Here’s the thing: being humorous is difficult. Writing comedy takes a lot of work. What’s hilarious is different for everyone. While some claim to be drawn to a specific style of humor or genre of comedy, some films are just universally humorous or feature moments that hit home for everyone.
The ten films to follow definitely hit the mark and cover that criterion. Some of the funniest films ever made came out of the 2000s. The early 2000s were all about laugh-out-loud humor, much like the decade before was about memorable 90s series drama. So, without further ado, we bring you the ten funniest films of the 2000s.
1. Superbad – Superbad is a comedic classic that has saved many awkward social situations, which is paradoxical given the brutally uncomfortable quality of some of the film’s greatest moments. The film stars Michael Cera and Jonah Hill as best friends Evan and Seth, who try to enjoy their summer before starting college.
2. Down With Love – The plot revolves around a serial womanizer who disguises himself as a bashful astronaut to woo the feminist novelist who chastises his behavior. Down with Love, a tribute to 1960s rom-com, is a joy from start to finish. Zellweger and McGregor play Doris Day and Rock Hudson, respectively, and the plot nicely complements their shenanigans.
3. I Love You, Man – After proposing to the woman of his dreams (Rashida Jones), Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd) immediately learns he lacks male buddies to serve as his best man. But after meeting Sydney (Jason Segel), Peter believes he has finally found the one.
4. Super Troopers – Super Troopers, released in 2001, introduced fans to a group of Vermont State Troopers who would become well-known characters in the comedy world. The picture was a box office hit on a shoestring budget, creating a following that would eventually lead to a 2018 sequel. While the film was not a critical success, it did find an audience with its shamelessly ridiculous tone and over-the-top nature. The film was so popular that the sequel, which debuted seventeen years later, was totally funded by fans of the original, paying back its budget at the box office.
5. Shaun of the Dead – This witty action comedy had a winning combination of sparring partners Simon Pegg and Nick Frost and master of style Edgar Wright, who co-wrote the script with Pegg. He plays a sad sack who discovers he is more brave and skilled at battling the walking dead than ever imagined.
6. Old School – The premise of Old School is straightforward: a bunch of disgruntled men in their thirties attempt to relive their college glory days by forming their own fraternity. They assemble a motley crew of frat brothers of varied ages and challenge college administration while becoming campus legends.
7. Step Brothers – Will Ferrell is arguably his funniest when he has a tag-team partner, as in Anchorman or The Other Guys, but his best double act is Step Brothers. The duo plays stunted adults forced into the same family when their single parents (Richard Jenkins and Mary Steenburgen) remarry.
8. Hot Fuzz – Another Edgar Wright film on the list, this time in the form of Hot Fuzz. Following the success of Shaun of the Dead, Wright took a different approach with Hot Fuzz, crafting a buddy cop picture with amusing sequences and quips that fans remember to this day. You’re also in for a treat because there’s a lot of action. Legendary actors such as Timothy Dalton, Bill Nighy, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost join the group, solidifying their partnership as one of the best in the comedic stratosphere.
9. Meet the Parents – A man intends to propose to his fiancée, but he must first meet her parents. You grimace and giggle as Greg (Ben Stiller) does everything—wrong—to gain the respect of her stern father, a former CIA agent (Robert De Niro). The film contains some laugh-out-loud moments, but it is also entertaining throughout, even if you often want to scream rather than laugh as you watch in horror as Greg’s condition worsens by the minute.
10. Black Knight – Martin Lawrence had an unmatched run from the 1990s to the early 2000s, and towards the turn of the century, he exploited a notion rarely seen in mainstream comedy films: time travel. Lawrence is at his best in Black Knight as Jamal, a theme park employee who causes mayhem in 1328 England after mistakenly traveling back in time.
