10 Best Comedy Movies on Peacock to Watch Right Now

When it comes to comedy television series, there really is no better streamer than Peacock. And no, it's not just because Peacock is the home of The Office and Parks and Recreation. But what about movies? Specifically, movies that are either straightforward comedic or genre-blenders that at least somewhat incorporate comedy.

What follows are the best of the best when it comes to comedic films on Peacock. From family-accessible content to hard-R laughers, there's something for everyone. In fact, there's enough to provide for a hilarious double feature, whether the viewers are kiddos or 45 years old.

10 The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)

The 40 Year Old Virgin

Release Date

August 11, 2005

Director

Judd Apatow

Cast

Steve Carell, Catherine Keener, Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks

Rating

R

Main Genre

Comedy

The triumphant return of the R-rated comedy, Judd Apatow's The 40-Year-Old Virgin tells the tale of Andy Stitzer, a grown man who has never gone all the way. With his coworkers' help, Stitzer hopes to lose his virginity (and, if possible, meet the love of his life) before he's 41.

What Makes It Great?

Released the same year as The Office debuted, The 40-Year-Old Virgin was just one project that made Steve Carell 2005's biggest star. But it wouldn't be that way if the movie, or his lead performance, weren't up to snuff. It is, not because it goes for hard-R laughs, but because it has a beating heart at its center.

9 Bernie (2011)

Bernie

Release Date

April 27, 2011

Director

Richard Linklater

Cast

Matthew McConaughey, Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, Veronica Orosco, Tommy G. Kendrick, Rick Dial

Rating

PG-13

Main Genre

Comedy

Every now and then, Jack Black stars in a smaller indie that allows him to explore his range differently than blockbusters like Jumanji: The Next Level. Richard Linklater's Bernie has the beloved School of Rock actor as a too-kind mortician who finds himself under the thumb of an elderly widow. But, before long, Bernie's had enough, and his kindhearted nature may very well be replaced with a murderous one.

What Makes It Great?

Bernie was based on a true story, and it's impressive just how much it makes a murderer at least somewhat understandable. The film does a terrific job of showing us just who Bernie Tiede is before he's been pushed into a corner, and that makes its showing of what happens later all the more effective. Bernie is a dark comedy, but thanks to Linklater's direction and Black's performance, it never goes too dark the same way it never goes too unbelievable.

8 Bridesmaids (2011)

Bridesmaids

Release Date

May 13, 2011

Director

Paul Feig

Cast

Kristen Wiig, Rose Byrne, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Ellie Kemper, Wendi McLendon-Covey

Rating

R

Main Genre

Comedy

The narrative of Paul Feig's Bridesmaids follows Annie, a 30-something woman who has felt lost ever since her bakery shuttered. And, now that her best friend is getting married and she's not even in a stable relationship, Annie's lost feelings become only more intensified.

What Makes It Great?

One of the best and most successful women-led comedies ever made, Feig's filmwas a major box office success in May 2011, and for good reason. The script from Wiig and Annie Mumolo has a surplus of energy, and before one knows it, even if they're the toughest guy on Earth, they're loving a chick flick.

7 Goon (2011)

Goon

Release Date

January 6, 2012

Director

Michael Dowse

Cast

Seann William Scott, Jay Baruchel, Alison Pill, Liev Schreiber, Eugene Levy, Marc-Andre Grondin

Rating

R

Main Genre

Comedy

The well-cast Goon tells the story of Doug Glatt, a 30-something man with a big heart but little direction in life. When Glatt is inadvertently discovered as a great potential enforcer (AKA he can throw a punch) while attending a game, he finds his future altered for the better.

What Makes It Great?

Even including Steve Stiffler, Seann William Scott has never been better than he is in Goon. He can play a nice guy who isn't superficial but rather blatantly true of heart, and to see that juxtaposed with his physical brutality is a hoot.

6 Liar Liar (1997)

What's a lawyer if not a liar with a few letters changed up? In the case of Liar Liar's Fletcher Reede, there's no difference at all. And, as of late, he's found his family growing increasingly tired of his lack of reliability. Reede has two choices, reform a bit and secure his relationship with his son, or keep getting career success and end up an old, bitter, ice cube.

