The NBC brand is typically associated with reliable, comfortable viewing—from daytime programs, late night talk shows, children's programming, and a whole slate of long-running dramas and comedies. And since NBC (and Universal) have access to even more content throughout history thanks to their streaming service, Peacock, they can now add little-known comedy films (and films about comedy) to their brand reputation. In this list below, we've gathered 10 of these films that have gotten approval from critics and audiences alike, that you can watch in addition to the rest of Peacock's programming. Going beyond the formulas usually seen on TV, these movies have surprisingly new ways of inspiring laughter.
The 10 Best Comedy Movies on Peacock
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10.
Meet the Patels (2014)
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Hilarious and sweet, Meet the Patels is a charming collaboration between siblings Geeta and Ravi Patel. While the film is a documentary, it feels more like a real-time romantic comedy - which makes sense, given that it’s about Ravi’s quest for the perfect wife. Standard tropes, such as parental disapproval, are present here, but the film keeps it fresh as it focuses on the intricacies of Indian dating, specifically with traditional matchmaking and modern internet dating. However, like some of the best romcoms, the real heart of the story lies outside of Ravi’s love life. What drives the story is the dynamic between Ravi and his family. Balancing parental expectations with personal hopes is a struggle anyone can relate to, though this film presents this through comedic debates about marriage. At the same time, these debates end up insightful and oftentimes reveal fundamental principles the family believes in. It’s only through resolving familial issues that Ravi finally figures out his love life.
Our staff rating: 7.8/10
Genre: Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Romance
Actor: Audrey Wauchope, Geeta Patel, Ravi Patel
Director: Geeta Patel, Ravi Patel
Go to Peacock
9.
People Places Things (2015)
«When comedians get a bit older they do a movie with “emotions” in it. Here’s mine.» Flight of the Conchords’ Jemaine Clement on Twitter. People Places Things is exactly that, a funny yet heartfelt comedy. Will Henry, A New York City graphic novelist walks in on his girlfriend cheating on him at their kids’ birthday party. A year later, Will is struggling to define his new life as a single parent while still getting over his breakup. Smart, honest, and led by Jemaine Clement, this film will strike you in its simplicity but will hold you with its charm.
Our staff rating: 7.9/10
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Actor: Aundrea Gadsby, Celia Au, Derrick Arthur, Dionne Audain, Gavin Haag, Gia Gadsby, Jemaine Clement, Jessica Williams, Matthew Maher, Michael Chernus, Nancy Eng, Paul Castro Jr., Regina Hall, Samantha Posey, Stephanie Allynne
Director: Jim Strouse
Go to Peacock
8.
Sunshine Cleaning (2008)
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Sunshine Cleaning is a great addition to that unidentified genre of grown-up comedies populated by other great entries like Your Sister's Sister and Enough Said. It is however, less of a comedy than it is a heart-warming emotional tale. Powered by outstanding performances from Amy Adams and Emily Blunt, it ultimately evolves into a character study of failed potential and validation seeking. Sunshine Cleaning is enjoyable, satisfying to a fault, and provides an interesting peak into the lives of its characters.
Our staff rating: 8/10
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Actor: Alan Arkin, Amber Midthunder, Amy Adams, Amy Redford, Angelique Midthunder, Clifton Collins Jr., Emily Blunt, Eric Christian Olsen, Ivan Brutsche, Jason Spevack, Judith Jones, Kathy Lamkin, Kevin Chapman, Lois Geary, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Paul Dooley, Steve Zahn, Susie Yip, Vic Browder
Director: Christine Jeffs
Go to Peacock
7.
Handsome Devil (2016)
I can’t get a song out of my head from this movie: the 1985 UK hit Desire As from Prefab Sprout.
It plays when the two main characters, a sensitive kid who’s bullied by his school for not liking rugby, and the school’s rugby star; talk over the “Berlin Wall” that separates their dorm room.
The song echoes “It's perfect as it stands, so why then crush it in your perfect hands?”. These two seemingly incompatible personalities form a friendship that comes under threat from their school’s traditional authority, especially as one of them is revealed to be gay.
