The Best Comedies Available On Netflix Instant Stream

So if I'm honest, while Netflix has a really large selection of movies of all shapes and sizes, if there was one that was a little thin on quality, it would be the romance genre. There are plenty of great stand up routines available on the instant streaming service, which does help to make up for the fact, but the movie selection is still average at best. So with that being said, it's important to know exactly what the high quality comedies that are on offer are. Here is a list of eight of the best comedy movies available on instant stream.

One of Ben Stiller's very best, 'Meet The Parents' was a huge hit back in 2000. Starring Ben Stiller as a man named Gaylord 'Greg' Focker, who has found the woman of his dreams, who he wants to spend the rest of his life with. However, all that stands in his way are her parents, played by Blythe Danner and of course Robert De Niro who pulls out an absolutely hilarious performance as the overbearing, former secret service agent father, Jack Byrnes. As the film progresses, things just keep getting worse and worse for Greg Focker, as he proceeds to break his sister in laws nose right before her wedding, smash Jack's mother's ashes and set fire to the wedding set up, among other disasters. Truly a hilarious family movie that everyone should see.

An early Will Smith film, one of the first that helped him move from his television stardom, to the big time. Starring alongside Martin Lawrence, the pair play Mike Lowrey (Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Lawrence), two hot shot cop partners that get involved in a massive drug case following the murder of one of Smith's friends. Michael Bay directs the film, as only he can, with a fantastic blend of high action, drama and wise cracking humor. The film is very violent, and the language is certainly far from clean, but despite this the film manages to hold onto a certain charm, in part due to it's charming leading pair. One of the best action comedies of the 90's which sparked an even bigger (although perhaps not better) sequel. This is a gem that you're going to want to see.

Another classic, 'Tommy Boy,' is a sort of modern slapstick comedy, starring the late, great Chris Farley alongside David Spade and Rob Lowe. Farley plays Tommy, a slightly dim-witted man, who inherits an auto company from his father after he suddenly passes away. Although, there is a catch. In order for things to work out with the bank, Tommy must find a way to sell a set number of break pads before the deadline. To help him do so, he takes to the road with his fathers old assistant, Richard, who is of course played by David Spade. Richard and Tommy could not be more different, and of course this is the standard formula for a buddy road movie, and Farley gives us his usual ultra insane brand of comedy, which is what made Tommy Boy a huge commercial hit.

Here is the first indie-comedy on the list, a recent film starring Aubrey Plaza and Jake Johnson. 'Safety Not Guaranteed' is a quirky comedy, which begins with a group of journalists who follow an ad they find in a newspaper that asks for a partner to assist with a time-travelling venture. The group follow the lead simply to provide an entertaining story to their editor, but what ensues is a charming and funny film about coming of age, friendship, regrets, and finding someone who understands you. The film also stars Mark Duplass, best known for his work on FX's hit comedy, 'The League' as the time traveler who sent out the ad. He and Aubrey plaza form a nice, and often amusing bond but some of the films best comedy comes from the relationship between the jerk writer Jeff (Johnson) who is leading the group, and the shy, never-been-kissed intern, Arnau, who he assists in 'becoming a man.' This is definitely a great film for all you indie movie fans out there.

The oldest film on the list, one of Eddie Murphy's earliest, is arguably the first modern buddy cop movie, which started the trend which sparked classics like 'Lethal Weapon' and the previously mentioned 'Bad Boys.' Murphy plays an ex convict named Reggie, who unwillingly teams up with a cop named Jack, played by Nick Nolte. We all know the natural anger and rage that Nick Nolte gives off, so he is the perfect contrast to Eddie Murphy's fast talking, smart mouthed character. What begins as a clear hatred provides us with some fantastic humor, alongside some real action and drama. Any fans of the modern buddy cop films, should check this one out.

Adam Sandler has made a LOT of comedy movies, and unfortunately many of his recent efforts have been rather poor. However, Sandler was once on an absolute roll, and 'Happy Gilmore' is one of the films that sparked that. Gilmore plays a former hockey player, who was unable to hit the big time. His grandmother's home is on the verge of being taken away from her and he needs to come up with a large sum of money to prevent it. He discovers, that while hockey didn't work out, he actually has a surprising talent for golf. What ensues is a version of the sport of golf that the PGA certainly wouldn't condone, and with surprise roles from Carl Weathers and Ben Stiller (absolutely hilarious as the sadistic care giver to Sandler's grandmother), the film is a bit of a cult classic.

As a native of Britain, this might be my favorite film on this particular list. Directed by the creators of 'The Office', Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the film is about 3 young friends in a working class area of Reading that face the turbulent realizations about where their lives may be heading. The three young men are played by a group of teenagers who showed up to audition together and are relative newcomers. However, they look like screen veterans, and bring to life the internal struggles young men stuck in a going nowhere town face. Desperate to make a life for themselves that is different than the one their parents lived, the trio are hilarious in their attempts to find love, work and adventure. As well as being absolutely hilarious, the film is also truly charming and often quite poignant in it's portrayal of 1970s working class Britain.

Another surprise classic. this is the film that launched Kevin Smith's career as a director, and it cost him less than $30,000 to make. A film about two store clerks who basically drive customers crazy, talk movies and sports and do all the stuff most guys like to do. The humor is sharp and the dialogue is plentiful, with most of the film basically involving ridiculous conversations that are easy to relate to for every day folks. The film also introduces us to Kevin Smith's most well know characters, Jay and Silent Bob, who showed up in basically all of their films. While relatively simple, the film is tremendously witty, and while it may not appeal to everyone, those who like it tend to love it.

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