The 25 best comedy movies on Max
Between family-friendly flicks and raunchy cult classics, there are plenty of laughs to go around.
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Renee Zellweger in 'Bridget Jones's Diary'; Riley Keough and Taylour Paige in 'Zola'; Michael Cera in 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World'No need to worry if you missed these comedy movies in theaters, because now you can laugh out loud at them from the comfort of your home with Max. Whether you're craving a heartwarming rom-com like My Big Fat Greek Wedding or seeking a cultural phenomenon like Barbie, we've got you covered.
Read on for EW's handpicked list of the 25 best comedy movies streaming on Max right now.
50/50 (2011)
If you’re looking for a lighthearted, romantic romp, 50/50 is not the movie for you. Guaranteed to make you ugly cry and call your loved ones, this black comedy about falling in love in the middle of cancer treatment is beautifully written and acted, and has a lot to say about maternal, platonic, and romantic relationships. Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars opposite Seth Rogen, who also executive produces. (The script is based on screenwriter Will Reiser’s actual cancer battle, and the character of Kyle who Rogen plays is based on Rogen, who is real-life friends with Reiser.)
The film’s subject matter could have resulted in a saccharine sob-fest, but EW’s critic writes that the jokes and energy Rogen & Co. bring to the project helps evoke a “mash of the sweet and the bracingly coarse, that sells this unusual downer/upper of a life-and-death comedy.” —Ilana Gordon
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Director: Jonathan Levine
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard, Anjelica Huston
Related: Seth Rogen would like film critics to know that negative reviews 'hurt' and are 'devastating'
Amélie (2001)
This French language romantic comedy tells the story of the titular Parisian waitress (Audrey Tautou) whose life takes on new purpose after she discovers a box of childhood treasures under a floorboard in her apartment and reunites them with their owner (Maurice Bénichou). A whimsical, playful film that charmed French moviegoers, international audiences, and critics alike, Amélie the character ends up having much more depth than her Manic Pixie Dream Girl counterparts, and the movie itself is endlessly enjoyable.
EW’s critic at the time writes, “While Amélie the plucky girl beguiles, Amélie the charming movie, already an international success, seduces.” —I.G.
EW grade: N/A (read the review)
Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Cast: Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz, Rufus, Lorella Cravotta
Related: Amélie, starring Phillipa Soo: EW stage review
Baby Mama (2008)
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Tina Fey and Amy Poehler in 'Baby Mama'Pairing Tina Fey and Amy Poehler together has yet to fail us, as this 2008 odd-couple comedy proved. Fey plays Kate, a career woman who decides she wants to be a mother at age 37, only to discover that her chances of becoming pregnant are minimal. She opts to find a surrogate, Angie (Poehler), whose brash personality contrasts with Kate's conscientiousness.
After a desperate Angie winds up at her doorstep, Kate takes her in — not knowing that Angie is faking her pregnancy and is only hoping to collect the payment for her services. EW's critic writes in their review, "Although the big picture itself gets mushy, the small moments, especially involving Fey, are sharp." —Kevin Jacobsen
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: Michael McCullers
Cast: Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Greg Kinnear, Dax Shepard, Romany Malco, Maura Tierney, Holland Taylor, Sigourney Weaver
Related: The best Saturday Night Live cast members, ranked
Barbie (2023)
In the summer of '23, pink was no longer just a color — it was a ubiquitous lifestyle that eventually led to a paint shortage. With more than $1 billion in ticket sales (for which the Golden Globes pretty much handed the film its first-ever box-office award), Greta Gerwig's eight-time Oscar-nominated blockbuster brought the beloved toy to the silver screen. Much like the doll's polished surface, the film's premise promises silly, campy fun with Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) becoming sentient and trying to revert to blissful ignorance in her Dreamhouse.
