Summary

• R-rated comedies push boundaries with raunchy humor & compelling narratives that stand the test of time.
• Iconic directors like Mel Brooks & Judd Apatow revolutionized the genre with their unique humor.
• Movies like American Pie, There's Something About Mary, & Superbad are among the best R-rated comedies ever made.

With the freedom to depict sex and violence and little restriction on using vulgar language, R-rated comedies push the boundaries of audience expectations to produce some of the funniest movies ever made. While this often leads to crude and vulgar humor, that’s not to say that all R-rated comedies were shocking for the sake of it, and plenty were also categorized by sincerity and vulnerability as they told compelling narratives that have stood the test of time. From satirical classics of decades past to recent laugh-out-loud misadventures, R-rated comedies have left their mark on the cinematic landscape.

Some of the funniest movies ever made were rated R, and they used this freedom to go the extra mile and not hold back on the raunchy humor. While iconic directors like Mel Brooks were responsible for some of the best R-rated comedies, filmmakers like Judd Apatow revolutionized the genre with their own brand of humor for the 21st century. While there have been plenty of hilarious R-rated movies across different genres, such as the record-breaking box office takings of superhero films like Deadpool, true out-and-out R-rated comedies have carved out an important legacy for themselves and deserve recognition.

15 There’s Something About Mary (1998)

Directed by Peter Farrelly and Bobby Farrelly

The Farrelly brothers had viewers laughing hysterically with their PG-13 directional debut, Dumb and Dumber, but it was with There’s Something About Mary where they proved their talents for an R-rated audience. This excellent raunchy comedy saw Ben Stiller, Matt Dillon, Lee Evans, and Chris Elliott all vying for the attention of the beautiful Mary, played by Cameron Diaz. While it doesn’t quite reach the comedic heights of the absolute best R-rated movies, the infamous hair gel scene alone earned There’s Something About Mary a spot here.

14 American Pie (1999)

Directed by Paul Weitz

A quarter of a century since its release, it’s easier to underestimate just how important American Pie was to the teen sex comedy genre. Packed with classic moments and iconic characters like Jason Bigg’s naive Jim or Seann William Scott as the notorious Stifler, American Pie captured the awkwardness of sexuality mortification and laid the groundwork for later Judd Apatow movies that managed to walk the fine line between sensitivity and obscenity. While not everything about the first installment of this long-running series has held up, American Pie is still hilarious all these years later.

13 21 Jump Street (2012)

Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller

Both nostalgic and a satirical send-up of teen movie tropes, everything about 21 Jump Street just worked.

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller jumped straight from kids' animation with Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs headfirst into the world of R-rated comedies with the excellent 21 Jump Street. As an adaptation of a 1980s police procedural series, 21 Jump Street could have fallen flat on its feet if not for the excellent chemistry between Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, who played cops going undercover at a high school to absolute perfection. Both nostalgic and a satirical send-up of teen movie tropes, everything about 21 Jump Street just worked.

12 Clerks (1994)

Directed by Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith proved filmmakers didn’t need big budgets to have a serious influence on the movie industry, as his debut, Clerks, was shot for just $27,575 after maxing out ten credit cards (via Viewaskew.) Luckily, this gamble paid off as Clerks hilariously showcased a day in the life of New Jersey convenience store employees and all the wild customers they interacted with, including the debut of the dynamic duo Jay and Silent Bob. With snappy dialogue, memorable characters, and an everyday sense of realism, this black-and-white comedy had a serious effect on indie filmmaking for decades to come.

11 Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

Directed by Nicholas Stoller

One unconventional rom-com that shook up the genre was Forgetting Sarah Marshall, a film that shifted its focus to heartbreak as Jason Segal dealt with a devastating breakup. After being dumped by Kristen Bell, as the titular Sarah Marshall, Segal traveled to Hawaii to mend his broken heart, only to stay at the same resort as his ex and her new rockstar boyfriend, who was played by Russell Brand. With the perfect blend of heartfelt vulnerability and raunchy humor, Forgetting Sarah Marshall was a clever, sweet, and laugh-out-loud look at heartache, recovery, and self-discovery.

10 Blazing Saddles (1974)

Directed by Mel Brooks

Blazing Saddles was one of the most important comedy movies of the 1970s, as it blended post-modern humor and satirical comedy with a production that broke down racial boundaries. As a true cult classic, Blazing Saddles defied the expectations of contemporary cinema and took influence from Broadway musicals to network television sketch comedy. As a true high point in the career of Mel Brooks, Blazing Saddles was a Western spoof that went the extra mile into social commentary, with the jokes coming a mile a minute for the entire runtime.

9 Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987)

Directed by John Hughes

Steve Martin and John Candy made the perfect mismatched comedic couple in John Hughes’ beloved road trip comedy Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. As the story of two men forced to work together to make it from New York to Chicago in time for Thanksgiving, this R-rated odyssey was a change of pace for Hughes, previously known for teen movies like The Breakfast Club. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles was the perfect vehicle, pun intended, for its two stars as Martin’s frustration at the endless but unintentional annoyances of Candy’s character was true comedic gold.

8 I Love You, Man (2009)

Directed by John Hamburg

I Love You, Man was the quintessential bromance movie as Paul Rudd and Jason Segal gave hilarious and heartfelt performances as a friendless real estate agent forging a friendship with an idiosyncratic oddity. The two newfound best friends bonded over their mutual love of the band Rush, and Rudd’s character appeared to have finally found someone to be the best man at his wedding. Like the best R-comedies, I Love, Man was raunchy and over-the-top, but it was also categorized by real vulnerability as it highlighted the difficulties and excitement of making a new friend well into adulthood.

7 Step Brothers (2008)

Directed by Adam McKay

At first glance, Step Brothers seemed like it could devolve into pure ridiculousness as it told the story of two middle-aged losers acting like embittered teenagers when forced to live together. Yet through the performances of Will Ferrell and John C. Reily, the absurdity of Step Brothers became part of its charm as its relentless immaturity and crude humor just worked. While Adam McKay may have since made a name for himself with clever satirical releases like The Big Short, his earlier movies like Step Brothers, Anchorman, and Talladega Nights were among the best comedies of the 2000s.

6 Bridesmaids (2011)

Directed by Paul Feig

Bridesmaids combined compelling characters with R-rated humor to produce a comedy that connected with male and female viewers alike.

The sorrowful few who wrongfully claim that women can’t do comedy only need to watch Bridesmaids to witness their thesis be obliterated in real time. As one of the funniest comedies of the 21st century, Bridesmaids combined compelling characters with R-rated humor to produce a comedy that connected with male and female viewers alike. With Kirsten Wiig as a hapless woman acting as her best friend’s maid of honor, Bridesmaids took the wedding-centric comedy of movies like Wedding Crashers and gave it an R-rated female-centric spin.