The ’80s were ruled by comedy movies that weren’t afraid to go for an R-rating and everything that entailed.
By comparison, a lot of modern comedies in theaters seem toothless compared to the films from four decades ago.
There were so many to choose from that the Watch With Us team had a hard time narrowing them down for a roundup.
But after careful consideration, these are the five greatest R-rated 1980s comedy movies. Some of these films could even be ranked among the very best of the decade.
5. ‘National Lampoon’s Vacation’ (1983)
An argument could definitely be made that Caddyshack — the previous collaboration between director Harold Ramis and Chevy Chase — could have landed on this list. But in terms of impact, National Lampoon’s Vacation launched a franchise that extended all the way to 2015’s Vacation. This is the film where Chase originated his role as Clark Griswold, the well-meaning husband of Ellen (Beverly D’Angelo), and the father of their children, Rusty (Anthony Michael Hall) and Audrey (Dana Barron).
Clark’s attempt to bond with his family on a cross-country road trip to the Disneyland-like Walley World goes disastrously wrong in every way possible. Cameos by Christie Brinkley, John Candy and Eugene Levy only made the movie even funnier. The other Vacation films are also very good, but this one stands above them.
National Lampoon’s Vacation is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.
4. ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ (1984)
Eddie Murphy was already famous before Beverly Hills Cop, but this film made him a mega star at the box office. Its impact on action comedies can’t be overstated, as even the Beverly Hills Cop sequels couldn’t quite match the lightning in the bottle of this film. Murphy plays Detective Axel Foley, a maverick among the Detroit police. When Axel’s friend, Mickey Tandino (James Russo), is murdered, he defies his superior officer by going on “vacation” so he can investigate it himself.
The killers’ trail brings Axel to Beverly Hills, California, and trouble isn’t far behind. Detectives Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and John Taggart (John Ashton) are assigned to keep Axel out of trouble, but he runs rings around them. Axel’s a funny guy, but he doesn’t lose sight of his mission. He’s only in town to get justice for Mikey, no matter how much property damage he leaves in his wake.
Beverly Hills Cop is streaming on Paramount+.
3. ‘Fast Times at Ridgemont High’ (1982)
Reinhold also had a leading role in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, one of the most influential teen comedies of the decade. Screenwriter Cameron Crowe went undercover at a real high school for a year before writing a book and a screenplay about his experiences. That gave the film a greater authenticity than similarly themed movies from that era. There are also some serious subplots, including an unwanted pregnancy.
Forest Whitaker and Nicolas Cage had minor parts on the way to greater stardom, while Phoebe Cates and Jennifer Jason Leigh had breakout performances. But the actor who steals this film is Sean Penn with his unforgettable stoner surfer character, Jeff Spicoli. That character is so different from Penn’s subsequent parts that it’s hard to believe he was once so effortlessly funny.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.
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2. ‘The Blues Brothers’ (1980)
The Blues Brothers just might be the greatest Saturday Night Live spinoff film. Original SNL cast members John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd reprised their roles as “Joliet” Jake and Elwood Blues, a pair of blues musicians and small-time criminals. But after Jake is released from a stint in prison, the Blues brothers experience a religious epiphany that inspires them to come up with the money to save the orphanage where they grew up.
Music icons James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin lend their vocals to the songs while taking on minor roles in the film. Carrie Fisher also has a small part as a woman who is obsessed with murdering Jake. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this film is that the car chases and vehicular action still look great decades later. Let’s just pretend that the 1998 sequel, Blues Brothers 2000, never happened.
The Blues Brothers is streaming on Prime Video.
1. ‘A Fish Called Wanda’ (1988)
John Cleese wrote and starred in A Fish Called Wanda, one of the wildest heist comedies ever made. Cleese plays Archie Leach, a barrister (lawyer) who is representing a jewel thief, George Thomason (Tom Georgeson). Archie has no idea what he’s walked into, but George’s former crew, Wanda Gershwitz (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Otto West (Kevin Kline), betrayed their ex-teammate. And they want to use Archie to make George reveal the location of the diamonds they stole.
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Wanda doesn’t have to work very hard to seduce Archie, but it makes Otto so insanely jealous that he jeopardizes both the con and their freedom when he tries to sabotage their affair. This is an all-time classic, and few comedy films have been able to match its critical acclaim or its box office success.
A Fish Called Wanda is streaming on Prime Video.