What Makes It Great?

Any '90s comedy project that required a motor mouth was already perfectly tailored to one of two performers: Eddie Murphy or Jim Carrey. And, make no mistake, Liar Liar wouldn't be what it is without Carrey, who imbues his character and the film as a whole with a certain charmingly relatable nature, because deep down he's not dishonest, he's just perhaps a bit too good at his job.

5 MacGruber (2010)

Macgruber

Release Date

May 21, 2010

Director

Jorma Taccone

Cast

Will Forte, Kristen Wiig, Ryan Phillippe, Val Kilmer, Powers Boothe, Maya Rudolph

Rating

R

Main Genre

Action

In 2010, The Lonely Island member Jorma Taccone directed MacGruber, a feature-length adaptation of a repeated SNL pre-taped sketch. The story follows semi-professional bomb defuser MacGruber as he's called out of his self-imposed isolation to come back into the government fold and take down his ultimate adversary: Dieter Von Cunth.

What Makes It Great?

Will Forte's take on McGyver was funny each and every time it hit SNL, which can't be said for the vast majority of the series' other oft-repeating sketches. And, if they're on the film's wavelength, there's no amount of times someone can watch MacGruber the film and not laugh. After all, it's quotable as can be.

4 Sex Drive (2008)

Sex Drive

Release Date

October 16, 2008

Director

Sean Anders

Cast

Josh Zuckerman, Amanda Crew, Clark Duke, James Marsden, Seth Green, Alice Greczyn

Rating

R

Main Genre

Adventure

The narrative of 2008's goofy Sex Drive follows Ian, a nerdy teen who is ready to go all the way. He thinks he gets his chance via an internet pen pal, and along with his two best friends, he sets off across the country to see if she's the real deal.

What Makes It Great?

A late Aughts R-rated comedy that more or less came and went from theaters, Sex Drive has much more heart than the generic marketing material indicated. It was also a solid early showcase for the talents of Silicon Valley's Amanda Crew and Hot Tub Time Machine's Clark Duke.

3 Step Brothers (2008)

Step Brothers

Release Date

July 25, 2008

Director

Adam McKay

Cast

Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Mary Steenburgen, Richard Jenkins, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn

Rating

R

Main Genre

Comedy

After Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly had so much fun making Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Rick Bobby, it was only a matter of time before they teamed up once again. Cut to Step Brothers, which pairs the silly duo as two adult step-siblings whose parents have fallen in love after a chance encounter. But, the marriage runs the risk of failure once these two particular man-children are introduced to the equation.

What Makes It Great?

Ferrell and Reilly's chemistry hit its peak with Step Brothers, a movie that has a certain looseness to it that allows the two performers to play around. At the very least, it seems like they're playing around, because the obvious fun they're having is infectious to the audience.

2 Vengeance (2022)

The Office's B. J. Novak made his feature-length directorial debut with Vengeance, and it was a doozy. The plot follows Novak's journalist Ben Manalowitz, who is nothing if not a combination of entitled and curious. When he learns that one of his past flings has died, and she had told her family that she and Manalowitz were more serious than they actually were, the journalist finds himself wrapped up in solving her murder.

What Makes It Great?

The mystery that fuels Vengeance is undoubtedly interesting, even outright surprising. But the key to the film is Novak's script, which further cements the fact that, if Vengeance is any indication, the Office alum is capable of delivering some seriously thought-provoking character-focused pieces.

1 Waiting... (2005)

waiting

Release Date

October 7, 2005

Director

Rob McKittrick

Cast

Ryan Reynolds, Anna Faris, Justin Long, David Koechner, Luis Guzman, Chi McBride

Rating

R

Main Genre

Comedy

For the characters in Waiting... work is the worst. Though, to be fair, they do work in "Shenaniganz," where the pay is low and the customers are rude as hell. So the key, at least as far as long-termer Dean is concerned, is to just make a joke of it all.

What Makes It Great?

A great early showcase for Ryan Reynolds' charms, Waiting... is a low-budget film that's high on charm, much of which is supplied by Reynolds himself. But the film also shines via its supporting performances, especially those of Anna Faris and Justin Long.