Have you ever covered your mouth in surprise after letting out a chuckle while hearing a story about another person’s woes? Dark humor intrigues us all, whether we like it or not. On a popular online forum, one user asked for suggestions for black comedies to binge. Others replied with recommendations of films to make you laugh at the dark side of life.
1. The Favourite (2018)
This hilariously bleak period piece takes place in the early 1700s in England while an ailing Queen Anne sits on the throne. The queen has no interest in ruling, so her best friend and lover makes crucial decisions while the queen plays with her 17 beloved pet rabbits. But when a new servant with a disgraced aristocratic father arrives at the castle, she wiggles her way between the queen and her lover to earn her Majesty’s good graces.
2. Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999)
When an aspiring beauty pageant contestant enters her local pageant for the first time, she’s up against the daughter of a wealthy, previous winner. As the two women prepare for the big event, a series of tragedies strike the town, making the contestants wary of competing.
3. Election (1999)
Election follows a high school civics teacher with a grudge against a high-achieving student in his class. When she announces she plans to run for class president, the teacher convinces another student to run against her. But when the first student discovers her teacher’s plot against her, she amps up the stakes on the campaign trail.
4. Death Becomes Her (1992)
When an author’s fiance’s head turns for a famous actress, he leaves her, and she quickly falls into a pit of despair. After seeking treatment at a psychiatric hospital, she drinks an elixir that promises youthful looks and immortality. After becoming young and beautiful again, the author pursues her ex-fiance and his new wife to rub it in their faces.
5. Welcome to The Dollhouse (1995)
This hilarious coming-of-age comedy film is about a middle schooler who doesn’t fit in at school or at home. Bullied by her classmates, targeted by her teachers, and subject to middle child syndrome at home, she struggles to find a place to belong.
6. World’s Greatest Dad (2009)
After his son dies in an embarrassing accident, his father, an aspiring author-turned-high school English teacher, fakes a note that makes it seem like his son took his own life. When the letter is applauded for its intelligence and excellent writing, the father is pleased that his writing is finally getting attention. But he struggles to keep his involvement a secret when he takes this project one step further.
7. Cyrus (2010)
When a divorcee finally falls in love with the woman of his dreams, she keeps him at arms-length without telling him why. But when he follows her home after a date one day, he realizes why she hasn’t brought him home. She lives with her clingy adult son, who refuses to let another man come near his mother.
8. Spontaneous (2020)
Spontaneous is a dark coming-of-age comedy film that takes place after a teen suddenly and inexplicably explodes in class. Now knowing that this could happen to anyone at any time, one teen decides to text his long-time secret crush and tell her how he feels. As the two bond, they struggle to contend with the knowledge that they could blow up at any moment.
9. Bernie (2011)
When a well-loved assistant funeral director befriends a lonely older woman in his small Texas town, he soon grows tired of her clinginess and constant need for companionship. One day, he snaps and kills the woman, and when he’s taken into custody, the townspeople defend his innocence despite a full confession.
10. The Craft (1996)
The Craft is a hilarious teen horror film about a new girl in school who has telekinetic powers. Searching for belonging, the teen connects with three aspiring witches who believe her telekinetic abilities can help them cast better spells. As the four become a powerful team, they take their witchcraft to increasingly dangerous heights.
11. Adam’s Apples (2005)
This Danish black comedy follows a neo-Nazi who just got out of prison on the condition that he joins a rehabilitation program. The priest who runs the program rubs the ex-con the wrong way with his optimism and kindhearted personality. Given the task of tending to an old apple tree in order to bake a delicious apple pie, the ex-con begrudgingly attempts to achieve his new goal.
12. The Overnight (2015)
When a couple moves to L.A., they’re excited to make new friends with an odd couple with a son the same age as theirs. The family invites the new couple over for a playdate for their kids, and when the boys fall asleep, the guests soon learn that the other couple are swingers.
13. Observe and Report (2009)
Observe and Report is about a hardworking mall cop who dreams of becoming a real police officer one day. He gets his chance to impress his higher-ups when a flasher begins unleashing terror on the mall. Determined to catch the criminal and prove his worth, the mall cop enters increasingly zany scenarios, hoping his creative attempts will lead him to the culprit.