But what seems like an escapist adventure blooms into a poignant narrative rich with existential ruminations on mortality and womanhood. From its hard-hitting soundtrack to its candy-colored mise-en-scène to its instantly quotable dialogue, Barbie is for everyone — whether you're a Barbie, just Ken, or...Alan. —James Mercadante
EW grade: A–
Director: Greta Gerwig
Cast: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, Will Ferrell
Related: Weird Barbie was inspired by David Bowie — and hairless cats
Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)
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Renée Zellweger in 'Bridget Jones's Diary'When it comes to turn of the 21st century romantic comedies, you don’t get much more iconic than Bridget Jones’s Diary. Based on the novel by Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones tells the story of its eponymous hero, Bridget (Renée Zellweger), a British thirtysomething looking for love. Bridget’s romantic life — which she chronicles in her diary along with her other misadventures — takes a turn when she engages in an ill-fated affair with her dashing boss, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), leaving the kind Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) in the lurch.
Fans of the book were skeptical when production announced the part of Bridget would be played by a Texas-born actress, but Zellweger pulls off the role with aplomb, perfectly channeling Bridget’s lovably messy essence. —I.G.
Where to watch Bridget Jones’s Diary: Max
EW grade: N/A (read the review)
Director: Sharon Maguire
Cast: Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones
Related: Renée Zellweger returning for fourth Bridget Jones movie with Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson
Celeste & Jesse Forever (2012)
Ending a relationship is easier than falling out of love. In Celeste and Jesse Forever, the titular characters (Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg) are high-school sweethearts who have made the decision to divorce but haven't yet figured out how to move on. Celeste is a high-achieving career woman looking for something more, but when Jesse gets involved with another woman, she's left to sort through her complicated feelings and starts to second guess whether breaking up was the right move after all.
A rom-com that is less about escapism and aspirational love than it is about the hard slog of digging through and understanding intimate realities, Celeste and Jesse Forever is smart, funny, grounded, and energized by the couple's incredible chemistry. EW's critic praises the movie, writing, "It's been a while since a romantic comedy mustered this much charm by looking this much like life." —I.G.
Where to watch Celeste and Jesse Forever: Max
EW grade: A– (read the review)
Director: Lee Toland Krieger
Cast: Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, Chris Messina, Ari Graynor, Eric Christian Olsen, Will McCormack, Elijah Wood, Emma Roberts
Related: Rashida Jones on making 'the definitive movie' about her dad, Quincy Jones
Deadpool (2016)
If you like your superheroes snarky and with a twinge of Canadian charisma, then Deadpool is the Marvel movie for you. Ryan Reynolds stars as Wade Wilson, a former mercenary afflicted with a terminal illness. When an experimental treatment results in Wilson being completely disfigured, but also developing superhero healing abilities, he adopts the moniker of Deadpool and sets off in search of revenge on his enemies, and reconciliation with an old love.
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) may not have resonated with everyone, but the first movie in the franchise was a hit with critics and audiences alike. A full-frontal assault of jokes and one-liners, delivered at the same speed as the kicks and punches that populate the film’s fight sequences, Deadpool is a profanity-laced, violent romp. As EW’s critic writes, “It’s a superhero film for the wiseasses shooting spitballs in the back of the school bus.” —I.G.
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: Tim Miller
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein, T.J. Miller, Gina Carano, Brianna Hildebrand
Related: Lady Deadpool actor reveals story behind Deadpool & Wolverine cameo: ‘What a ride you’re all in for’
Dear White People (2014)
When the movie Dear White People was released in 2014, it represented a step for modern cinema: an ensemble movie about a group of Black students at a fictional, predominantly white university, as told from the perspective of those Black students. Featuring one of Tessa Thompson's breakout movie roles, Dear White People was a critical and commercial success, spawning a TV series of the same name in 2017, which ran for four seasons on Netflix.
While this isn’t a romantic comedy by traditional definitions, it's definitely a comedy and the students’ love lives all play significant and interesting roles. You may recognize some of the film’s jokes from screenwriter and director Justin Simien’s Twitter (now X) account circa the early 2010s, where the writer used to workshop some of the film’s future material. —I.G.
