals.
La La Land‘s ending is bittersweet and emotionally complex, contrasting what could have been with the reality of what happened between the two characters. It leaves audiences to reckon with the fallout for themselves, meaning that a movie that’s so frequently hilarious and entertaining ends up being a true heartbreaker.
4
Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
Robin Williams Often Blends Humor And Heart
A lot of the best Robin Williams movies showcase his abilities as a dramatic actor as well as a comedian. Good Morning Vietnam, Good Will Hunting and ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Poets Society all feature a blend of zany humor and deeply emotional drama. Mrs. Doubtfire is no different.
Williams is at his comedic best in Mrs. Doubtfire, making the most of a proudly absurd premise. Not a scene goes by without an unexpected piece of improvisation or some wonderful farce, but Mrs. Doubtfire packs a punch when it matters, reinforcing its themes of family.
3
About Time (2013)
Richard Curtis’ Time Travel Comedy Is All About Love And Life
Richard Curtis has written many of the best British rom-coms, including Love Actually, Bridget Jones’s Diary and Four Weddings and a Funeral, but he doesn’t often direct his own movies. About Time sees him taking on directorial duties, and the result is one of his most hilarious and heartbreaking movies.
About Time uses its quirky time travel premise to examine how we live our lives. It starts off as a unique rom-com, but it soon evolves to encompᴀss all forms of love. Tim finds a new layer of meaning to his relationships with his sister and his children, but his relationship with his father is the one most likely to have audiences in floods of tears.
2
Monsters, Inc. (2001)
Pixar Can Always Be Relied On For An Emotional Outlet
Pixar movies can make anyone cry, no matter how old they are. Many of the studio’s classics have at least one scene that’s bound to bring on the tears, but there are also plenty of great jokes. Few movies highlight both sides of Pixar’s appeal as succinctly as Monsters, Inc.
Monsters, Inc. has one of Pixar’s most emotionally devastating moments of all, as Sully has to say goodbye to Boo without the child being able to fully comprehend the weight of what’s happening to her. However, Billy Crystal and John Goodman ensure that Monsters, Inc. is also packed with hilarious scenes from “Put that thing back where it came from or so help me” to Mike’s closing stand-up set.
1
Roman Holiday (1953)
Audrey Hepburn And Gregory Peck Are As Charming As Ever
Audrey Hepburn had her breakthrough role in Roman Holiday, sharing top billing with Gregory Peck, who was already an established star at the time. The duo are brilliant to watch throughout the film, as her sheltered princess and his jaded reporter spend a wild day in Rome together. Roman Holiday revolves around their charms.
Hepburn and Peck are so alluring that their every conversation crackles with wit and warmth.
Hepburn and Peck are so alluring that their every conversation crackles with wit and warmth. Their hilarious dynamic explains why the bond between their characters feels so powerful and so genuine, even though they only know each other for a short while. It takes a hard heart not to break down when they must part ways, and the ending creates such a hollow feeling that some people might even start crying long after the film is over.
