Photo Credit ( Pixabay )

During a period when superhero movies were about to take over and genre films were starting to fade, comedy were one of the only genres to enjoy massive box office success. Powered by Judd Apatow and Adam McKay, 2000s films like Anchorman and The 40-Year-Old Virgin went on to become some of the biggest hits of the decade.

Comedies’ ability to make money has changed over time, but their caliber has never changed. Even while a lot of fans are familiar with the big-budget comedic films of the twenty-first century, many more have slipped under the radar.

“Words of Pain” (2013) – 65%

Jason Bateman is the director and star of Bad Words, a hilariously irresponsible and ethically warped adventure. The film, which was written by Andrew Dodge, whose original screenplay was included in the 2011 Blacklist, centers on a middle-aged guy who enters the National Spelling Bee by abusing a rule. The film opened to mediocre reviews and made less money than expected.

75% of “Damsels in Distress” (2011)

The 13-year wait was worthwhile for Damsels in Distress. The ‘Bourgeois in Love’ trilogy, which features some of the greatest comedies of the 1990s, was succeeded by Whit Stillman’s triumphant return with Damsels in Distress, which centers on a group of idealistic college women. Despite the fact that the film centers on a group of intelligent college students, it manages to sidestep the dangers of unappealing precociousness.

77% of “Tadpole” (2002)

Tadpole is one of the most endearing portrayals of a childish male pseudo-intellectual in film. Like its lead, the film is astute, using Voltaire quotes to clarify certain events. It is, nevertheless, occasionally narrow-minded and naive about the nature of romance, much like its 15-year-old star. The movie, which cost only $150,000 to make, is about a gifted student who develops feelings for his stepmother.

The movie succeeds in the end despite having a delicate premise. Remarkably enough, Tadpole feels new even if it borrows tropes from The Graduate, Whit Stillman, and J.D. Sallinger. Tadpole, a Sundance winner, is witty and endearing, presenting an independent comedy from a unique and admirable angle.

2015’s “The Overnight” – 82%

These days, movies like The Overnight are hardly ever made. A raucous sex comedy that delves into some strange relationships, the film’s excellence surpasses its modest $200 000 budget. The film, which centers on a young couple invited to a dinner party by an extremely cordial couple, has some excellent acting, especially from Jason Schwartzman, who plays the mysterious and overly familiar neighbor.

Filmmaker Patrick Brice draws heavily from his experience in horror to create a remarkably unsettling film, The Overnight. Though generally lighthearted, there are a lot more gloomy psycho-sexual implications and undertones than in a thematic forerunner such as Bob and Carol or Ted and Alice. The Overnight deftly blends its sensual insouciance with unsettling undercurrents, aided by some really entertaining visual gags.

2014’s “While We’re Young” – 84%

While We’re Young, Noah Baumbach’s most financially successful film to that moment, is today unjustly written off as one of Baumbach’s more poor works. While We’re Young, in actuality, is a sharply observed criticism on the millennial generation’s takeover and moral decline. The film begins with a moving passage from Henrik Ibsen’s The Master Builder (which, crucially, is really from Wallace Shawn’s 2013 adaptation). It centers on a middle-aged couple who become friends with a young married couple.

Baumbach, who consistently maintains a brilliant point of view, admits that his Generation X protagonist’s anger is a little self-serving. Baumbach, however, continues to target the feigned, provocative youth with a lively humor and fluidity. Baumbach accomplishes a remarkable achievement in While We’re Young by crafting a compelling critique that centers around his own grievances.

“Acknowledgment, Fletch” (2022) – 86%

Greg Mottola is one of the greatest comedy directors of the twenty-first century because he is a very intelligent man who can also make really stupid films. In his great debut, The Daytrippers, he demonstrated both his mental and emotional intelligence. After that, directing Superbad would bring Mottola widespread success. Perhaps his most consistently hilarious film to date is the mystery-comedy Confess, Fletch, which he recently directed.

While Adventureland isn’t quite as pure comedy as Confess, Fletch, it may still be considered. The film has a fantastic ensemble that shows off their comedic skills, with lead actors Jon Hamm and Marcia Gay Harden in particular being riotously good. It also has wonderful musical selections. The success of Confess, Fletch in bringing back a long-abandoned franchise shouldn’t be undervalued.

“I’m Sorry About Smoking” (2005) – 86%

Thank You For Smoking is unflinching, in contrast to other films that give in to the lure of happy endings and audience coddling. In his feature film debut, Thank You For Smoking, Jason Reitman, writer and director, demonstrates the same wit and style as his later dramedy masterwork Up in the Air. The film, which starred Aaron Eckhart as an insensitive lobbyist, was a box office hit.

Even while the movie received positive reviews from many critics, it also faced opposition and was not allowed to screen at most major award ceremonies. Sharp sarcasm and a subtly dark tone are maintained throughout the film. Additionally, it is comparatively thin, preventing emotion or sermons from overpowering the film.

“Roger Dodger,” 2002, 88%

Roger Dodger earns every single laugh with razor-sharp speech and astute observation; there are never any cheap chuckles. Just reading the script will make you laugh aloud in this word-themed film. The film, which stars Jesse Eisenberg in his feature debut and Campbell Scott, centers on a bashful teenager who stays with his philandering uncle.

Scott gives a great performance, portraying the womanizing lothario Roger with a snappy and cutting line delivery. Rather than being sleazy, he is observant and moral, applying the same principles to his romantic life as he does to his work as an advertising executive. Roger Dodger is a sharply written comedy with a brilliant ensemble that offers a counterbalance to the glut of sophomoric comedies that lack artistic merit.

94% of “In the Loop” (2009)

Most people who have seen In the Loop would probably disagree that it is “underrated.” But here’s the thing: despite making less than $8 million, In the Loop only received mediocre mainstream recognition. The political satire, a spin-off of Armando Iannucci’s BBC series The Thick of It, pokes fun at Anglo-American statecraft and the Iraq War.

Observing the clumsy idiocy of those who should be at the top of the governmental food chain is entertaining. Despite being adamantly British, the film may appeal to less sophisticated viewers because it makes fun of everyone, without exception. Iannucci performs a terrific job depicting diplomatic ineptitude by using a combination of sardonic and dumb characters.

“As Much As We Can” (2013) – 95%

Nicole Holofcener has been one of the most thoughtful and prolific filmmakers in and around Hollywood for the past thirty years, and Enough Said is the result of her combined abilities. The film, which is surprisingly about a single mother who embarks on two acrimonious new relationships, was not nominated for an Oscar.

While the entire cast is excellent, Julia Louis Dreyfus is particularly good in the lead role, proving she is watchable as a movie star. Holofcener have an incredible ability to capture the poignant, humorous moments of commonplace folks. She weaves these incidents together to create the incredibly endearing and sincere movie Enough Said.