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Top 10 R-Rated Comedies

By Ally Sinyard · June 13, 2012

The R-rated comedy has always been a popular genre because of what is more often than not its subject matter: sex, booze, partying, the horrific aftermath…They are fiercely popular with teenagers, who almost see it as a way of life. For us oldies, they are also quite enjoyable for the “that reminds me of that time when –“ There have always been one or two films from each decade that represent a generation, like Animal House in the 70s and American Pie in the 90s.

Then, in 2005, came the outrageous arrival of The Wedding Crashers  and 40-Year-Old Virgin and the household name of Judd Apatow. The R-rated comedy was once more revived in the 21stCentury and it was quickly realised that it is here than serious $$$ can be made.

Now, R-rated comedies are ten a penny and there is no longer a definitive film for the new millennium! So, in this list, I’m going to wade through all the garbage and give you 10 of the very best. You may notice that there are some classics missing: Anchorman, Naked Gun, Airplane! You may to surprised to learn that these movies are PG-13 (PG in the case of Airplane!), so I can’t add them to the list, but that didn’t stop me watching them for “research,” though…

10. Scary Movie (2000)

Ah, the good old days…when the Wayans brothers were at the helm and countless, unspeakably-awful sequels and spin-offs hadn’t yet violated us. Many people have probably forgotten, but this film IS funny! …though I’m sure most parents will disagree! The Wayans pushed the boundaries of political correctness and taste but, though it sounds bad to say it, it’s just what we needed! Audiences were becoming more desensitized to what they saw, so gore had to get gorier and humour had to become more outrageous. Ok, so it is borderline vulgar and cheap at times but it is also very clever in the way it plays on the tropes and formulaic structures of slasher films. Plus, the jokes are genuinely funny. Sadly, the cleverness of a spoof film has now been lost forever following the releases of such films as Epic Movie (2007) and Vampires Suck (2010), and Scary Movie 5 is due to be released next year. I personally won’t be joining in, but I will be digging this old favourite out again soon!

9. The Big Lebowski (1998)

Ah-hah! Didn’t think of THAT one, did you? The Big Lebowski is certainly an anomaly on this list for being more of a cult classic, but it IS an R-rated comedy and I would consider it a great one. It’s not all about willy jokes, guys! The beauty of the Coen brothers’ films is that nothing REALLY happens. There is no set mission that we find in other comedies. It just sort of ambles along and random things happen and we’re left wondering what it was all about. The Big Lebowski works so well because we can sit back and enjoy the dialogue and non-events as much as we enjoy the convoluted story. I personally never tire of “Shut the **** up, Donny.”One of the best descriptions I ever heard for this film is that it’s a “pinball arcade of a flick” (Rick Groen, “The Globe and Mail.) The Coens have invented a host of weird and wonderful characters, shoved them “into a Plexiglass narrative” and let them run wild (ibid.). It’s the number 1 R-rated comedy for lovers of the bizarre, the surreal and the completely unpredictable.

8. American Pie (1999)

American Pie is the first R-Rated comedy that I ever saw. Admittedly, I was 10. That’s probably a bit wrong, isn’t it? Ah well, blame my parents! I haven’t watched it recently but, when I do, I’d imagine there will be a lot of horrified gasps as I suddenly understand dirty jokes that I didn’t before. American Pie and its sequels proved hugely popular with my generation, despite such critics as Stephen Holden of “The New York Times” calling it “one of the shallowest […] teen films.” It’s one of those times when you want to petulantly stick out your tongue and say “SCREW YOU, CRITICS! YOU DON’T KNOW ME!” and storm to your bedroom. Jason Biggs as Jim gives the story an unexpected but very real heart and I think all my gal pals had a crush on Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas.) Also Jim’s dad (Eugene Levy) is brilliant as the epitome of embarrassing parent! It may not be the best comedy on the list, but I know it holds a special place in the hearts of a lot of people my age. I haven’t yet been able to bring myself to watch American Reunion (2012) as that would mean I’ve finally grown up…

7. Shaun of the Dead (2004) 

I’ve written about Shaun of the Dead so many times for TSL that I’ve pretty much run out of stuff to say! The important points to make are these: Wright and Pegg helped to reinvent the zombie genre, they made zombies funny, and they also did a LOT for British comedy. Ever since the days of Monty Python and Blackadder, British comedy has been a little lacklustre to say the least. We aren’t exactly known for our sense of humour, after all! The R in this R-rating is all in the violence, as opposed to any crude sex jokes and the like, but that is one of its many exceptional features. It isn’t often the case in Horror Comedies that there is such a perfect mix of gore and laughs. Normally, one is sacrificed in favour of the other. Shaun of the Dead has remained a firm favourite both in Britain and overseas because it gets this balance so right. When you’re not laughing at the jokes, you’re hiding behind your sofa. It’s a constant joy to behold!

6. Knocked Up (2007)

It comes with the territory, but R-rated comedies often sacrifice their realism in order to pack in so many laughs. Writers and directors constantly have to push the bar to keep audiences buying tickets. Knocked Up, on the other hand,was such a success because it managed to be incredibly funny without ever becoming absurd. Regarded by many top critics as the best comedy of 2007, it deals with the very real issue of a drunken one-night stand resulting in pregnancy, and most of the jokes come from simply confronting the issue and breaking taboos. It’s a poignant and refreshing comedy that is well acted by Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl and ably directed by comedy’s new superstar, Judd Apatow. He set the bar pretty high with 40-Year-Old Virgin, but he secured a box-office hit by making sure that “there is always something to smile about and identify with” (Jeff Bayer, “The Scorecard Review.) It’s a comedy that doesn’t try too hard. With the birth scene in particular, Apatow could not be accused of cheaply trying to gross out his audience because, after all, birth IS pretty gross. One of the most human comedies to date.  

