MovieChat Forums > General Discussion > What are some of the best dark comedies?

What are some of the best dark comedies?

posted 3 years ago by M1sterDoct0r (4439)
93 replies | jump to latest

Assuming you're into them. I'm gonna start us off...

1. Death at a Funeral (2007) - The British one. I was genuinely holding my sides watching this for the first time. Legit one of the absolute best

2. Seven Psychopaths (2012) - My favorite Sam Rockwell film (along with Moon). Everyone in this is great. Especially Sam & Christopher Walken

3. Burn After Reading (2008) - I honestly don't think that this one gets as much love as the Coen Brothers' other films. I absolutely love it. So freaking hilarious. I laughed so freaking hard at the death of Brad Pitt's character that I honestly had to pause the film. It's that little face he made before, you know, it happened.

4. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) - It's Robert Downey Jr just a bit before his big Iron Man stardom/comeback. But it's Val Kilmer who steals this film. He's so freaking fantastic in this!

[–] R_Kane (15828) 3 years ago

To Die For

The War of the Roses

Ruthless People

[–] M1sterDoct0r (4439) 3 years ago

Ruthless People is one of my very first, if not my first dark comedy. Absolutely love that film

[–] R_Kane (15828) 3 years ago

They don’t make films like that today. DANNY DEVITO “I DARE you to kill her!” (hangs up telephone) “Now THAT aughta do it!”

[–] Keelai (35401) 3 years ago

They certainly don't. Ruthless People is a masterpiece. I enjoyed it so much, I bought the VHS video.

[–] R_Kane (15828) 3 years ago

One thing all 3 of the movies I’ve named have in common is strong lead actresses: Bette Midler, Kathleen Turner and Nicole Kidman. None of the films depends on bathroom humor, frat boy “humor” or drunken humor. As I said, they don’t make ‘em like this anymore. They don’t know how.

[–] Capnbucky (2218) 3 years ago

Nailed it thrice

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

Excellent choices 👏👏👏

[–] Otter (24464) 3 years ago

"Harold and Maude"!!!!

I also saw "The Ruling Class" again last night, it isn't as good as "H & M", but it's dark and twisted and very funny. It's free on youtube BTW.

[–] keybored (2667) 3 years ago

Harold And Maude is one hell of a brilliant movie.

[–] Otter (24464) 3 years ago

Yes it is. It should be at the top of the AFI Greatest Films lists!

[–] NotoriousRio (12927) 3 years ago

Two oldies but goldies...

The Ladykillers (1955)
Kind Hearts And Coronets (1949)

I didn't like the Ladykillers remake but usually love Coen Brothers films.

[–] M1sterDoct0r (4439) 3 years ago

Glad you mentioned it, cause I only saw the Coen Brothers version of Ladykillers & I too was NOT fan.

I'll see if I can find the original, somewhere

[–] NotoriousRio (12927) 3 years ago

The orginal is amazing with a great cast including Alec Guinness, Herbert Lom and Peter Sellers.

[–] M1sterDoct0r (4439) 3 years ago

It's got Peter Sellers? Well, I'm sold!

[–] NotoriousRio (12927) 3 years ago

I may have to watch it again, they've done a great job with the restoration.
https://youtu.be/9X_vzsLhbr8

[–] ShogunofYonkers (78051) 3 years ago

Heathers

[–] robocat893 (16075) 3 years ago

Thoroughbreds (2018)
The Voices (2014)
Freeway (1996)
Killer Joe (2011)
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

[–] M1sterDoct0r (4439) 3 years ago

The Voices (2014) is honestly under appreciated & an undiscovered gem. Saw it without any prior knowledge of its existence.

What a delightful surprise it was.

[–] Capnbucky (2218) 3 years ago

Killer joe was feeeecked up

[–] sslssg (34637) 3 years ago

Heathers (1988)
The Last Supper (1995)
The Trouble with Harry (1955)
Fargo (1996)
The Frighteners (1996)
Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)
In Bruges (2008)

[–] M1sterDoct0r (4439) 3 years ago

Oh man, how could I forget to mention In Bruges. What an absolutely brilliant film.

