From science fiction and horror to history and drama, a movie can often be the best of two genres. Similarly, numerous excellent are a blend of crime and comedy. While real-life crime and comedy don’t go together, they are a match made in heaven in the world of fictional storytelling.
For decades, filmmakers have made great crime comedies, many of which are placed in the annals of cinema history. It's surprising just how much humor writers can generate from characters committing what would otherwise be taboo actions. Although there are many great crime-comedy movies, a special few stand tall above the rest as true classics.
10 22 Jump Street Managed To Top Its Great Predecessor
2014
Writer/director duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are some of the best comedic writers of the 2010s. The pair broke out with Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs before following up with 21 Jump Street in 2012. 21 Jump Street was a massive critical and commercial success, but its sequel somehow topped it.
22 Jump Street picks up with the lovable Schmidt and Jenko as they go undercover in college. Like its predecessor, 22 Jump Street further highlights Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill’s incredible chemistry. Their banter is endlessly entertaining, and coupled with Lord and Miller’s hilarious script, 22 Jump Street is a genuinely brilliant sequel.
9 Kung Fu Hustle Is A Hilarious Crime Comedy
2004
Filmmaker Stephen Chow is easily one of the greatest filmmakers to come out of Hong Kong. Chow’s films had an energetic style and uniqueness, which made them stand out in a highly competitive industry. Two of Chow’s best films, Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle, are widely considered some of the best comedies of all time.
Released in 2004, Kung Fu Hustle sees Chow play an inspiring gangster who is forced to defend his housing complex from a notorious gang. Featuring Chow’s trademark exaggerated physics and camerawork, Kung Fu Hustle is an endlessly entertaining film and one of the best productions to come out of Hong Kong.
8 The Wolf Of Wall Street Further Highlights Martin Scorsese's Talents
2013
Of the numerous great actor-director collaborations, one of the best is Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio. As of 2022, Scorsese and DiCaprio have worked together on five movies, all of which have received critical acclaim.
2013’s The Wolf of Wall Street is easily Scorsese's most comedic movie to date. The story of Jordan Belfort's (played by DiCaprio) rise and fall is an incredible tale. Despite not having as much experience with comedy, Scorsese did a great job capturing the chaotic and unbelievable parts of Belfort’s life. Of course, DiCaprio also gives an Oscar-worthy performance in the lead role.
7 Seven Psychopaths Was A Critically Overlooked Flick With An All-Star Cast
2012
Beginning as a playwright and theater director, McDonagh eventually found himself in the director’s chair of several critically acclaimed movies. One of McDounagh’s best and most overlooked features was 2012’s Seven Psychopaths.
While films like Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and The Banshees of Inisherin received Academy Award nominations, Seven Psychopaths was underrated. Still, that doesn’t stop the movie from being a highly entertaining crime comedy from one of Hollywood’s most talented filmmakers. There are plenty of hilarious scenes after Marty accidentally gets involved with criminals, who kidnap dogs for cash.
6 Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Perfectly Showcased Robert Downey Jr. At His Best
2005
One of the greatest Hollywood comebacks belongs to Robert Downey Jr. While his role in Iron Man launched Downey Jr.’s career, 2005’s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was directly responsible for him playing the MCU’s poster boy.
While Iron Man will always be what Downey Jr. is famous for, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang might be his best work. Directed and written by Shane Black, the film teams up Harry Lockhart and Gay Perry as they solve a Los Angeles murder. Downey Jr. and Kilmer are a dynamite pair, and some of their banter is unbelievably quotable and hilarious.
5 The Big Lebowski Is An Endlessly Quotable And Iconic Classic
1998
Filmmaking brothers Joel and Ethan Coen are responsible for some of the most memorable features of the past two decades. From Fargo to No Country For Old Men, the directors managed to create quite an impressive legacy for themselves thanks to their stylistic direction and genre-hybrid storytelling. However, none of their features are as fondly remembered as The Big Lebowski.
Revolving around Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski (played by Jeff Bridges), The Big Lebowski sees him confused for a millionaire. After debt collectors take his rug, he seeks to get it back. Whenever it seems like Lebowski is closer to getting his rug, more obstacles stand in his way, each more hilarious and absurd than the next.
4 Hot Fuzz Is The Best Movie From Acclaimed Director Edgar Wright
2007
Director/Writer Edgar Wright is one of the great minds of the comedy genre. From his breakthrough in 2004 with Shaun of the Dead to his recent work with 2017’s Baby Driver, Wright’s filmography is full of classics. For many of his fans, 2007’s Hot Fuzz is his best movie.
The second entry in Wright’s Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, Hot Fuzz, follows Nicolas Angel (played by Simon Pegg). The hard-boiled cop is sent to work in a small rural village. On the surface, the town appears mundane, but it holds dark secrets. Like all of Wright’s features, his comedic timing is flawless, and with his signature fast-paced stylish direction, Hot Fuzz is a must-watch for fans of comedy and crime movies.
3 Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Is Iconic
1988
During the '80s and '90s, directors Robert Zemeckis and Steve Spielberg were influential. Using their immense sway, Robert Zemeckis and Spielberg tackled an adaption of 1981's Who Censored Roger Rabbit?, a mostly forgotten novel that they turned into an iconic movie.
With Zemeckis serving as director and Spielberg as executive producer, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? takes place in a world where toons and human beings live side-by-side. When a toon named Roger Rabbit is framed for murder, a humorless detective named Eddie Valiant is forced to help. The movie’s blending of toons with live-action was revolutionary, and the pacing was perfectly pitched.
2 Four Lions Is A Masterpiece Of Comedic Writing
2010
When it comes to comedy, sometimes writers push the boundaries of humor by tackling topics that could lead to controversy. 2010’s Four Lions could’ve resulted in a backlash if it was handled poorly, but the filmmakers toed the line perfectly.
Four Lions revolves around four aspiring terrorists who are trying to plan a terrorist attack. On paper, the premise could anger some, but the characters are portrayed as hilariously incompetent. The script is sharp and maintains a lot of charm. It’s a near-impossible task for a film to make these types of characters entertaining, but Four Lions enjoyed praise for its sharp humor.
1 The Nice Guys Remains One Of The Most Tragically Underrated Films Of All Time
2016
Sometimes, incredible movies bomb at the box office. A lot of the time, films that fail financially are of lower quality, but a genuinely great movie can be overlooked. That is very much the case with 2016’s The Nice Guys. Directed by Shane Black, The Nice Guys has a strong cult following who demand a sequel.
Set in 1977 Los Angeles, The Nice Guys teams up Holland March (Ryan Gosling) with Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe) as they investigate the death of a famous porn star. Gosling and Crowe have amazing chemistry, and both give fantastic performances. The Nice Guys is one of the best crime comedies of the past couple of decades.