25 Best PG-13 Comedy Movies, Ranked

PG-13 movies are popular with both audiences and filmmakers. They successfully blend content that appeals to older viewers with entertainment suitable for families. This often translates to significant financial success for the studios. When it comes to comedies, PG-13 films offer a wide range of humor, from silly physical gags to clever dialogue.

Don’t expect strong language, sexual content, or nudity in PG-13 movies. Some viewers might worry that this restriction makes the humor less edgy, but it often encourages creativity. Comedies like Will Ferrell’s Anchorman and Mike Myers’ Austin Powers prove that funny and clever movies can still thrive within those boundaries.

People We Meet On Vacation Is Surprisingly Funny

Although many viewers anticipated a straightforward romance from the Emily Henry adaptation, People We Meet On Vacation delivers plenty of humor too. The story centers on Poppy and Alex, who initially connect in a surprising way despite being complete opposites. Their contrasting personalities – Poppy’s bubbly and playful nature versus Alex’s practicality – create a lot of funny moments. The film largely unfolds through flashbacks of their trips together, and the memorable characters they encounter along the way add to the comedic effect.

This charming story follows two friends as they navigate awkward encounters, exciting adventures, and unusual social settings, creating a sweet and funny dynamic between them. The humor comes from mishaps and chaotic moments that ultimately become great stories. Clever writing and fantastic comedic performances from Tom Blyth and Emily Bader make this romance a truly hilarious experience.

Eternity Brought Comedy To The Afterlife

Elizabeth Olsen, Callum Turner, and Miles Teller star in a story about Joan (Olsen) and Larry (Teller), a happily married couple who find themselves in a bizarre afterlife. There, souls have only a week to choose how they’ll spend eternity. Joan is then faced with an impossible decision when she encounters Luke (Turner), her first husband, who has waited sixty years to reunite with her – deciding between spending forever with him or her beloved second husband, Larry.

Eternity is a darkly comedic film where even in the afterlife, bureaucracy and salesmanship reign. Director David Freyne expertly blends humor with genuine emotion, revealing that even deceased characters have flaws and struggle with their pasts, despite ultimately meaning well. The film succeeds because it treats the serious subject of death with a light touch, supported by strong performances from its three main actors.

Happy Gilmore 2 Brings Back Old Joy

Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore 2 leans heavily on nostalgia, continuing the story of Happy, a five-time golf champion who falls into a deep slump after a tragic accident – he unintentionally hits his wife, Virginia, with a golf ball. Devastated, Happy gives up golf, turns to alcohol, and gets into trouble with authorities, risking his future. The film brings back familiar faces like Julie Bowen and Ben Stiller, and adds new stars, including Benny Safdie as an energy drink CEO and Bad Bunny as Happy’s caddy, Oscar.

Happy Gilmore 2 is a fun and feel-good movie, balancing goofy humor with genuinely touching moments. It’s about Happy returning to golf to help pay for his daughter’s ballet lessons. Expect the same silly antics as the first film – like beer hats and over-the-top fights – plus some charming new characters who deliver surprisingly funny performances. The movie feels like catching up with beloved friends, offering a great mix of slapstick comedy and a heartwarming story about family.

Wayne’s World Brings the SNL Sketch to Life

It’s surprising how successful Wayne’s World became. It started as a simple, short sketch on Saturday Night Live, featuring Mike Myers and Dana Carvey as two laid-back teenagers hosting a show on local access TV in the Chicago suburbs. The movie’s director, Penelope Spheeris, maintained the loose, improvisational feel of the original sketch, building a light story around what happens when the duo sells their show to a shady producer played by Rob Lowe. This deal threatens their friendship and forces Wayne Campbell, played by Myers, to think about what’s really important to him.

This movie is a success mainly because of its two lead actors and their great chemistry, which delivers a lot of silly and funny moments. It’s packed with memorable lines, and the iconic opening scene featuring Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” actually brought the song back into popularity. A strong sequel followed, keeping the same fun energy and making both films a great pairing to watch together.

Clueless Made Alicia Silverstone a Star

The movie Clueless is based on Jane Austen’s novel Emma, a funny story about a privileged young woman who tries to matchmake her friends. Amy Heckerling cleverly reimagined the story by setting it in a quirky Beverly Hills high school, where popular student Cher Horowitz takes it upon herself to find love for everyone around her, even if they don’t need her help. The script playfully exaggerates the lifestyle of the wealthy, which enhances the film’s lighthearted and charming humor.

