11 Must-Watch Black Comedy Movies for Laughter & Shock

We have compiled for you the most magnificent black comedy movies that will make you try to suppress your laughter.

In the most general sense, comedy movies aim to make their audience laugh first and foremost. Whether it’s family comedies that people of all ages can enjoy, or black comedy movies that can use any event, situation, or theme to make viewers writhe in fits of laughter, comedy is a very diverse genre.

Black comedy movies, which make us laugh at things we normally wouldn’t find funny—like murder and mayhem—are among the types of movies that have added color to our lives for many years and created serious perception changes in our sense of humor. We wanted to remember a few of the best examples of this genre. We brought you 11 of the best and funniest black comedy movies ever made.

If you enjoy laughing at things that people don’t usually laugh at, we’ve prepared a perfect list for you. Enjoy reading!

Movie List Index

1.The Cable Guy

The Cable Guy, a 1996 black comedy directed by Ben Stiller and starring Jim Carrey, was a major box office success, grossing $100 million against a budget of approximately $47 million, and has taken its place among cult movies.

After unsuccessfully proposing to his girlfriend, Steven Kovacs decides to take some time away from her and finally moves into his own apartment. Steven and his new cable guy, who refers to himself as “Chip Douglas”, make a deal so that Steven can get free cable.

Chip sees this as an opportunity to befriend Steven. Despite some obstacles, the two form a friendship. However, after Chip turns out to be a pain in the neck, Steven cuts ties with him. Vowing revenge, Chip will do whatever it takes to get back at Steven. How far will Chip go to get revenge, and how long can Steven endure this torture?!

Information about The Cable Guy

Title: The Cable Guy
Director: Ben Stiller
Cast: Jim Carrey, Matthew Broderick, Leslie Mann, Jack Black, Diane Baker
Release Year: 1996
Duration: 96 minutes
Country: United States
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
IMDB Rating: 6.1/10
Language: English
Age Rating: PG-13
Similar Movies: Liar Liar (1997), The Truman Show (1998), The Mask (1994)
Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
IMDb Link: The Cable Guy on IMDb

2.Throw Momma from the Train

Directed by and starring Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning director Danny DeVito, the Oscar-nominated and Saturn Award-winning crime black comedy Throw Momma from the Train is inspired by Hitchcock’s 1951 movie Strangers on a Train. It grossed approximately $58 million at the box office, against a budget of $14 million.

Larry Donner is a writer and a writing professor who teaches people who want to write books. Larry’s life turns into misery when his ex-wife Margaret publishes a book under his name and becomes rich from it. When Larry starts telling other people about his desire to kill his ex-wife, he is faced with a rather surprising offer.

One of Larry’s students, Owen Lift, tells Larry that he can kill Margaret if he wants, and in return, Owen asks him to kill his mother, whom he describes as a terrible person. Larry thinks this offer is a simple joke until he learns that Owen actually killed his ex-wife. And with Margaret’s death, Larry is now the prime suspect of the murder!

Information about Throw Momma from the Train

Title: Throw Momma from the Train
Director: Danny DeVito
Cast: Billy Crystal, Danny DeVito, Anne Ramsey, Rob Reiner, Kate Mulgrew
Release Year: 1987
Duration: 87 minutes
Country: United States
Genre: Comedy, Crime
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
IMDB Rating: 6.3/10
Language: English
Age Rating: PG-13
Similar Movies: The War of the Roses (1989), Ruthless People (1986), Twins (1988)
Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
IMDb Link: Throw Momma from the Train on IMDb

3.Super

James Gunn’s 2010 superhero movie Super, which failed at the box office but was met with great acclaim when it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, stars Rainn Wilson and Elliot Page.

Frank Darbo is a down-on-his-luck fry cook who has been abandoned by his wife Sarah. When she leaves him for Jacques, a drug dealer, Frank initially thinks she has been kidnapped. At first, he tries to save her, but after realizing the truth, he tries to return to his old life, crying for her return. Then, after a spectacular revelation late at night, Frank musters up the courage to channel his terrible depression and seething anger into something useful. And finally, a determined superhero emerges—The Crimson Bolt. Now Frank will take on the criminals with a sidekick named Boltie, a costume he sewed, and a pipe wrench as his weapon!

Information about Super

Title: Super
Director: James Gunn
Cast: Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Liv Tyler, Kevin Bacon, Michael Rooker
Release Year: 2010
Duration: 96 minutes
Country: United States
Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu
IMDB Rating: 6.8/10
Language: English
Age Rating: R
Similar Movies: Kick-Ass (2010), The Punisher (2004), Defendor (2009)
Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
IMDb Link: Super on IMDb

4.Bernie

Richard Linklater’s 2011 biographical crime movie Bernie stars Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, and Matthew McConaughey. Earning $10 million from its $6 million budget, Bernie won Rotten Tomatoes’ annual Golden Tomato award, making it the best comedy movie the site reviewed in 2011.