It might seem like a tough premise, but Handsome Devil is actually a comedy. It’s a sweet and easy coming-of-age comedy.
Our staff rating: 8/10
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Actor: Amy Huberman, Andrew Scott, Ardal O'Hanlon, Ardal O'Hanlon, Fionn O'Shea, Fionn O'Shea, Hugh O'Conor, Jamie Hallahan, Jay Duffy, John Butler, Lauterio Zamparelli, Mark Doherty, Mark Lavery, Michael McElhatton, Moe Dunford, Nicholas Galitzine, Norma Sheahan, Patrick McDonnell, Ruairí OConnor, Ruairi O'Connor, Stephen Hogan
Director: John Butler
Go to Peacock
6.
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010)
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Full of twists on classic horror themes, this hilarious and gory comedy will have your sides aching, and still you’ll want more. The plot centers on two rednecks who are trying to have a good time while fixing up a summer home. True to horror movie form, a group of college kids set up camp nearby, and naturally evil begins to happen. This well-written, entertaining story even has some heart to it.
Our staff rating: 8.1/10
Genre: Comedy, Horror
Actor: Adam Beauchesne, Alan Tudyk, Alex Arsenault, Angela DeCorte, Bill Baksa, Brandon Jay McLaren, Chelan Simmons, Christie Laing, Conner Bass, Eli Craig, Jesse Moss, Joseph Allan Sutherland, Karen Reigh, Katrina Bowden, Mitchell Verigin, Myles Pollard, Philip Granger, Sasha Williams, Travis Nelson, Tyler Labine
Director: Eli Craig
Go to Peacock
5.
Stuck in Love (2012)
A beautifully intertwined love story showing the ups and downs of a father, his ex-wife, and their children experiencing love. The film weaves the three love stories of the different generations seamlessly and leaves you caring deeply about the characters. It has an amazing soundtrack added to fantastic acting that will make you feel as though you are living the same experiences as the quirky, screwed up family. It's a movie for anyone in the mood for a romantic comedy with a little more substance than your average rom com.
Our staff rating: 8.1/10
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Actor: Alex ter Avest, Barbara Weetman, David Carzell, Glen Powell, Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Connelly, Josh Boone, Kristen Bell, Liana Liberato, Lily Collins, Logan Lerman, Michael Goodwin, Nat Wolff, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Rusty Joiner, Spencer Breslin, Stephen King, Zeeko Zaki
Director: Josh Boone
Go to Peacock
4.
The Trotsky (2009)
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A fantastic and light Canadian comedy, the Trotsky stars Jay Baruchel as Leon Bronstein, a young man who believes himself to be the reincarnation of the Soviet leader Leon Trotsky. True to his past life, Leon soon begins a quest to organize a revolution at his father's clothing company, while dealing with the transition from ritzy private to a Montreal public school. Smart and pointed, the Trotsky is a gem not to be missed.
Our staff rating: 8.3/10
Genre: Comedy
Actor: Alain Goulem, Angela Galuppo, Anne-Marie Cadieux, Ben Mulroney, Cecile Cristobal, Colm Feore, Dan Beirne, David Julian Hirsh, Domini Blythe, Emily Hampshire, Erika Rosenbaum, Geneviève Bujold, Guy Dufaux, Hélène Bourgeois Leclerc, Jacob Tierney, Jay Baruchel, Jesse Camacho, Jesse Rath, Jessica Paré, Justin Bradley, Kaniehtiio Horn, Kyle Gatehouse, Liane Balaban, Linda Malo, Michael Murphy, Pat Kiely, Paul Doucet, Paul Spence, Ricky Mabe, Sarah-Jeanne Labrosse, Saul Rubinek, Taylor Baruchel, Tommie-Amber Pirie, Trevor Hayes
Director: Jacob Tierney
Go to Peacock
3.
