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)
Metascore: 89
And for more movies the critics loved, These Are the Top-Rated Movies on Rotten Tomatoes.
49 Eighth Grade (2018)
Metascore: 89
48 The Farewell (2019)
Metascore: 89
And for more great films, this was The Best Movie That Came Out the Year You Graduated, According to Critics.
47 Funny Girl (1968)
Metascore: 89
46 Borat (2006)
Metascore: 89
And if you're looking for a laugh, check out The 17 Best Stand-Up Comedy Specials on Netflix.
45 The Last Detail (1973)
Metascore: 89
44 Love and Death (1975)
Metascore: 89
And to see how some more recent comedies measure up, we're Ranking Every Adam Sandler Movie, From Worst Reviewed to Best.
43 Gosford Park (2001)
Metascore: 90
42 The Circus (1929)
Metascore: 90
41 Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
Metascore: 90
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40 American Splendor (2003)
Metascore: 90
39 Being John Malkovich (1999)
Metascore: 90
38 Finding Nemo (2003)
Metascore: 90
37 Her (2013)
Metascore: 90
36 After Hours (1985)
Metascore: 90
35 Bringing Up Baby (1938)
Metascore: 91
34 The Favourite (2018)
Metascore: 91
33 The Ladykillers (1956)
Metascore: 91
32 Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Metascore: 91
31 The Triplets of Belleville (2003)
Metascore: 91
30 Breaking Away (1979)
Metascore: 91
29 Swing Time (1936)
Metascore: 91
28 This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
Metascore: 92
27 Toy Story 3 (2010)
Metascore: 92
26 Annie Hall (1977)
Metascore: 92
25 Top Hat (1935)
Metascore: 92
24 The Band Wagon (1953)
Metascore: 93
23 Sita Sings the Blues (2008)
Metascore: 93
22 Do the Right Thing (1989)
Metascore: 93
21 Toni Erdmann (2016)
Metascore: 93
20 Duck Soup (1933)
Metascore: 93
19 The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
Metascore: 93
18 Lady Bird (2017)
Metascore: 94
17 The Apartment (1960)
Metascore: 94
16 Sideways (2004)
Metascore: 94
15 Inside Out (2015)
Metascore: 94
14 Toy Story (1995)
Metascore: 95
13 The Producers (1967)
Metascore: 96
12 Modern Times (1936)
Metascore: 96
11 The Lady Eve (1941)
Metascore: 96
10 A Hard Day's Night (1964)
Metascore: 96
9 Parasite (2019)
Metascore: 96
8 Ratatouille (2007)
Metascore: 96
7 The Philadelphia Story (1940)
Metascore: 96
6 Nashville (1975)
Metascore: 96
5 The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
Metascore: 96
4 American Graffiti (1973)
Metascore: 97
3 Some Like It Hot (1959)
Metascore: 98
2 City Lights (1931)
Metascore: 99
1 Singin' in the Rain (1952)
Metascore: 99
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