In the small, rural town of Carthage, Texas, mortician Bernie Tiede was one of the town’s most beloved residents. A Sunday school teacher, a choir singer, and always lending a helping hand to those in need, Bernie was loved and admired by all.

Bernie, who befriends the wealthy widow Marjorie Nugent, known as much for her ill-tempered attitude as for her wealth, begins to travel with Marjorie frequently and even manages some of her financial affairs. As Marjorie quickly becomes completely dependent on Bernie and his generosity, Bernie starts having difficulty meeting her increasing demands. So will Bernie be able to express this distress, and what will he do?!

Information about Bernie

Title: Bernie
Director: Richard Linklater
Cast: Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, Matthew McConaughey, Brady Coleman, Mike Krol
Release Year: 2011
Duration: 104 minutes
Country: United States
Genre: Biography, Comedy, Crime
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
IMDB Rating: 6.8/10
Language: English
Age Rating: PG-13
Similar Movies: The Invention of Lying (2009), The Straight Story (1999), The Big Short (2015)
Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
IMDb Link: Bernie on IMDb

5.Repo Man

Repo Man, Alex Cox’s first directorial experience, is another dark comedy in the science fiction genre. The production, considered one of the best movies of the year, stars Harry Dean Stanton and Emilio Estevez. The movie, ranked 8th on the “Best Los Angeles Movies of the Last 25 Years” list prepared by the LA Times, is a highly enjoyable work to watch.

After a fight with a co-worker, angry punk rocker Otto quits his job at the supermarket where he works and is later dumped by his girlfriend at a party. While wandering the streets in frustration, he comes across an unexpected job offer. He must track down a Chevrolet Malibu that is wanted with a $20,000 bounty and has something quite unusual in its trunk. During his training for this challenging task, he meets the world of real drivers, befriends a conspiracy theorist who believes in UFOs, comes face to face with rivals who are after the same bounty, and discovers that some of his old friends have turned to crime. All of these will be incredible experiences for Otto!

Information about Repo Man

Title: Repo Man
Director: Alex Cox
Cast: Emilio Estevez, Harry Dean Stanton, Miguel Ferrer, Tracey Walter, Olivia Barash
Release Year: 1984
Duration: 92 minutes
Country: United States
Genre: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
IMDB Rating: 7.0/10
Language: English
Age Rating: R
Similar Movies: The Terminator (1984), They Live (1988), Repo Men (2010)
Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
IMDb Link: Repo Man on IMDb

6.The Ref

Ted Demme’s 1994 black comedy The Ref, starring Denis Leary, is an impressive movie that grossed $11 million at the box office.

A hapless cat burglar, abandoned by his partner in the middle of a robbery and forced to take an annoying couple hostage, finds himself taking on a task much more difficult than he can handle. Soon, he must solve the problems of the family he broke into, who are driving him crazy with their petty squabbles and huge family problems behind them; if he wants to survive…

Information about The Ref

Title: The Ref
Director: Ted Demme
Cast: Denis Leary, Judy Davis, Kevin Spacey, Christine Baranski, Robert L. Carradine
Release Year: 1994
Duration: 97 minutes
Country: United States
Genre: Comedy, Crime
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
IMDB Rating: 6.9/10
Language: English
Age Rating: R
Similar Movies: The War of the Roses (1989), Analyze This (1999), The Whole Nine Yards (2000)
Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
IMDb Link: The Ref on IMDb

7.A Serious Man

Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture and the Golden Globe Award, A Serious Man is a 2009 black comedy-drama movie written and directed by the Coen Brothers. The movie, which grossed $31 million, quadrupling its $7 million budget, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Living in Bloomington, Minnesota in 1967, Jewish physics professor Larry Gopnik is a serious-tempered and highly admired man. However, his daughter, who stole money from him for a nose job, his son, who is an alcoholic and a druggie, his wife, who wants them to go their separate ways in a quick divorce, and finally his brother Arthur, a useless person and the Gopniks’ unwanted guest, push him to his limits.

Larry, who is having financial problems with his neighbors and is starting to feel uncomfortable when these problems become constant, goes against his professional ethics and makes an agreement with one of his students who will pay him a fee in return for passing his exams. As the regret of this incident accumulates inside him, he finds himself in the middle of a growing chaos.

