Summary

• From unhinged villains to dim-witted heroes, some movie comedy characters are too over-the-top to exist in the real world.
• Mr. Chow, Austin Powers, and Captain Jack Sparrow are examples of characters that push the boundaries of believability in film comedies.
• While absurd and entertaining on screen, characters like Buddy the Elf and Harry and Lloyd from Dumb and Dumber could never exist in reality.

Part of the appeal of comedy characters in movies was their eccentric and over-the-top nature, but occasionally, some characters were just too outrageous to believably exist in the real world. From unhinged wildcards to extraordinarily dim-witted buffoons, the movie comedy landscape has had plenty of uniquely bizarre and idiosyncratic creations that if a viewer were to encounter in their day-to-day lives, they would feel like they’ve just stepped into another world. While these characters were enjoyable to watch on the screen, they never won any awards when it came to accuracy or realism.

The type of movie comedy characters who could never have existed in the real world were categorized by their sheer variety and number of heroes, villains, and everything in between. While viewers loved to watch the antagonistic outbursts of oddly endearing villains like Mr. Chow in The Hangover series, they were also equally perplexed by the sheer stupidity of certain protagonists, such as Harry and Lloyd in Dumb and Dumber. Across all types of comedy, from intense swashbuckling adventures to Christmas classics, there were plenty of characters who could never have existed in the real world.

10 Leslie Chow

The Hangover (2009)

As an intense substance ab with connections to an international crime syndicate, Mr. Chow was every cliché of an unhinged villain rolled up into one.

The Hangover franchise took place in a crazed, heightened-reality version of the real world, and nobody represented this absurdity better than the archnemesis of the Wolfpack, Mr. Chow. As an intense substance ab with connections to an international crime syndicate, Mr. Chow was every cliché of an unhinged villain rolled up into one and was just too over-the-top to exist in the real world. Much like The Hangover series itself, Mr. Chow’s appearances continually got more absurd as he was trapped in the trunk of a car, nearly died from cocaine, and was knocked unconscious by a fire hydrant.

9 Derek Zoolander

Zoolander (2001)

When Ben Stiller co-wrote, directed, and starred in Zoolander he delivered one of the very best comedy characters of the early 2000s in Derek Zoolander, the clueless male model who was just too dim-witted to ever actually exist. From thinking one who speaks at funerals was called a “eugoogolizer” to not knowing how to turn left, Zoolander seemed like he came from a different reality when it came to his blind-sighted way of living. While there was the occasional smart move by Zoolander, like trying to stop his friend’s gasoline fight, his foolish moments far outweighed his clever ones.

8 Brick Tamland

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy (2004)

How exactly Brick Tamland from Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy managed to secure his job as the weatherman for the KVWN news team was never explained, but in the real world, he would not have lasted one day in the role. A fun, cheerful, but painfully simple-minded man, Brick was revealed to have been a captain in the Vietnam War, killed a man with a trident, and yelled uncontrollably when he felt it was appropriate. Viewers should not be fooled by Brick’s nerdy and put-together demeanor, as bubbling below the surface was a truly absurd character.

7 Ace Ventura

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)

As an eccentric and quite possibly insane ‘pet detective’, Ace Ventura gave up regular investigative work to focus on exclusively animal-based crimes and everything about his existence was just too wild to ever exist in reality. With so many hilarious Ace Ventura quotes and catchphrases, Jim Carrey’s portrayal of the character was so over-the-top and out of this world that it brought to mind other roles of his from the same time, such as The Mask. A fun, albeit occasionally annoying character, audiences can take comfort knowing they’ll never bump into Ace in their day-to-day lives.

6 Captain Jack Sparrow

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

While it’s true that Johnny Depp based his portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow on the real-life Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards (via IGN), his over-the-top nature pushed him outside the realms of reality. Full of charisma, wit, and a drunken swagger, Captain Jack spoke with a slurred speech and always appeared to be on the verge of absolute collapse. However, without warning, he would then showcase himself as a highly skilled swordsman. Sparrow was a mishmash of countless contradictions, and while a real person might possess some of Captain Jack’s characteristics, he was too cartoonish to have existed.

5 Austin Powers

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)

The character of Austin Powers was a collection of references and pop culture associations to the point that his existence in the real world would be an absurd impossibility. As a parody of media representations of British spies, most notably James Bond, Austin Powers also embodied the psyche of Swinging London and the hippie culture of the 1960s, through his belief in free love, use of obsolete terminology, and dreadfully dated sense of style. One of the great comedy characters of the late 1990s, Austin Powers, along with Wayne’s World and Shrek, proved to be some of Mike Myers’ most impressive comedic work.

4 Buddy Hobbs

Elf (2003)

While there’s no way Buddy could ever have existed in the real world, this was part of his charm.

The story of Buddy the Elf in Elf, over more than 20 years, grew into a true Christmas classic that audiences have enjoyed watching annually every holiday season. A hilarious and outrageous love letter to the joy of Christmas, Buddy the Elf was raised with the elves in Santa’s workshop and, after growing up in the North Pole, was completely oblivious to the way normal people lived their lives after he went to New York City to be reunited with his father. While there’s no way Buddy could ever have existed in the real world, this was part of his charm.

3 Harry and Lloyd

Dumb and Dumber (1994)

While Harry Dunne and Lloyd Christmas were two separate people, it’s impossible to separate their association with one another as their sheer absurdity, cluelessness, and dim-witted nature were only matched by each other. As characters seen throughout the Dumb and Dumber franchise, the adventures of Harry and Lloyd could only exist in a fictional narrative as their loudmouthed, ignorant, but endearing qualities got them into increasingly bizarre scenarios. Harry and Lloyd were stupidity taken to its most extreme and while they could not exist in reality, they were part of one of the funniest movies of the 1990s.

2 Nacho Libre

Nacho Libre (2006)

The story of Nacho Libre was inspired by the real Mexican Catholic priest, Fray Tormenta, who was also a professional lucha libre wrestler (via Vice), although the fictionalized version played by Jack Black was just too wild to have ever existed. Nacho Libre was initially slated by critics but became a cult classic over the years as Black gave it his all and fully committed to the role of a friar turned luchador in this heartwarming comedy. While Nacho’s demeanor may have been absurd, his heart was always in the right place, and he became an enduring comedic character.

1 Borat Sagdiyev

Borat! Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)

Part of the appeal of Sacha Baron Cohen in Borat was its mockumentary style, which meant this absurd comedy character was interacting with actual people who believed he was a real person. This blending of fact and fiction made Borat even more hilarious, as viewers were in on the joke, while those in the film struggled to accept Borat’s cultural differences, outrageous viewpoints, and inappropriate behavior. An effective cultural commentary, there was no way Borat could have existed, but the fact people believed he did was an interesting reflection of how other cultures were viewed in the Western world.

Sources: IGN, Vice