[–] MovieManCin2 (26342) 3 years ago

Yes it is! It's one of my all time favs!

😎

[–] keybored (2667) 3 years ago

Was going to mention In Brugges but was beaten to it.

[–] tcrum (31760) 3 years ago

Serial Mom (1994)
Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995)
Death Becomes Her (1992)

[–] M1sterDoct0r (4439) 3 years ago

Heyyy, Death Becomes Her is legit on my watchlist for this week. My first ever experience with the film.

[–] tcrum (31760) 3 years ago

You'll love it😆

[–] NitroHangover (1143) 3 years ago

It's great. Bruce Willis's best and most underrated performance.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

welcome to the dollhouse & happiness are definitely at the top of my list

[–] tcrum (31760) 3 years ago

Welcome to the dollhouse almost a little to dark for me, but a great movie.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

have you ever seen happiness, or any other solondz?

i honesty kinda love everything he's done. even the stuff that supposedly isn't great, like dark horse & life during wartime. he makes things that are fine-tuned to make me laugh & entertain me in the most bleak, bitter way.

[–] tcrum (31760) 3 years ago

I haven't seen happiness. I like Jon Lovitz, so I'll add it to my watchlist:)

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

it's wonderfully evil, imo. one of my very favourite movies.

[–] chilidoggg (14439) 3 years ago

Dollhouse is not dark comedy IMO. I walked out of it in the theater. It was just creepy/disturbing.

I don't think Happiness is dark comedy either, but I liked it, just wrecked people.

[–] ArnoStrine (57) 3 years ago

Happiness is a classic

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

one of my very favourite movies. fantastically evil.

[–] ArnoStrine (57) 3 years ago

"why are you laughing?"
"i'm not laughing at you, i'm laughing with you"
"i'm not laughing!"

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

Helen Jordan: Anyway, so the police came and looked in her freezer and found baggies filled with the doorman's genitals.

Mona: I use baggies.

Joy Jordan: Me too.

Helen Jordan: Everyone uses baggies, that's why we can all relate to this crime.

[–] sslssg (34637) 3 years ago

I love Death Becomes Her!

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

Death Becomes Her seemed like it was a little underapreciated when it came out, but it's really found an audience since then.

One of Bruce Willis's best performances, IMO. He plays totally against type as this meek, knebishy doctor and totally pulls it off.

[–] bellington83 (3292) 3 years ago

The Voices (2014)
The Last Supper (1995)
The Frighteners (1996)
Death to Smoochy (2002)
Saved (2004)
Jackpot (2011) Norweigan movie
Lapland Odyssey (2010) - Finnish movie
Force Majeure (2014) Swedish movie
Pretty much anything by Yorgos Lanthimos

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

"Pretty much anything by Yorgos Lanthimos"

i'm not sure why, but every time i watch dogtooth, when christina says her favourite meals are fish soup & cheese pie, i truly lol.

[–] capuchin (3298) 3 years ago

See, that's what I'm talking about; Letterboxd has Dogtooth listed only as a drama... so I haven't put it on my list. But it's clearly a black comedy, isn't it? Who do we complain to?

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

it's absolutely a dark, black comedy. as is killing of a sacred deer, the lobster & alps. maybe i wouldn't say that about the favourite, but i haven't seen that since the theatres & don't remember it all that well.

when colin farrell told his son that story about doing you know what to his father in killing of a sacred deer, i think i laughed harder than i ever have in my life in a theatre. i think people around me were looking at me & thinking 'jesus christ, this guy is one fucked up son of a bitch.'

[–] capuchin (3298) 3 years ago

And again, Killing of a Sacred Deer is a mystery / thriller / drama according to Letterboxd. No mention of comedy. In a way, Letterboxd is responsible for other cinema patrons thinking you're a sick weirdo. You should sue.