What makes something funny is a relative matter based on age, background, sex, ethnicity, education, and personal preferences. That’s why movie theaters offer comedies ranging from the Jackass series to the Woody Allen oeuvre. So making allowances for individual tastes (and the almost universal desire to critique the critic), the following selections represent Hollywood’s best efforts in 2011 at producing high quality films with interesting characters working their way through amusing situations to which audiences can relate.
Best Romantic Comedy of 2011
Midnight in Paris
In this fantastical romance, a writer on vacation in Paris with his fiancée re-evaluates his life after being inspired by his nightly walks. He soon falls in love with the city and wants to move there, but his fiancée balks at the idea of leaving their previous life behind.
- Why It’s Best: There’s nothing like Woody Allen at the top of his game.
- Starring Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kurt Fuller, Mimi Kennedy, Michael Sheen, Nina Arianda, Carla Bruni, Kathy Bates, Marion Cotillard, Adrien Brody
- Director: Woody Allen
- Writer: Woody Allen
- Genre: Romantic Comedy
- MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for some sexual references and smoking)
- Also worth watching: Crazy Stupid Love
Best Buddy Comedy of 2011
Bridesmaids
An emotionally unstable 30-something woman starts to unravel when her best friend gets engaged. During the pre-nuptial bridesmaid activities, she develops a grudge against another bridesmaid who threatens her close attachment to the bride.
- Why It’s Best: This presents a hilarious view of how women bond (and clash) during the heightened emotional time before a wedding.
- Starring Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, Chris O’Dowd, Jon Hamm, Jill Clayburgh, Terry Crews
- Director: Paul Feig
- Writers: Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo
- Genre: Comedy
- MPAA Rating: R (for some strong sexuality and language throughout)
- Also worth watching: The Hangover Part II
Best Dramatic Comedy of 2011
The Descendants
The father of two girls deals with the aftermath of his wife’s boating accident. As he struggles with parental duties, additional problems develop that shatter the foundation on which he has based much of his life.
- Why It’s Best: The story, the acting, the direction, the Hawaiian locations, and the film’s ability to find the humor in the most desperate circumstances.
- Starring George Clooney, Judy Greer, Matthew Lillard, Amara Miller, Shailene Woodley, Beau Bridges, Nick Krause, Robert Forster, Patricia Hastie, Michael Ontkean
- Director: Alexander Payne
- Writers: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash (screenplay); Kaui Hart Hemmings (novel)
- Genre: Dramatic Comedy
- MPAA Rating: R (for language including some sexual references
- Also worth watching: Everything Must Go
- Additional Information: Read a review of The Descendants or see a trailer .
Best Independent Comedy of 2011
Win Win
A financially strapped attorney, who moonlights as a wrestling coach, sacrifices his values in order to get extra money for his family. A displaced teenager with a gift for wrestling finds himself squarely in the middle of the coach’s personal dilemma.
- Why It’s Best: Paul Giamatti is perfectly cast as the sad sack with a good heart, but a clouded mind.
- Also starring Amy Ryan, Bobby Cannavale, Jeffrey Tambor, Burt Young, Melanie Lynskey, Alex Shaffer, Margo Martindale, David W. Thompson
- Director: Tom McCarthy
- Writers: Tom McCarthy (screenplay and story); Joe Tiboni (story)
- Genre: Comedy
- MPAA Rating: R (for language)
- Also worth watching: Cedar Rapids
- Additional Information: Read a review of Win Win or see a trailer .
Best Crime Comedy of 2011
Horrible Bosses
Faced with daily degradation, three friends hatch a criminal plan while complaining about their unfair bosses. Assisted by various expert criminals, their plans backfire and the men find themselves looking at possible charges for crimes they almost committed.
Why It’s Best: The interplay between the three leads – Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, and Jason Sudeikis – really adds to the fun.
- Also starring Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston, Colin Farrell, P.J. Byrne, Lindsay Sloane, Donald Sutherland, Jamie Foxx, Ioan Gruffudd
- Director: Seth Gordon
- Writers: Michael Markowitz (story and screenplay), John Francis Daley (screenplay), Jonathan M. Goldstein (screenplay)
- Genre: Crime Comedy
- MPAA Rating: R (for crude and sexual content, pervasive language, and some drug material)
- Also worth watching: Tower Heist
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Leslie C. Halpern - Leslie C. Halpern, Romantic Films/Comedies Topic Editor, authored Passionate About Their Work, Reel Romance, & Dreams on Film.
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