In 2021, a year after the COVID-19 pandemic started, everyone was looking for a reason to continue to have hope and laugh. As theaters slowly reopened globally,comedyfilms gave a reason for people to come out and laugh in front of the big screen again. Audiences could go out to theaters for a good laugh or stay at home, and streaming provided viewers who were still unsure about returning to theaters with a wide array of comedies to choose from.
Update June 05, 2025: This article has been updated with even more laugh-out-loud comedies released in 2021, in case you were looking for something funny to watch at home.
2021 saw a wide variety of comedies released. Holiday movies and romantic comedies were great sources, but so was the indie film scene, where bold new filmmakers were making an impression with what they could offer. Even superhero blockbusters embraced comedy with laugh-out-loud moments. A combination of movies that were originally intended to be released in 2020 as well as films that had premiered on time, made 2021 an interesting year for comedy. Here are 20 great comedies from 2021.
20Home Sweet Home Alone
Home Sweet Home Aloneis a comedy Christmas film distributed by Disney+. It is the fifth sequel to the originalHome Alonestarring Macaulay Culkin. The film stars Archie Yates as Max Mercer, who is left home alone during the holidays when his parents left for Tokyo and forget him. Once they realize their son is not with them, the parents attempt to get a flight back to him.
Max initially embraces his time alone but soon misses his family. All feelings are halted when a group of criminals breaks into the home while he is there. The family eventually reunites with their son after he is taken care of by the neighbors. Being a sequel to one of Christmas’ most classic films, it had a lot to live up to. The movie received mixed reviews but is still a standout holiday film.
19Vacation Friends
Vacation Friendsfollows a couple, Marcus and Emily (Lil Rel Howery and Yvonne Orji, respectively), who are on vacation to Mexico when Marcus’ plan to propose to her goes awry. He decides to propose in the hotel lobby, where they meet another couple (John Cena and Meredith Hagner) who seem a little too carefree and wild.
Vacation Friendsmanages to turn a buddy comedy film into something with substance; its characters are fleshed out, and it has an actual storyline that’s surprisingly good. The movie also offers the perfect mix of comedy and seriousness, enhanced by the outstanding performances of its cast.
18Don’t Look Up
Don’t Look Upboasts what may be the ensemble cast of 2021, as it has Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Timothee Chalamet, Ariana Grande, Jonah Hill, and many more. Lawrence is an astronomy student who discovers a comet that’s going to hit the Earth and kill everyone, and with her professor (DiCaprio), she tries to warn the government and media to stop what’s coming.
The strength of the humor in the film lies in its political satire showcasing a corrupt government, the pervasive nature of social media and constructed news, capitalism, and a divided society on exactly what is and isn’t real. For some critics, the film was an unfunny failure, but even in those reviews, it’s clear thatDon’t Look Upwas an important failure.
17Love Hard
Romantic comedieshave discovered dating apps, which has led screenwriters down an entirely new rabbit hole.Love Hardis a product of that new obsession. A dating column writer (Nina Dobrev) is a serial dater; she uses all of her dating app adventures for her writing endeavors. She finds what could be “the one” on the other side of the country. However, when she comes to meet him for Christmas, she finds out that she’s been catfished.Love Hardis a funny movie, but it also has wholesome moments. It teaches that appearances aren’t everything when it comes to finding true love, nor is it intentional at the end of the day.
16Red Rocket
The Florida Project’s director Sean Baker returned in 2021 withRed Rocket, a comedy-drama about a former porn star who has very few redeeming qualities. He chases the American Dream and leaves his former life behind to return to his hometown in Texas. However, he’s extremely unlikable, his ex-wife wants nothing to do with him, and his shamelessness is hilarious to watch. Some might think that this man has some redeeming qualities, but as the movie progresses, it shows he has a one-dimensional personality. And the viewer begins to root against him and his exploits, making this movie a spectacle of schadenfreude.
15Ghostbusters: Afterlife
The most recent installment in theGhostbustersseries,Ghostbusters: Afterlife,is set thirty-two years after the events ofGhostbusters II. Egon Spengler, one of the original members of the Ghostbusters, has left his farm to his daughter and her two children. There the children discover the equipment used by their grandfather and accidentally let loose a ghost, leading to catastrophic events.
Unlike otherGhostbustersfilms, this movie is rather light on jokes and instead takes the franchise in a more earnest direction. However, the moments of levity and comedy come from the fact of having heads play around with the Ghostbusters arsenal.
14North Hollywood
Named after a neighborhood in Los Angeles,North Hollywoodis a coming-of-age story about a young man who has a decision to make. He can follow the footsteps and dreams paved out for him by his father, or he can follow his dream of becoming a professional skater. Its premise is simple, but it allows the story to develop and flow realistically. Solid performances, visually appealing cinematography, and well-timed comedic scenes made this film an unforgettable and touching experience.
13Coming 2 America
Legendary comedian Eddie Murphyis reunited with stars like Arsenio Hall and James Earl Jones in the highly-anticipated romantic comedyComing 2 America, the long-awaited sequel to the 1988 hit,Coming to America. The sequels follow Zamunda King Akeem and his trusted right-hand-man Semmi as they travel to Queens, New York, searching for his long-lost son.
Murphy serves up plenty of laughs in the farce, taking on multiple memorable side-splitting characters like Sexual Chocolate lead singer Randy Watson and local barber Mr. Clarence. Jermaine Fowler and Leslie Jones join the film as Akeem’s son Lavelle and his mother Mary, bringing funny and fresh energy to the buzzed-about follow-up and playing off Murphy superbly.
12The Hating Game
The Hating Gameis a dramedy film adaptation of the novel of the same name written by Sally Thorne. The film stars Lucy Hale fromPretty Little Liarsand Austin Stowell, known best for his role inWhiplash.When the two business executives have to compete for the same promotion, they become closer than ever and eventually fall for one another.
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The competition mixed with romance between the two leads is infectious, and the natural charm of the actors helps make the movie a success. The film is fun and depicts a story that could be relatable to viewers. The rom-com is often overlooked when it comes to comedies, soThe Hating Gamereally shined when it premiered on PVOD in December 2021.
11El Planeta
On the more artistic and surreal edges of comedy, writer/director Amalia Ulman explores generational differences, economic anxieties, and complicated mother-daughter relationships withEl Planeta. This gorgeous black-and-white dark comedy from Spain stars Ulman and her actual mother as Leo and Maria, a pair of down-on-their-luck women preparing to get evicted from their home.
The film feels like a throwback to the defining indie movies of the ’80s and ’90s in America (Clerks, Slacker, Border Radio,Stranger Than Paradise), feeling like a feminist comedian’s variation onJim Jarmusch’s filmography. Despite its cultural references, it’s a highly unique, morbidly entertaining comedy-drama.
