"Uncle Buck," "My Cousin Vinny," and "Groundhog Day" are my top three lighthearted comedies. These films are classics in my book. They offer more than just humor; they create an atmosphere that draws you in, making you wish you were part of their world. There's also an exhilarating thrill in watching the good guy, or the protagonist, triumph over the challenges and adversaries they face.
I am looking for more such movies. PS: I hate slapsticks. Never liked Jim Carrey.
I can't believe I was just recently introduced to Noises Off... and the rest of the ...Goes Wrong oeuvre, but my God, I think I've watched Noises at least three times in the last year and laugh every time.
Truly an amazing ensemble cast. Who knew Christopher Reeve could do physical comedy so well?
A little OT, but any fan of Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve should check out Deathtrap (1982) it's also based on a stage play, and incredible. Edge of your seat suspense kinda stuff.
Interesting point, yeah. I've certainly seen my fair share of his films, but but a handful compared to his lifetime seventy-four! Anyway, not sure how many stage play adaptations he made, the only other one that comes to mind that was basically in one set/room was 12 Angry Men, according to IMDb was a "television play."
Forgot to mention I actually saw the play on Broadway as a kid (~9-11 YO?) and loved it even then. Will have to ask ma if she remembers which theater/actors. Written by Ira Levin, which makes sense why it was so suspenseful.
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Life With Father (1947)
Singin' in the Rain (1952)
The Sting (1973)
Trading Places (1983)
Back to School (1986)
Babe (1995)
Uncle Buck sucks IMO. I rented it one time in the early '90s because I had it confused with the movie I actually wanted to see again, The Great Outdoors (1988). What a disappointment that was. They both star John Candy, but The Great Outdoors is hilarious and Uncle Buck might as well be a Lifetime movie.
My Cousin Vinny is one of the funniest movies ever made, and isn't even remotely a "lighthearted comedy." That term is usually used when describing "romantic comedies" and is a euphemism for "not funny." My Cousin Vinny has a lot of vulgarity and some elements of "black comedy" (e.g., 34 "F-bombs," allusion to prison rape, "Quintessential Norton" joke as the lights dim indicating that Norton is being fried in the electric chair).
I like Groundhog Day, though it's not particularly funny. It has an interesting premise which makes up for its lack of comedy.
"I am looking for more such movies"
I don't know how anyone could list "more such movies" when the movies you listed have very little in common to begin with. If you want "lighthearted comedy" then watch "You've Got Mail," "Sleepless in Seattle," or any other "romantic comedy" ever made. As for "the protagonist, triumph[ing] over the challenges and adversaries they face," that happens in nearly all movies.
He's looking for "lighthearted comedies," and like I said, that usually refers to romantic comedies:
Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and romance fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles.
It could also refer to "family-friendly" comedies, which normally means "comedies" that are aimed at children.
"those movies have precisely in common what he said."
Not even close. My Cousin Vinny is about as far from a lighthearted comedy as you can get. The only thing farther from a lighthearted comedy is a full-on black comedy, like Very Bad Things (1998).
My Cousin Vinny is rated R. There are no lighthearted comedies that are rated R.
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I bet no one else would agree with you. The fact that its R-rated has to do, i suppose, with profanity, or something.
What genre would you say MCV falls into, if not light comedy ? And where is it written that light comedies and romcoms are synonymous ? The only reason I'm contending with you is your rather blustery/officious take on this stuff. Its a pure comedy. Its also a romance, so even by your own arbitrarily reductive categorization, MCV qualifies as that too.
Many of the films that have been mentioned in this thread are absent romance. Have you noticed ?
It doesn't matter who agrees with me because Appeal to Popularity is a logical fallacy, obviously.
"The fact that its R-rated has to do, i suppose, with profanity, or something."
The profanity and black comedy elements are very much at odds with the concept of a "lighthearted comedy." Terms are defined by how they are normally used and "lighthearted comedy" is normally used to refer to romantic comedies and family-friendly comedies, neither of which tend to be actually funny (unlike My Cousin Vinny).
"What genre would you say MCV falls into, if not light comedy ?"
It's a comedy.
"The only reason I'm contending with you is your rather blustery take on this stuff."
So not only do you not know what "lighthearted comedy" means, you also don't know what "blustery" means. In reality, I haven't used any emotive language at all in these posts, let alone "blustery" language.
Agree to disagree. It has a slightly adult tone, etc., but that doesn't make it heavy, its still a goofball comedy - just perhaps for kids over a certain age. you seem to have a very exacting view about these categories that I, for one, don't share. Neither did the OP.