5. National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)

“They made underachievers everywhere want to go to college. Thirty-three years later, America still hasn't stopped quoting it — and it still delivers laugh” (Mike Scott, “The Times.”) Animal House is the mother of all college comedies! It is also reportedly one of the most profitable films of all time, filmed for just $2.7 million and making more than $141 million; and that’s not including merchandise! However, despite it being regarded as the film that started the gross-out genre, it is also regarded as being an incredibly subversive, left-wing film that makes a lot of political references (something that has now been lost in the more recent films of the genre) to such things as the Vietnam War and the Atomic Bomb. It isn’t just a silly comedy about the Delta Tau Chi fraternity; it has, though I feel silly just writing it, a great depth to it and that is just one of the reasons why it made such an impact and caught the world’s attention. It is also one of the most important films of the genre, setting the standard for the gross-out genre and is even considered to be “the most influential comedy of our time” (Colin Kennedy, “Empire Magazine).   

4. Superbad (2007)

Another 2007 hit film from the school of Apatow, but this time directed by Greg Mottola and written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. When I asked some friends what their favourite R-rated comedies were, Superbad was the one that was always mentioned with great enthusiasm. So much enthusiasm, in fact, that I worried what might happen to me if I didn’t include it. Described by “The Film Stage” as “this decade’s American Pie,” Superbad is about two best friends who are about to leave for separate colleges and who are, not coincidentally, called Seth and Evan. Rogen and Goldberg reportedly began working on the script when they were just thirteen, and completed it by the time they were fifteen. Early bloomers or what?? I guess there is no better perspective on the “awkwardness of the high school experience” than from two who know it all too well (Rotten Tomatoes.) It also brought to the forefront some of the best rising stars in comedy: Jonah Hill, Michael Cera and Christopher Mintz-Plasse. Although, as I already said, many critics considered Knocked Up to be THE comedy of 2007, I think Superbad proved to be even more popular with its audiences. It is definitely the teen film of the Noughties!

3. 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)

As I said, the new breed of R-rated comedies began in 2005 with 40-Year-Old Virgin, because it brought Judd Apatow and Steve Carrell into our lives, and for that we are thankful. Still a firm favourite with comedy fans today, 40-Year-Old Virgin is the perfect mix of raunch and romance. It’s bold and risqué yet still treats its subject matter with, dare I say it, tenderness. If anything, it’s snugly, warm core is what sets it apart from other gross out comedies. This film isn’t REALLY about a middle-aged stock supervisor finally getting laid, but about a man who has never taken risks in his life and how he reacts to new situations. It is an age-old Hollywood formula but one that has been modernised and adapted well, complete with Carrell’s adorable little face on the poster. Steve Carrell also brought a whole new force to comedy, “not as awkward as Ben Stiller, nor as over the top as Jim Carrey” (Matthew Pejkovic, “Matt’s Movie Reviews.”) With the exception of Evan Almighty, he’s done pretty well ever since! Still as much a favourite today as when it was released, 40-Year-Old Virgin is a triumph in a well-balanced script and versatile star.

2. The Hangover (2009)

I’m stating the obvious here, but The Hangover is without-a-doubt the most successful R-rated comedy of all time. It grossed $467 million dollars worldwide and Part 3 (to be released May 2013) has just been announced much to the joy and jubilation of the world. But why was this film such a hit? It could be the mixture of “boys-gone-wild laff riot” and “beat-the-clock detective story” (Joe Leydon, “Variety.”) Or perhaps there is a more Freudian approach to it: “the superego tries to control the id, but the id gets drunk and barfs all over it” (J.R. Jones, “Chicago Reader.”) Or maybe it’s because we have all been there…well maybe not THERE but definitely in that comical situation of trying to piece together the night before. As a bit of an aside, and I’m not saying this to talk the movie down in any way, I also genuinely love the end credits and how they tie the movie together. Normally, the end of a movie will signal a bit of peace as everything settles after the dramatic conclusion, but the end credits of The Hangover (and Part II) ensure the audience still laughing long after they’ve left.

1. Bridesmaids (2011)

I’ll probably be burnt at the stake for this or just regarded as a “typical bloody woman,” but Bridesmaids > The Hangover. There are very few films that have made me unleash my horrible, embarrassing and uncontrollable goon laugh upon this world, but Bridesmaids did it several times. Pretty much from the get-go, with the brilliant, very un-Hollywood sex scene between Jon Hamm and writer/star Kristin Wiig, I was in absolute stitches. I haven’t had the misfortune of helping to plan a wedding yet, but I DO know girl politics and Bridesmaids had everything down to a tee, especially the line “Why can't you be happy for me and then go home and talk about me behind my back like a normal person?” Up until Bridesmaids, R-rated comedies had very much been a man’s world.  I love Bridesmaids so much because it proved that girls can be just as funny AND disgusting as the guys, without making some over-the-top feminist point about it! Chris O’Dowd held his own, just like Christina Applegate did in Anchorman. Kristin Wiig now stands alongside Tina Fey as one of my comedy heroes.