14. Heathers (1988)
When a popular teenage girl confronts her friend about her immoral behavior, she and her boyfriend accidentally poison and kill the girl. After they successfully cover up the death, the boyfriend grows bold and begins to kill the classmates he dislikes while the girl attempts to stop his antics and retain her spot at the top of the social ladder.
15. Ghost World (2001)
This coming-of-age dramedy follows two best friends during the summer after they graduate from high school. The two are outcasts trying to find their place in the world. As romantic endeavors capture their attention, the young women’s friendship begins to deteriorate.
16. The Cable Guy (1996)
When a lonely cable installer finds companionship with one of his customers, his clinginess and desire for constant attention causes the customer to end their friendship as quickly as it began. But the cable installer refuses to take no for an answer and begins stalking his customer. Terrified, the customer reaches out to friends, family, and authorities for help, but no one will believe him.
17. Jennifer’s Body (2009)
Jennifer’s Body is a horror comedy that takes place in an all-American high school. When the most popular girl in school becomes possessed by a demon, she uses her social prestige to lure nerdy boys to their death. But when the girl’s close friend realizes a demon has taken control of her body, she hatches a plan to stop the terror.
18. Death to Smoochy (2002)
This hysterical dark comedy showcases the downfall of the once-popular children’s show star Rainbow Randolf (Robin Williams) after he was caught accepting bribes. When the straight-laced Smoochy replaces Rainbow Randolf, he becomes obsessed with getting revenge against the network and reinstating his character on the show.
19. Ingrid Goes West (2017)
A troubled young woman obsessed with social media influencers moves to California after her mother’s tragic death. When she arrives, she tracks down her favorite influencer and finds a way to sneak into her life. When the two become friends, the influencer begins questioning the young woman’s increasingly strange antics.
20. In Bruges (2008)
After two hitmen struggle to complete a job, they head to a small city in Belgium to hide out until the coast is clear. While in hiding, one of the hitmen grows bored of his quiet surroundings, while the other finds the city quite charming. But what both men agree on is that they stand out like sore thumbs in their new surroundings.
21. Red Rocket (2021)
When a man with an explicit past moves back to his conservative Texas hometown, he struggles to find a job with his lax career history. When he manages to pick up an illegal gig selling weed, he hopes his life will get back on track. But his eccentric and loud personality rubs the wrong way with many of the locals.
22. Swiss Army Man (2016)
Swiss Army Man is an absurd dark comedy about a lone survivor on a remote island after a tragic accident left him stranded. Just when he thinks all hope is lost, the man catches a glimpse of a corpse that he uses as a raft to get back to the mainland. Now stranded in miles upon miles of wilderness, the man and his gassy, dead companion trek through the woods to find civilization.
23. Another Round (2020)
When four teachers get together for a dinner party, they realize each of them is bored with their lives and their jobs. Together, they decide to test a psychiatrist’s theory that people are happier and more productive when they’re constantly a little bit tipsy. The teachers start sneaking alcohol into their daily schedules, causing consequences none could foresee.
24. Jawbreaker (1999)
Jawbreaker is a comic, dark high-school drama about a group of popular girls who accidentally kill their best friend when they gag her with a jawbreaker and tie her up on their way to celebrate her birthday breakfast. When they attempt to cover up the murder, a nerdy classmate catches the girls with the body, so they accept her into their clique to keep her from talking.
25. Very Bad Things (1998)
After five guys take a trip to Las Vegas to blow off steam, the friends find themselves in hot water after one is connected to the death of a woman. Another friend kills the security guard who found the dead woman’s body to cover up the crime. Soon, the men are entangled in a web of secrets that threatens to upend their lives.
Source: Reddit.
Maya (she/they) is a queer entertainment and culture journalist. They cover interviews, reviews, roundups, news, and more. She loves horror, history, and creativity. They hope their writing both entertains readers and inspires them to think critically. Her favorite pastimes include needle felting, gaming, and drawing.
