Comedy is a very subjective thing. What's funny for one person (say, someone falling down the stairs, or farting) may be seen as painful or crass by others. And what others may find funny (say, clever wordplay, puns, and visual gags) may be considered too "highbrow" or unnecessarily clever by others.
Because of this, reception to comedy films is often wildly erratic and unpredictable. Comedy is not easy, and it's borderline impossible to please everyone. Just ask these films. These are ten comedy movies from the 2010s that critics hated (but audiences loved).
Super (2010)
James Gunn's Super is either a dark comedy masterpiece of an overly violent gross-fest, depending on who you ask. Super was often compared to Kick-Ass, but while that movie received good reviews (76% on Rotten Tomatoes), Super was criticized for its "sea of graphic violence, jarring tonal shifts, and thinly written characters." This has resulted in a mere 49% on Rotten Tomatoes and 50 Metascore. However, the movie has a bit of a cult following, judging by the movie's 6.7/10 on IMDb and 8.1 score on Metacritic.
Kick-Ass 2 (2013)
Speaking of Kick-Ass, its 2013 sequel saw an even worse critical reception than Super. Kick-Ass 2 seemingly came and went in the summer of 2013, which may be attributed to the movie's negative critical reception. It sits at just 32% on Rotten Tomatoes and has a 41 Metascore, with most calling it vastly inferior to its shocking and original predecessor. And while it didn't do great at the box office, it seems like those who actually saw it did enjoy it, judging by the B+ CinemaScore and relatively solid 6.5/10 on IMDb.
The Hangover Part II (2011)
The Hangover didn't really need a sequel, but general audiences would agree that The Hangover Part II was a solid, if somewhat underwhelming, followup to the 2009 classic. It became the highest-grossing R-rated comedy during its theatrical run, scoring a very respectable $586 million. It also earned a solid A- CinemaScore. However, critics called it a "crueler, darker, raunchier carbon copy of the first installment," resulting in a 44 Metascore and pitiful 33% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Horrible Bosses (2011)
2011 saw the release of Horrible Bosses, a wickedly funny dark comedy with an all-star cast including the likes of Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Colin Farrell, Kevin Spacey, and Jamie Foxx.
It was a major hit, scoring $210 million at the box office, a B+ CinemaScore, and a 6.9/10 on IMDb. However, the movie has a Metascore of just 57, and while critics praised the movie's acting and premise, they criticized the crude and obscene jokes (with some going so far as to call them homophobic and misogynistic).
We're The Millers (2013)
If this list proves anything, it's that general audiences like Jason Sudeikis far more than the critics do. We're the Millers was released in 2013 to great success, scoring a very respectable $270 million at the box office, an A- CinemaScore, and a 7.0/10 on IMDb. Put simply, this could be a future comedy classic. But not in the eyes of the critics. They lambasted the movie's "uneven, lazily assembled story," resulting in a 44 Metascore and 48% on Rotten Tomatoes.
American Reunion (2012)
American Reunion is the fourth entry in the ever-popular American Pie series, and the first since 2003's American Wedding. Time hasn't quelled the demand for new American Pie movies, judging by Reunion's $235 million in box office takings. It also scored well, earning a B+ CinemaScore and a 6.7/10 on IMDb. And while critics acknowledged that it made for a fun and nostalgic return, they nevertheless criticized the movie's reliance on series tropes, resulting in a 49 Metascore and 45% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Vacation (2015)
Maybe it's a stretch to say that audiences loved Vacation, but they certainly didn't hate it as much as the critics, and the disparity between critical and audience scores is quite notable.
Critics absolutely tarnished this movie, resulting in a horrible 34 Metascore and 27% on Rotten Tomatoes. Chevy Chase also earned a Razzie nomination for Worst ing Actor. However, it was received relatively well by general audiences. It made a solid $107 million at the box office, earned a B CinemaScore, and sits well at 6.1/10 on IMDb and 6.3 on Metacritic.
The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017)
The Hitman's Bodyguard is like an action-comedy of old, and for some, that glorious throwback to a dying genre was more than enough. The movie earned $180 million at the box office (aided by the stellar cast, no doubt), earned a solid B+ CinemaScore, and sits very well on IMDb with a 6.9/10. Ask general audiences, and they may call it a future classic. Ask the critics, and they'll criticize the movie's "overabundance of action-comedy clichés." The criticisms have resulted in a 47 Metascore and 41% on Rotten Tomatoes. In other words, most definitely not a classic.
The Change-Up (2011)
The Change-Up is another comedy with a massive disparity between critical and audience scores. Such is typically what you get with a Ryan Reynolds-led comedy. The movie was widely criticized for its "crude humor and formulaic plot," resulting in horrible scores of 39 on Metacritic and 25% on Rotten Tomatoes. That said, the movie also received a B CinemaScore and sits relatively well at 6.3/10 on IMDb, indicating that general audiences didn't have much of a problem with its so-called crude humor and formulaic plot.
Due Date (2010)
Due Date was Todd Phillips' first movie since The Hangover. It also starred the likes of Robert Downey Jr (who was fresh off Iron Man) and Zack Galifianakis (who was fresh off, well, The Hangover). It's clear that anticipation was quite high, and this resulted in a solid box office taking of $211 million. It's also sitting pretty at 6.5/10 on IMDb. That said, the movie has just a 40% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus calling it "shamelessly derivative and only sporadically funny."