Another Round (2020)
Director Thomas Vinterberg (The Hunt) reunites with Mads Mikkelsen to tell the story of four teachers going through a mid-life crisis. They’re not sad, exactly—they have homes and jobs and are good friends with each other—but they’re not happy either. Unlike the ebullient youth they teach, they seem to have lost their lust for life, and it’s silently eating away at them, rendering them glassy-eyed and mechanic in their everyday lives. Enter an experiment: what if, as one scholar suggests, humans were meant to fulfill a certain alcohol concentration in order to live as fully and present as possible? The teachers use themselves as the subjects and the tide slowly starts to turn to mixed effects. Are they actually getting better or worse? With an always-satisfying performance by Mikkelsen and an instant classic of an ender, it’s no surprise Another Round took home the award for Best Foreign Film in the 2020 Academy Awards.
Our staff rating: 8.3/10
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Actor: Albert Rudbeck Lindhardt, Christiane Gjellerup Koch, Diêm Camille G., Dorte Højsted, Frederik Winther Rasmussen, Helene Reingaard Neumann, Lars Ranthe, Mads Mikkelsen, Magnus Millang, Magnus Sjørup, Maria Bonnevie, Martin Greis-Rosenthal, Mercedes Claro Schelin, Michael Asmussen, Morten Thunbo, Niels Jørgensen, Per Otto Bersang Rasmussen, Silas Cornelius Van, Susse Wold, Thomas Bo Larsen
Director: Thomas Vinterberg
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2.
Goon (2012)
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Goon is funny, violent, and sweet as hell. You’ll be surprised by how nasty it is but at the same time you won’t care. What you will want to do, on the other hand, is rip through the screen, and hug the main character. It is also a great example of a feel-good movie that isn’t solely focused on being a feel-good movie. It’s also great love story, with all its absurdities and highly emotional load. The story shines a light on the players who join hockey teams not for the game but for the fights that may erupt. They are called goons. Doug Glatt (Seann William Scott) is a new goon and this movie is his journey towards success both on the ice and off.
Our staff rating: 8.7/10
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Actor: Ali Hassan, Alison Pill, Amy Groening, Andrew Degryse, Aron Tager, Brandy Jaques, Bryan Clark, Christian Fraser, Christian Lalonde, Darren Ross, David Lawrence, David Paetkau, Don Carmody, Ellen David, Eugene Levy, Gabriel Daniels, George Tchortov, Georges Laraque, Howard Jerome, Jacob Klick, James Durham, Jay Baruchel, Jeff Strome, Jeff Wahl, Jodi Stecyk, John Paul Tremblay, Jonathan Cherry, Kalyn Bomback, Karl Graboshas, Ken St. Mars, Kim Coates, Lance Cartwright, Larry Woo, Liev Schreiber, Lorrie Papadopoulos, Marc-André Grondin, Mark Dann, Michael Dowse, Mike Bell, Mitchell Kummen, Nicholas Campbell, Richard Clarkin, Ricky Mabe, Robb Wells, Robert Borges, Sarah Scheffer, Sean Skene, Seann William Scott, Sidney Leeder, Terry Ray, Tom Anniko
Director: Michael Dowse
Go to Peacock
1.
Dìdi (弟弟) (2024)
Coming of age films are a staple in cinema, but rare is a great depiction of growing up on the internet, chatting with friends, and learning about the world through just a small screen. Dìdi is one of those rare films that remembers that pivotal era, which is why it’s often likened to Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade, but Sean Wang depicts a more angsty than anxious Asian American kid with a mother and a grandmother less able to relate to the wider Western town they live in, and with nothing he wants to do but to skate, shoot skating, and try to fit in with people he thinks are cool. It’s both funny and self-critical, as if Wang was looking back to remember the times he screwed up, but it’s also just comforting to watch him own up to who he really is, even if it doesn’t garner the exact response he’s been hoping for. It’s also precisely why Dìdi found its audience.
Our staff rating: 8.8/10
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Actor: Cameron Foxly, Chang Li Hua, Izaac Wang, Joan Chen, Joziah Lagonoy, Macaela Parker, Shirley Chen, Spike Jonze, Stephanie Hsu
Director: Sean Wang
Go to Peacock
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