Information about A Serious Man

Title: A Serious Man
Director: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Cast: Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind, Sari Lennick, Fred Melamed, Aaron Wolff
Release Year: 2009
Duration: 106 minutes
Country: United States
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
IMDB Rating: 7.0/10
Language: English
Age Rating: R
Similar Movies: The Big Lebowski (1998), Burn After Reading (2008), The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001)
Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
IMDb Link: A Serious Man on IMDb

8.God Bless America

God Bless America, a 2011 action and dark comedy movie written and directed by Bobcat Goldthwait, is a powerful production that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. The movie stars Joel Murray and Tara Lynne Barr.

28-year-old Frank, who is tired of the stupid, cruel, and repulsive members of society, tries to take out his anger on society by killing such people. While Frank is committing his first murder, a young girl named Roxy witnesses what is happening and decides to follow Frank. They start committing serial murders in order to rid society of the “useless” ones.

Information about God Bless America

Title: God Bless America
Director: Bobcat Goldthwait
Cast: Joel Murray, Tara Lynne Barr, Mackenzie Brooke Smith, Dianne Wiest, Chris Kattan
Release Year: 2011
Duration: 105 minutes
Country: United States
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Crime
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
Language: English
Age Rating: R
Similar Movies: Falling Down (1993), The Purge (2013), The Hunt (2020)
Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
IMDb Link: God Bless America on IMDb

9.Matchstick Men

Directed by Ridley Scott and adapted from Eric Garcia’s 2002 novel of the same name, the 2003 movie Matchstick Men stars Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, and Alison Lohman. The movie, which had a budget and gross of around $65 million, premiered at the Venice Film Festival.

Roy, a professional con artist, and his apprentice Frank are on the verge of a lucrative scam when Roy’s teenage daughter, who has a long history of con artists in her family, unexpectedly appears. Roy, who is not very successful in his private life, including family relationships, sometimes cannot control his mind and seeks support from a psychotherapist. Is it too late to establish a healthy father-daughter relationship with his 14-year-old daughter?

Information about Matchstick Men

Title: Matchstick Men
Director: Ridley Scott
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, Alison Lohman, Bruce McGill, Michael Ealy
Release Year: 2003
Duration: 116 minutes
Country: United States
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
IMDB Rating: 7.3/10
Language: English
Age Rating: PG-13
Similar Movies: Catch Me If You Can (2002), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
IMDb Link: Matchstick Men on IMDb

10.Delicatessen

Co-directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro, the 1991 post-apocalyptic black comedy Delicatessen, starring Dominique Pinon and Marie-Laure Dougnac, is a powerful movie. The movie grossed $12 million, tripling its budget, and garnered awards and nominations at many film festivals.

Set in an old apartment building with a delicatessen on the ground floor in post-apocalyptic France, where there is a great food shortage, Mr. Clapet, who is also the owner of the apartment building and wants to replace his employee who has “mysteriously” disappeared, accepts the job application of a former circus clown. Soon, a romance develops between his new employee and his daughter. When they meet the “troglodytes” who live completely underground and mostly feed on grain, this new couple overhears some truths and embarks on an important investigation that will bring them face to face with Mr. Clapet.

Information about Delicatessen

Title: Delicatessen
Directors: Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Marc Caro
Cast: Dominique Pinon, Marie-Laure Dougnac, Jean-Claude Dreyfus, Karin Viard, Serge Merlin
Release Year: 1991
Duration: 99 minutes
Country: France
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
Language: French
Age Rating: R
Similar Movies: Amélie (2001), The City of Lost Children (1995), The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
IMDb Link: Delicatessen on IMDb

11.Monty Python’s Life of Brian

Written by and starring the comedy group Monty Python, and directed by Terry Jones, “Life of Brian” is a famous black comedy movie of its time, grossing $20 million and quintupling its budget. The movie, which was criticized for its disrespect toward religion at the time, is considered one of the best comedy movies of all time. It has held a long-standing place in popular culture and can also be regarded as a cult movie.

Born on the same day as Jesus of Nazareth, Brian of Nazareth will follow a different path that leads him to the same end. Joining a political resistance movement that aims to expel the Romans from Judea, Brian achieves a kind of victory when he manages to write political slogans on a giant wall in the middle of Jerusalem. As the movement, which is not yet very effective, develops, Brian gathers his followers and declares himself a prophet. However, the truth that awaits him in his sealed destiny is that he will live a very short life.

Information about Monty Python’s Life of Brian

Title: Monty Python’s Life of Brian
Directors: Terry Jones
Cast: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Jones, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Connie Booth
Release Year: 1979
Duration: 94 minutes
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Comedy
Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
Language: English
Age Rating: R
Similar Movies: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), The Meaning of Life (1983), This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
IMDb Link: Monty Python’s Life of Brian on IMDb