Where to watch Dear White People: Max
Director: Justin Simien
Cast: Tessa Thompson, Tyler James Williams, Teyonah Parris
Related: 29 fierce female TV characters
The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Meryl Streep may not have won an Oscar for her role as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada, but the film does bear the distinction of being one of her most quotable works. An adaptation of the 2003 novel by the same name — which was based on the author’s experiences working as an assistant at Vogue — the movie tells the story of Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway), an aspiring writer who accepts a job working for the demanding editor in chief at one of the most distinguished fashion magazines in New York City.
What follows is a headlong descent into the fashion world, complete with insane assignments, eccentric characters, and glorious outfits. Hathaway is charming as the fish out of water who gets the fashion education she never knew she wanted or needed, but the movie belongs to Streep and her clipped, precise performance. That’s all. —I.G.
Where to watch The Devil Wears Prada: Max
EW grade: N/A (read the review)
Director: David Frankel
Cast: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, Simon Baker, Adrian Grenier
Dicks: The Musical (2023)
When penning their off-Broadway sensation F-----g Identical Twins, which would later blossom into A24's first-ever produced musical, it's safe to say that real-life pals Josh Sharp and Aaron Jackson probably took a look at silly screwball classics like Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989) and Dumb and Dumber (1994) and said, "We should write one, but make it really gay!"
Directed by Seinfeld staff writer Larry Charles, this off-the-walls caper follows two narcissistic businessmen who stumble upon the shock of their lives: They've met their "identical" twin. This then calls for Parent Trap-esque mischief as they scheme to reunite their procreators (Nathan Lane, Megan Mullally) and reignite their once-hot, now-dried-up spark. You'll either absolutely love Sharp and Jackson's irreverent, off-center humor or find yourself haunted by visions of Lane baby-birding sewer boys in your dreams, but that's the beauty of Dicks: The Musical — it's an experience that unapologetically tattoos itself in your mind forever. —J.M.
Where to watch Dicks: The Musical: Max
Director: Larry Charles
Cast: Aaron Jackson, Josh Sharp, Megan Mullally, Nathan Lane, Megan Thee Stallion, Bowen Yang
Related: How Dicks: The Musical created Megan Thee Stallion's alpha anthem (and other soundtrack secrets)
The Farewell (2019)
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Jiang Yongbo, Aoi Mizuhara, Chen Han, Tzi Ma, Awkwafina, Li Xiang, Lu Hong, and Diana Lin in 'The Farewell'Nora Lum sheds her Awkwafina persona for the Lulu Wang-directed dramedy, The Farewell. A film based on Wang’s real life experiences, Lum plays Billi, an American writer whose family makes the decision to not tell Billi’s grandmother, Nai Nai, that she has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. After flying to China to spend time with her grandmother, Billi is forced to deal with the decision and the cultural factors that informed her family’s choice.
EW’s critic writes that Lum “finds something appealingly honest and vulnerable in Billi” and that Wang’s script “shares the familiar contours of other immigrant tales: the Babel tower of half-spoken languages; the ties that bind across oceans, and the physical and cultural gaps that can still break them.” The film may be based on a real lie, but relatable truths abound within. —I.G.
Where to watch The Farewell: Max
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Director: Lulu Wang
Cast: Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, Zhao Shu-zhen
Related: Awkwafina addresses Oscar snub for The Farewell
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)
Jason Segel bares his soul — and his fully nude body — in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, a rom-com about a man trying to escape the aftermath of a bad breakup. Segel plays Peter, an aspiring composer who flees to a Hawaiian resort after being dumped by Sarah (Kristen Bell), a Hollywood TV star with bigger ambitions for her career and love life. Peter's island getaway takes a turn for the worse when Sarah and her new boyfriend show up to stay at the same resort, and it's further complicated when Peter starts to develop feelings for Rachel (Mila Kunis), the resort's concierge.
A comedy that allows you to romp through Hawaii's scenic vistas while unpacking a former couple's dirty laundry, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a trip that will make you grateful you checked your own emotional baggage at the door. —I.G.
