Top 20 Funniest Comedy Movie Scenes of the Century (So Far)
#20: Neil Patrick Harris Breaks Bad
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“Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle” (2004) As far as cameos go, this has got to be one of the raunchiest. Prior to 2004, Neil Patrick Harris wasn’t exactly a hot commodity. He’d achieved meteoric success in the early 90s playing the titular teenage doctor on “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” but in the years that followed his fame began to dwindle. Enter: “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle.” The stoner comedy cast NPH as a fictionalized version of himself that was so far removed from the one fans had come to know, it may as well have been a different actor. Our protagonists find Patrick Harris on the side of the road and he proceeds to obliterate whatever cookie-cutter image they (not to mention the audience) previously had of him.
#19: Messenger Service
“The Nice Guys” (2016) This film is also among the most underrated comedy movies of the century so far. “The Nice Guys” turns the unlikely pairing of Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe into comedic gold, and it was this scene that gave viewers their first taste of the duo’s brilliant on-screen chemistry. The scene sees Gosling’s hapless private eye get the crap beaten out of him by Crowe’s tough-guy enforcer. That’s it. However, it’s the way the two interact throughout the violent encounter that elevates the scene to new comedic heights. Speaking of heights, we almost gave this spot to the film’s climax, in which Gosling’s Holland March miraculously survives multiple falls from lethal heights.
#18: Tranquilizer in the Neck
“Old School” (2003) The fact that three Will Ferrell scenes from three different films appear on this list is a testament to just how much of a comedic force he’s been in the 21st century so far. In “Old School,” Ferrell plays Frank "The Tank" Ricard, whose old drinking habits flare up when his wife expresses doubt in their marriage. While the streaking scene is a classic, we had to go with this one, in which Frank accidentally shoots himself in the neck with a tranquilizer gun. We don’t know what’s funnier: Seann William Scott’s reaction to Frank taking one in the jugular, or Frank then immediately ruining a child’s birthday party with his drugged-out antics. What are we saying? This entire scene is hilarious!
#17: I Like to Party
Top 30 Funniest Comedy Movie Scenes of the Century (So Far)
“Hot Rod” (2007) After years of making us laugh with their “Saturday Night Live” Digital Shorts, The Lonely Island crew were given the opportunity to helm a major motion picture - and they did not disappoint. While “Hot Rod” is loaded with hilarious scenes, none made us bust a gut in laughter quite as much as this one. Attempting to introduce Denise to his crew, Rod has each of them say a little something about themselves. However, when he innocently kicks things off by stating that he “likes to party,” things rapidly descend into a whirlwind of buffoonery. Apparently they all like to party, a fact that irritates Rod to no end.
#16: The Opening
Top 10 Funniest Opening Movie Scenes
“Super Troopers” (2001) Now this is how you kick off a movie. “Super Troopers” revolves around a group of whacky Vermont state troopers who spend their days cracking wise and pulling pranks instead of doing actual police work. And they love nothing more than to scare the crap out of stoned college kids on their way to Canada for poutine. Everything about this scene is side-splittingly funny – from the dialogue, to the acting, to the emotional roller coaster experienced by the dudes in the car. The only problem? The scene was so good that the rest of the movie can feel subpar by comparison.
#15: The Five D's of Dodgeball
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“Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story” (2004) After watching this scene, you’ll never look at a wrench the same way again. In danger of losing his gym to a competitor, Peter LaFleur and a gang of misfit’s band together in order to win a dodgeball tournament with a grand prize of $50,000. In order to do so, they enlist the help of Patches O'Houlihan, a former professional dodgeballer. Unfortunately for them, Patches is a little rough around the edges and decides to teach them the Five D’s of Dodgeball by hurling wrenches at them. Why, you ask? Well, as Patches so eloquently puts it: “If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball.” Hey, he ain’t wrong…
#14: Misadventure at School
“21 Jump Street” (2012) When we first heard that there was going to be a “21 Jump Street” reboot starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, we didn’t know what to think. However, it didn’t take long for us to fall in love with this totally unexpected comedic duo. Tatum and Hill play off of each other beautifully, but it’s this scene, in which they each embark on a drug-addled adventure in the middle of a school day, that made us laugh the most. As both descend further down the rabbit hole, destroying music classes and track meets with equal amounts of enthusiasm, it’s simply impossible to keep a straight face. Now if only these two could reunite for a third film…
#13: Slappin’ da Bass
“I Love You, Man” (2009) Prior to this flick, Paul Rudd had mainly played supporting characters in stellar comedies like “Anchorman” and “Knocked Up.” However, the moment we saw him slap da bass for his fiancé, we knew he was leading man material. It’s the way Rudd loses himself in the scene that makes it so funny. He’s left his dignity at the door and is fully committed to the absurdity of the moment. So what if he’s unable to come up with a sweet nickname on the fly like co-star Jason Segel? We think Jobin is, uh, super cool…
#12: Ruined Magazine
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“This Is the End” (2013) Featuring a slew of this century’s best comedic actors playing fictionalized versions of themselves attempting to stave off the apocalypse, “This Is the End” unsurprisingly provided viewers with numerous laugh-out-loud moments. The film at times feels like a window into the real-life friendships of the actors, including the raunchy jokes they no doubt tell each other when the cameras aren’t rolling. No scene better embodies this than the one in which James Franco confronts Danny McBride over a magazine he, uh, ruined…Watching these two grown men spew crass insults at each other for almost three minutes straight will leave you with tears in your eyes and probably feeling a little disgusted. Enjoy!