Honestly, what makes ‘Clueless’ so great is Alicia Silverstone. She’s amazing as Cher! It’s a really tricky role – Cher had to seem a little innocent but definitely not dumb, super rich but not bratty, and totally unaware of the real world, all while still being genuinely kind. If she hadn’t pulled that off, the movie wouldn’t have worked, and we wouldn’t have cared about her. But Alicia nailed it, and that’s why ‘Clueless’ is such a classic from the ’90s.

The Mask Made Stars Out of Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz

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He solidified his success with another hit, The Mask, which was based on the popular Dark Horse comic from the 1990s. The film was a great match for his talents, combining Carrey’s energetic and wild performance with impressive computer-generated effects to perfectly bring the character to life.

When the timid accountant Stanley Ipkiss wears a magical mask, he transforms into a wildly energetic and cartoonish version of himself. You can see hints of this over-the-top, self-aware style in Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool, and it remains one of Jim Carrey’s most memorable roles. He’s paired with a young Cameron Diaz, playing a singer who becomes captivated by his outlandish personality. Their chemistry is fantastic, and the vibrant, animated world they inhabit hasn’t been matched in any comic book movie since.

Big Trouble in Little China Subverts Genre Stereotypes

The basic idea behind Big Trouble in Little China is a role reversal: the main character seems like a helper, while his friend appears to be the hero. Director John Carpenter builds an incredibly unique blend of genres around this concept – it’s been described as a fun, action-packed, mystical adventure with martial arts, monsters, and ghosts. The film introduces us to a good-natured, clumsy guy and his friends who stumble upon a hidden, supernatural world beneath San Francisco, controlled by a spirit seeking revenge.

John Carpenter is famous for making scary movies, and you can see some of that in this film. But it’s mostly a comedy that playfully turned action movie tropes on their head when it came out. It’s surprisingly clever to watch Dennis Dun, a Chinese-American restaurant owner, battle waves of bad guys to save the woman he loves, especially while Kurt Russell’s character, who’s supposed to be the hero, just complains about his stolen truck. Back in 1986, neither the studio nor most viewers understood the humor, but Carpenter – and the movie Big Trouble in Little China – ultimately proved to be a hit with audiences over time.

Little Shop of Horrors Makes a Faustian Deal With a Carnivorous Plant

Originally, Little Shop of Horrors was a low-budget horror-comedy directed by Roger Corman. The film centers around a struggling florist who accidentally cultivates a plant that can think and eats people. It’s mostly remembered now as the first movie role for Jack Nicholson. However, the story gained new life when Alan Menken and Howard Ashman transformed it into an off-Broadway musical, making it funnier and adding a critical look at capitalism.

The story was famously adapted into a 1986 musical directed by Frank Oz, and many consider it the best version. Oz’s experience with puppets shines through in the creation of “Audrey II,” a plant with a fantastic voice provided by Levi Stubbs, who gleefully sings about its desire to eat people. Rick Moranis stars as Seymour, a kind but naive character who believes feeding the plant will bring him success, not realizing he’s also on the menu. While the movie has a more upbeat ending than the original stage play, most home video releases include that darker conclusion as an extra. Either way, Little Shop of Horrors remains a unique and funny film that’s still enjoyable to watch.

Zoolander Skewered the Super Model World

Derek Zoolander, a famous supermodel known for his signature look called “Blue Steel,” is confident he’ll win his fourth award in a row. However, a new and energetic model named Hansel unexpectedly takes the prize. Devastated, Zoolander unknowingly becomes part of a dangerous plot by fashion designer Jacobim Mugatu, who plans to brainwash him into assassinating the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Describing the plot of Zoolander sounds absurd, and that’s exactly what makes the movie so funny.

Okay, so Zoolander is seriously silly – a lot of the humor is just over-the-top and physical comedy. But honestly, even with stuff like that crazy orgy scene and Andy Dick’s… let’s just say questionable massage, it’s all so ridiculous you can’t help but laugh. It’s never actually offensive, which is amazing! And honestly, the eulogy Derek gives to his friends after that unbelievably dumb “gasoline fight accident”? It’s one of the most unexpectedly perfect moments I’ve ever seen in a movie.

Easy A Is a Unique Take on The Scarlet Letter

Inspired by Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Easy A is a funny and smart movie about high school rumors and how people present themselves. Emma Stone stars as Olive Penderghast, a teenager who unintentionally becomes the subject of gossip claiming she’s sexually active. She plays along with the rumors and even uses them to help a friend, but things quickly spiral out of control as the gossip spreads and her reputation changes.

Emma Stone delivers a fantastic narration with her signature playful style, and the movie boasts an impressive cast with incredible chemistry. Easy A is consistently funny without relying on awkward or overly provocative humor – a difficult feat! Despite the wild situations, the film keeps a genuinely heartwarming tone, and never loses its heart in the pursuit of laughs, which many comedies do.

2026-03-28 04:09