Where to watch Forgetting Sarah Marshall: Max
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Director: Nicholas Stoller
Cast: Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand, Bill Hader, Jonah Hill, Da'Vone McDonald, Jack McBrayer, Maria Thayer, Paul Rudd, Jason Bateman
Related: Muppet of a man: Watch Jason Segel revive his Dracula puppet musical from Forgetting Sarah Marshall
I, Tonya (2017)
Those who survived the '90s might assert that few stories were more captivating during that decade than the rivalry between U.S. Olympic ice skating team contenders Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding. Those people didn't know that, 23 years later, a film adaptation of 1994's biggest criminal sporting controversy would prove almost — if not more — riveting. Shot in a mockumentary style, I, Tonya stars Margot Robbie as Tonya Harding; Allison Janney as her mother, LaVona Golden; and Sebastian Stan as Tonya's husband at that time, Jeff Gillooly.
A film that focuses as much on the unreliability of its narrators as the events they purport to explain, I, Tonya finds yet another way to channel Robbie's athleticism, grit, and charisma. Also notable is Janney's performance as Harding's abusive, withholding mother, which won her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. —I.G.
EW grade: A– (read the review)
Director: Craig Gillespie
Cast: Margot Robbie, Allison Janney, Sebastian Stan, Paul Walter Hauser, Bobby Cannavale
Related: How I, Tonya pulled off those impressive skating scenes with Margot Robbie
Just Wright (2010)
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Queen Latifah and Common in 'Just Wright'Leslie Wright (Queen Latifah), a staunch basketball buff and physical therapist, is tired of being sidelined in the friend zone. But when she scores her dream job of rehabbing basketball superstar Scott McKnight (Common) from a career-threatening injury — and finds herself tripping head over heels for him — her gold-digging friend Morgan (Paula Patton) is the one who captures his attention.
Elevated by the leads' charming performances, Just Wright makes for a winning comfort watch. As EW's critic puts it, "The movie is a rigged game of clichés and platitudes, but fans will be pleased by additional proof that Latifah is a lovable Queen but not a pampered princess." —J.M.
Where to watch Just Wright: Max
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: Sanaa Hamri
Cast: Queen Latifah, Common, Paula Patton, James Pickens Jr., Pam Grier, Phylicia Rashad
Related: Queen Latifah's best performances
Lady Bird (2017)
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Saoirse Ronan and Beanie Feldstein in 'Lady Bird'Lady Bird may tell a specific story of an independent-minded girl growing up in early-2000s Sacramento, but its themes are achingly universal. Writer-director Greta Gerwig centers the emotional journey of Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan), a high school senior who has a strained relationship with her mother and a tumultuous love life. While longing to escape the hometown she finds restricting, she is inevitably reminded of how Sacramento has shaped and defined her.
Though Gerwig previously carved out an odd little corner of the film industry as a writer and actress, EW’s critic writes that her directorial debut “feels like the fullest realization yet of her already-patented brand of gangly bittersweet whimsy.” —K.J.
EW grade: A– (read the review)
Director: Greta Gerwig
Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Beanie Feldstein, Timothée Chalamet
Related: The 20 best A24 films to date
Legally Blonde (2001)
You can't make a list of Reese Witherspoon's best movies — regardless of genre — without including Legally Blonde. A fish out of water comedy that takes a SoCal sorority girl and drops her into Harvard Law to win back the boyfriend who dumped her, this rom-com is on a mission to prove that blondes do have more fun...and more brains than people give them credit for. Witherspoon plays to the top height of her intelligence, transforming Elle Woods from a sheltered, privileged West Coast princess to a legal shark whose generosity and good attitude outside the courtroom helps her attract a crew of admiring outcasts.
White Lotus fans will love seeing Jennifer Coolidge in one of her best roles as a beaten-down manicurist in need of a cheerleader. And with Elle’s help, a better future for all is just a bend and snap away. —I.G.
Where to watch Legally Blonde: Max
EW grade: N/A (read the review)
Director: Robert Luketic
Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, Selma Blair, Matthew Davis, Victor Garber, Jennifer Coolidge
Related: Mindy Kaling boards Legally Blonde 3 as writer: 'Bend and snap, people!'