#11: Zipline
“Girls Trip” (2017) When four lifelong friends head to New Orleans to rekindle their friendship, all manner of hilarity ensues. We seriously cannot overstate just how hilarious “Girls Trip” truly is. However, we can show you. Take the ziplining scene for example. Desperately having to pee, Lisa allows Dina to talk her into ziplining over a crowd of people in order to get to the washroom. Unfortunately, she gets stuck in the middle at the exact moment she can no longer hold it in. The result is downright nasty, but made us laugh, nonetheless. Hey, serves those creeps right for taking pictures of Lisa in the first place!
#10: “I Am McLovin’”
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“Superbad” (2007) Did you honestly think we’d make it through 20 entries without mentioning “Superbad” once? From Seth’s odd childhood obsession to literally every scene involving Bill Hader and Seth Rogen’s cops, there were countless scenes for us to choose from. However, we knew in our hearts that it had to be the birth of McLovin’. Fogell’s decision to use the name ‘McLovin’’ on his fake I.D. is both insanely stupid and totally hilarious. We mean, come on, one name?! Fogell’s attempts to defend the decision only make things worse, with Seth and Evan verbally eviscerating him, much to our pleasure. In the end, we’ll always remember where we were when we met McLovin’, a 25-year-old organ donor, for the first time.
#9: Bunk Beds
“Step Brothers” (2008) Every once and a while you come across a movie so stupid it’s brilliant. “Step Brothers” features Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly at the height of their man-child escapades. Perhaps no scene better encapsulates the absurdity of their friendship quite like the bunk beds scene. We love the fact that they ask permission from their parents, we love the fact that the beds are a ramshackle mess of odds and ends from around the house, and we love the fact that Dale asks the most mundane yet hilarious question prior to crushing his brother beneath the wooden monstrosity. And here we were thinking we’d laughed our hardest at the fight scene from earlier in the film.
#8: One Too Many
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“The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013) Leonardo DiCaprio arguably should have taken home the Oscar for Best Actor based on this scene alone! Paired with legendary director Martin Scorsese, DiCaprio turned depravity into an art form, with this scene serving as his crowning achievement. In it, DiCaprio’s Jordan Belfort suddenly succumbs to the strength of the numerous Quaaludes inside his system; with their delayed fuse taking him completely by surprise. The result is him losing all motor function. Watching DiCaprio crawl, fall, and drag himself to his car would be heartbreaking if it wasn’t so damn funny. Thankfully, he was able to drive home without incident…or so we’re led to believe.
#7: Les Grossman Unleashed
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“Tropic Thunder” (2008) Be honest, you didn’t know Tom Cruise had a performance like this in him. We certainly didn’t. Alas, Cruise crushed the role of Les Grossman, with this scene demonstrating just how wrong we were to doubt him. Grossman is a foulmouthed movie studio executive who is clearly not used to hearing the word “no.” So when a group of drug dealers attempts to extort him after kidnapping action star Tugg Speedman, he doesn’t roll over. In fact, quite the opposite. Grossman goes on the offensive, verbally eviscerating the gang members with a string of profanities so brutal you’re not sure if you should laugh or cower in fear. However, when Grossman starts dancing, all hope of stifling our giggles goes right out the window.
