Top Ten R-Rated Comedies… With a Twist
A little bit of life experience added to this list...
 | Revenge of the Nerds |
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| The tenth spot on this list could have gone to a myriad of films I mentioned in the opening. Nerds, like so many others on this list and those that just missed it, inspired films for the past 24 years since its release. Curiously enough 2007 was the first year I had seen this film and I had my fair share of chuckles, but the one thing that makes it just that notch better than the others and earn a spot on this list is the fact that so many films have tried to copy it, but none of them can do it as well. This is a film that partially ruined the careers of such folks as Robert Carradine and Curtis Armstrong to the point that they weren't recognized as anything but Louis Skolnick and Booger. Carradine even appeared on "Robot Chicken" as Louis this year. Curtis has certainly done better, but he will never live down his Nerds nickname. That says something about this film, it's staying power and the characters created. | |
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 | National Lampoon's Vacation |
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The quality behind this film lies firmly in the hands of Chevy Chase and the words he recites as penned by John Hughes who penned another film on this list ranking much higher. There are plenty of reasons to love and enjoy this film, even to this day, but this one monologue by Chevy as Clark is one of my all-time favs:
When he says, "I think you're all fucked in the head," it almost doesn't matter what he says afterwards you know it is going to be classic. | |
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 | Fast Times at Ridgemont High |
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| "Make up your mind, dude, is he gonna shit or is he gonna kill us?" Is it Sean Penn as Jeff Spicoli, a role he probably regrets now in his more pretentious years, or Phoebe Cates that makes Fast Times at Ridgemont High memorable? I would say it is a mixture, but Cates really made quite the impression on many a young man and apparently some older gentlemen as well as Kevin Kline, 16 years her senior, snatched her up, married her, gave her two kids and the two are still married. Atta boy Kev! | |
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 | The Jerk |
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| Steve Martin's style of comedy isn't exactly my favorite, but the following scene is worth overlooking any kind of prejudice I may have toward any kind of comedy: | |
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 | When Harry Met Sally |
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| If this list wasn't a distinction primarily focused on comedy alone this film would be much higher, but considering When Harry Met Sally is as much a drama as it is a comedy (if not more) it falls a few notches on the comedic scale, but that doesn't take anything away from how good this film is. I saw this film for the first time as I was watching several films in an attempt to create this list and instantly fell in love with it. It felt like the bubble-gum version of Annie Hall, which is to say this is the Annie Hall for mainstream audiences to fall in love with. It's also a nice reminder of what Meg Ryan used to look like and Carrie Fisher is fantastic as Meg's friend Marie and has several great lines you may not even notice unless you pay really close attention, definitely worth a second watch just for those alone. | |
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lol..nice list. But i would never watch Sex Drive .. i got tricked into watching 'About a paddle' and have been scarred for life.
I'd even put 'A Fish called Wanda' in that list :)
I wasn't one of those kids that got to watch whatever they wanted. As kids we allso didn't have our own tv back then (damn! can I say back then allready?)
Just 1 TV, in the living room, under the controll of parents.
I'm the same age as you (until next monday) and I had the same problem. With a five year older brother added. I got to hear about all these flicks that I wasn't alowed to watch.
In the 90's, when I was old enough to be left alone at home sometimes I finally got to watch these films and by then they were on TV.
I have to say your no.1 is mine as wel. I absolutely love the Breakfast Club.
I can't imagine this list without either RISKY BUSINESS or A FISH CALLED WANDA. Those are seminal R-rated comedy classics I could never grow tired of. Not only are they both laugh-out-loud funny, the writing and direction on both is so crisp and inspired it's impossible not to come away impressed.
Great call on TRADING PLACES, however. I adore BEVERLY HILLS COP and all but I hold firm that this is Eddie's best comedy, hands-down, and the fact you recognize it as such I think is really fantastic.
I will say this, considering your love for BACHELOR PARTY (blech) and PORKY'S you'll definitely want to give SEX DRIVE a look. It's not the greatest comedy ever, but it did make me laugh. A lot. Make of that what you will.
I agree with #1, Breakfast Club is excellent even thou' it's become a cliche. Also love Trading Places. But about Tom Hanks, check out Volunteers (with John Candy) – under-rated comedy from 1985. If you were doing a 10 worst list, it would have to include Joysticks (1983). Nudity & arcade games, together at last. Why was I so eager to see that crap?
My parents were relatively lenient regarding R-rated movies, but most of the ones I wanted to see were not comedies: Altered States, Body Double, Nightmare on Elm Street, etc. My dad often took me to R movies like Road Warrior when I was 14, or Nighthawks when I was 12. Then HBO spread like poison ivy and every kid got to see just about anything. Sigh.
Wow, what a great flashback! You basically nailed it with your list, and enhanced it with a great walk down memory lane. Some great laughs had with all these flicks. =))
Now 39, I was one of those kids that was allowed to watch whatever they wanted (and even trusted to be the one to determine if my little brother could watch). Crazy days… those 70s and 80s.
Not being a huge fan of Porkys, I would switch it with Risky Business (which I consider its superior anyway). Otherwise, nicely done!! Thank you!!
My mom tried to keep me away from R-rated movies for a long time, but eventually figured out that I could handle them and started taking me to see them when I was 13. (Though I think we just stuck to dramas, not comedies.) Most of the best movies I never watched growing up were a result of not having cable. I'm still trying to work my way through Kevin Smith's ouvre.
I remember the first R-Rated movie I ever saw by myself. It was my brother's VHS copy of "Scary Movie" Starring Anna Faris, you know. But It's always had an effect on me, now I think that all the the Apatow movies and such are hysterical. :)