The LEGO Batman Movie (2017)
Many legendary actors have taken on the iconic role of Batman over the years, but The LEGO Batman Movie reshapes this superhero in an unforgettable way. With a miniature plastic Joker scheming in Gotham City, it's up to the animated Batman to swoop in and save the day. This Caped Crusader has defeated countless enemies, leaving his foe determined to prove himself as the Biggest Bad around. (After all, what's a superhero without a supervillain?)
Though it's based on a toy, this film appeals to all ages, with building blocks for success that include an engaging story, catchy musical numbers, an A-list voice cast, and the limitless world of LEGO. —Kelsie Calderon
Where to watch The LEGO Batman Movie: Max
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Director: Chris McKay
Cast: Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, Ralph Fiennes, Jenny Slate, Héctor Elizondo, Ellie Kemper, Mariah Carey, Lauren White, Todd Hansen
Related: The best animated movies on Netflix
Life After Beth (2014)
In the aftermath of his girlfriend Beth's demise, Zach's life takes an unexpected twist when she mysteriously revives herself, turning their romance into a grave situation (literally) as she craves human flesh. Life After Beth is the zombie comedy the world never knew it needed, as Aubrey Plaza lends her trademark offbeat and deadpan humor to the film's titular character. "She commits so fully to her rabid, Romero-esque alter ego, she chews the movie up," EW's critic said. This out-of-the-ordinary film explores the lengths a person might go for love, even in the face of death (and un-death). —K.C.
Where to watch Life After Beth: Max
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: Jeff Baena
Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Dane DeHaan, Molly Shannon, Cheryl Hines, Paul Reiser, Matthew Gray Gubler, John C. Reilly
Related: The 15 best Aubrey Plaza movie and TV roles, ranked
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
Finding the perfect partner is one thing, but for Toula, winning your family's approval is the real challenge. According to her clan, "Nice Greek girls are supposed to do three things in life: marry Greek boys, make Greek babies, and feed everyone until the day we die." At age 30 and still single while her siblings have already started their own Greek families, Toula unexpectedly falls fast and hard for Ian Miller.
The only problem: He isn't Greek. Despite the cultural clash, love knows no bounds — and Toula's story is far from over. —K.C.
Where to watch My Big Fat Greek Wedding: Max
Director: Joel Zwick
Cast: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Michael Constantine, Lainie Kazan, Gia Carides, Louis Mandylor, Andrea Martin, Joey Fatone
Related: My Big Fat Greek Wedding cast: Where are they now?
The Other Guys (2010)
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Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell in 'The Other Guys'Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg team up for a buddy cop action comedy that will be relatable to anyone who doesn’t thrive under pressure. Ferrell and Wahlberg play Allen Gamble and Terry Hoitz, respectively, NYPD detectives that have been relegated to desk duty. Gamble loves his orderly existence while Hoitz rages against his new assignment, which he acquired after mistakenly shooting Derek Jeter. But when the most alpha cops on the force die in the line of duty, it’s up to The Other Guys to investigate the biggest crime the city has seen in years.
Ferrell and Wahlberg are perfectly cast as an odd couple duo and director Adam McKay is a pro at satirizing a genre that has turned law enforcement officers into superheroes. EW’s critic writes that the film “is aimed at all of us out there who long for excitement yet cling to safety because we’re more desk jockey than supercop ourselves.” —I.G.
Where to watch The Other Guys: Max
EW grade: A– (read the review)
Director: Adam McKay
Cast: Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan, Ray Stevenson, Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Johnson
Related: The 15 best Will Ferrell movies, ranked
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
How hard are you willing to fight for love? For 22 year old musician Scott Pilgrim, the answer is very. After meeting and falling for Ramona Flowers, Scott discovers that to win her hand, he must first defeat her seven evil exes in combat. A romantic action comedy film based on the graphic novel series and told using video game and comic-like imagery, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World may have Sex Bob-Ombed at the box office, but the film has since developed a loyal cult following — and rightly so.
With an ensemble cast featuring some of the best twentysomething comedic talent the early-2010s had to offer, Scott Pilgrim is a unique comedy with a style that’s all its own. —I.G.