#6: The Walk-Off
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“Zoolander” (2001) We could have populated this entire list with scenes from this Ben Stiller action-comedy. Gas fight, anyone? As the titular Zoolander, Stiller is so funny it hurts. But it’s his tumultuous relationship with the up-and-coming model Hansel that makes this one of the best comedies of the century. After trading barbs at a club, the two agree to settle their differences on the runway. What ensues is a no holds barred walk-off, judged by David Bowie. Both models treat it like a boxing match, returning to their corners to receive touch-ups or to remove stray hairs. Stiller and Owen Wilson fully commit themselves to the scene, and for one glittering moment, they were male models.
#5: Napoleon’s Dance
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“Napoleon Dynamite” (2004) Of all the comedies on our list, “Napoleon Dynamite” might be the strangest. It’s got wacky characters, a wacky setting, and an even wackier premise. All that combines to create a movie that’s unlike any before or since. While we were tempted to go with one of Kip’s biting insults, we ultimately decided to stick with the titular character’s epic dance routine. What makes this scene so funny is how unexpected it is. Honestly, who would have thought that Napoleon purchasing D-Qwon's Dance Grooves would prove useful to the plot? When he busts out this routine to help get Pedro elected class president, it’s a shock to both the audience and us. Kudos to Jon Heder for pulling this one off with style!
#4: Bruce Takes Over Evan’s Broadcast
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“Bruce Almighty” (2003) Anyone who can watch this scene without breaking down in a fit of hysterical laughter must be from another planet. Throughout “Bruce Almighty,” the titular character is constantly being upstaged by his smug coworker Evan. Alas, when Bruce inherits the powers of the Almighty, he decides to have a little fun with Evan during a live news broadcast. Watching Bruce take over Evan’s body is uproariously funny, with both Jim Carrey and Steve Carell turning in masterful comedic performances. “Bruce Almighty” is arguably outside of both actors’ Top 5 funniest films, but this scene is in a league of its own.
#3: Andy Gets Waxed
IT Director Andy Muschietti to REMAKE Pet Sematary? – The CineFiles Ep. 39
“The 40-Year-Old Virgin” (2005) Speaking of hilarious Steve Carell scenes that entered the pop culture zeitgeist in the early 2000s… “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” gave him an opportunity to prove that he was leading man material; and he did not disappoint. While the flick is overflowing with drop-dead funny scenes, this one stands above the rest. Stressed about having sex for the first time, Andy’s friends decide to give him a makeover of sorts. They take him to get his chest waxed – no small task considering how hairy he is. It’s unbelievably funny watching Andy’s demeanor change from hopeful optimism to abject terror, as more and more of his chest hair is painfully removed. We will never hear the name “Kelly Clarkson” the same way again.
#2: The Fight
Top 24 Best Movie Fight Scenes of Each Year (2000 - 2023)
“Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” (2004) Few scenes in the history of comedy were as gloriously unexpected as this one. In search of a suit store, Ron Burgundy and the rest of the Channel 4 News Team come face to face with their rivals, the Evening News Team. Things, uh, escalate quickly, and soon the two warring groups are joined by three other news teams, led by Luke Wilson, Tim Robbins, and Ben Stiller, no less. Armed to the gills with a variety of obscure weapons – highlighted by Brick producing a hand grenade – the conflict quickly devolves into a full-on gang war, with newscasters being taken out in a variety of bewildering ways. Seriously, where did those horses come from? Who knew that reporting the news was so dangerous? Before we unveil our number one pick, here are some honorable mentions: Golf Course Airhorn, “Jackass: The Movie” (2002) Because Nothing’s Funnier Than Watching Golfers Get Angry Aim for the Bushes, “The Other Guys” (2010) This Was a Brilliant Way to Off Two Action Stars Botched Robbery, “Booksmart” (2019) This Scene Justified the Title of the Movie
#1: Dress Fitting Gone Wrong
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“Bridesmaids” (2011) No one in their right mind could have predicted that one of the nastiest – not to mention funniest – scenes in cinematic history would take place inside of a bridal boutique. And yet, that’s exactly what goes down after a lunch trip to a Brazilian restaurant gives the entire bridal party food poisoning. Their problems are quickly compounded by the fact that A) They are all wearing expensive designer dresses, and B) There’s only one bathroom. Suffice it to say, things get real messy real quick. It’s a laugh riot that feels like it’s never going to end, even though we all know that it ultimately does…in the middle of a busy Chicago street.