Where to watch Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: Max
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Director: Edgar Wright
Cast: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Anna Kendrick, Alison Pill, Brandon Routh, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Schwartzman, Johnny Simmons, Chris Evans
Related: Watch Scott Pilgrim get an extra life in trailer for animated series
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
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Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper in 'Silver Linings Playbook'Rarely is mental health explored on screen in a nuanced, vibrant, joyful way, but that’s exactly the tone director David O. Russell nails in Silver Linings Playbook. Pat and Tiffany (Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence) are both dealing with personal issues and recovering from losing their romantic partners. Unmoored and filterless, they meet and agree to help each other out — Tiffany promises to assist Pat in winning back his ex-wife, and in turn, he agrees to be her partner in a dance competition.
As they rehearse together and struggle to sort through their woes, they uncover coping mechanisms that allow them to not only live but find the beauty in their respective challenges. The kind of comedy that cleans up at awards shows while still retaining its rewatchability, EW’s critic at the time writes, “We’re ready for the comedy of craziness, but the depth of compassion is the movie’s silver lining.” —I.G.
Where to watch Silver Linings Playbook: Max
EW grade: A (read the review)
Director: David O. Russell
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Anupam Kher, Chris Tucker
Related: Robert De Niro tears up talking Silver Linings Playbook: VIDEO
Spaceballs (1987)
Long before Scary Movie was poking fun at absurd horror tropes, Spaceballs was giving space sagas a run for their money. Ingeniously lampooning just about everything under the sun on Star Wars and other franchises like Star Trek, Alien, and more, Mel Brooks' 1987 cult classic stars himself as President Skoob of planet Spaceball — who responds to an air crisis by ordering Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) to abduct Princess Vespa (Daphne Zuniga) of oxygen-laden Druidia as a bargaining chip. While not as revered as Brooks' earlier works like The Producers (1967) or Young Frankenstein (1974), Spaceballs still delivers timeless laughs that may have flown over your head at first viewing. —J.M.
Where to watch Spaceballs: Max
Director: Mel Brooks
Cast: Mel Brooks, John Candy, Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, Dick Van Patten, George Wyner, Joan Rivers
Related: The 40 best alien movies of all time
White Men Can't Jump (1992)
When the 2023 remake starring Jack Harlow and Sinqua Walls hit Hulu, critics didn't quite dribble with excitement while comparing it to this '90s classic. Then-rising star Woody Harrelson landed his first major film role as Billy Hoyle, the former college basketball player who hustles streetballers with his deceptively unassuming skills. Forming an unlikely alliance with his on-court rival Sidney Deane, Billy and Sidney go on a mission to win a hoops tourney, discovering they share more in common than just a love for the game.
Dubbed "a valentine to its sport" and "the best basketball movie ever made," EW's critic wrote, "you don't have to be a sports fan to love it. The movie is a smart [Ron] Shelton riff on the typically male struggle between becoming a full-fledged grown-up and staying forever young; it's as much about these hustlers' dreams as it is their schemes." —J.M.
Where to watch White Men Can't Jump: Max
EW grade: N/A (read the review)
Director: Ron Shelton
Cast: Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson, Rosie Perez, Tyra Ferrell, Cylk Cozart, Kadeem Hardison, John Marshall Jones, Ernest Harden Jr., Duane Martin
Related: Rapper Jack Harlow scores the Woody Harrelson role in White Men Can’t Jump remake
Zola (2020)
In 2015, a viral Twitter thread held the internet’s attention hostage for an entire afternoon. Five years later, Zola — a film based on one harrowing trip to Florida as experienced by Zola (Taylour Paige), a waitress and part-time exotic dancer — took the leap from social media to the big screen in a dark comedy directed by Janicza Bravo. The film, like the story on which it’s based, is unhinged, terrifying, and impossible to tear yourself away from.
But where a lesser adaptation might have succumbed to the story’s most sensational elements, EW’s critic writes that Bravo’s version offers humor, humanity, and “a sort of electric buzz: the thrill of watching something stranger than fiction, and somehow better for being some kind of true.” —I.G.
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Director: Janicza Bravo
Cast: Taylour Paige, Riley Keough, Nicholas Braun, Ari'el Stachel, Colman Domingo
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.
