One of the most iconic decades of pop culture is the 1980s. Great movies and shows of every genre, pop and rock music soundtracks to accompany them, memorable fashion choices, big hair, and arcade games, all make it the era that’s perhaps most called back to in the zeitgeist today. The symbolic memorabilia that everyone expects to see in movies set in the 1980s has come to define the decade and its indelible cultural footprint. Many movies, shows, songs, graphic novels, and books in the modern era are either influenced by or heavily reference ’80s culture.
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Some of the best ’80s movies are comedies or lighthearted films, demonstrating that, among other genres, the feel-good movie also reached a creative height in that decade. Rom-coms, coming-of-age dramas, slapstick comedies, and silly action movies, fun films of all genres were made in the 1980s, and they all inspire happiness in some form. Some excellent, hilarious 1980s comedy movies have been forgotten today, but if one wants a fun, lighthearted, and cool time, the 1980s have more than enough feel-good movies to satisfy.
You are watching: 10 Best Feel-Good Movies Of The 1980s
10
The Karate Kid (1984)
Directed By John G. Avildsen
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The Karate Kid
PG
Family
Drama
Action
Sport
8/10
25
8.2/10
Release Date
June 22, 1984
Runtime
126 minutes
Cast
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-
Ralph Macchio
-
Pat Morita
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Birthing a franchise consisting of multiple movies and TV shows, John G. Avildsen’s The Karate Kid is an influential action film from the 1980s, with its unique blend of martial arts and coming-of-age. The two genres do sometimes mix in traditional martial arts films, but The Karate Kid successfully recontextualized it to the urban setting while managing to stay true to the roots of the martial arts genre.
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With an electric soundtrack, including Joe Esposito’s “You’re the Best”, one of the best songs from a 1980s action movie, The Karate Kid is an entertaining film from start to finish. A beautifully enthusiastic training montage, a narrative filled with heart, a memorable mentor in Mr. Miyagi, and an unforgettable ending scene – these are brilliant elements in the film that will live forever in people’s hearts and minds.
9
Ghostbusters (1984)
Directed By Ivan Reitman
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Ghostbusters
PG
Action
Comedy
Fantasy
8/10
9/10
Release Date
June 8, 1984
Runtime
105 Minutes
Cast
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Bill Murray
-
Dan Aykroyd
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The 1980s were a great decade for movie franchises all around, as before the MCU’s conception in 2008 with Iron Man, several of the biggest franchises in Hollywood were born in the ’80s. Among them are The Karate Kid and the Ghostbusters franchises, the latter of which is also still continuing, over four decades later. Despite the average ratings, there is positive news about a sequel from the director of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024), the latest movie in the series.
|
The Ghostbusters Franchise |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Movie/TV Show |
Year(s) |
Director/Showrunner |
|
Ghostbusters |
1984 |
Ivan Reitman |
|
The Real Ghostbusters (TV) |
1986-1991 |
Joe Medjuck & Michael C. Gross |
|
Ghostbusters II |
1989 |
Ivan Reitman |
|
Extreme Ghostbusters (TV) |
1997 |
Jeff Kline & Richard Raynis |
|
Ghostbusters |
2016 |
Paul Feig |
|
Ghostbusters: Afterlife |
2021 |
Jason Reitman |
|
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire |
2024 |
Gil Kenan |
When a group of parapsychologists loses their academic positions, they start doing exorcisms, except with no religious artifacts. They use large proton guns and their knowledge of ghost behavior to bust ghosts out of haunted spaces, instead of exorcising demons. The goofy action comedy is lighthearted fun, especially if one enjoys ghost stories that aren’t scary. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Harold Ramis are hilarious, not just with their words, but with their body language as well, and make Ghostbusters a classic feel-good movie.
8
The Breakfast Club (1985)
Directed By John Hughes
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The Breakfast Club
R
Comedy
Drama
10/10
6.5/10
Release Date
February 15, 1985
Runtime
97 minutes
Cast
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-
Molly Ringwald
-
Ally Sheedy
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The height of ’80s nostalgia in today’s pop culture often comes in the form of calling back to famous movies and their iconic scenes and lines. While John Hughes made great feel-good movies, their politics often seem dated and problematic, and yet, they’re looked back on with fondness. One such example is arguably his best film, one of the most influential coming-of-age movies ever, The Breakfast Club. It is widely considered to be the quintessential ’80s teenage movie.
The Breakfast Club is cited as an inspiration for Netflix’s Sex Education; in one episode, some school students have a therapeutic time together as a group and decide to take action, just like the students in Hughes’ movie, except, this time, the message was boldly anti-patriarchal.
Five students from different social classes, each representing an archetype of teenage social life, are put in detention and inevitably form a bond by the end of the movie. The jock, the nerd, the socially awkward goth girl, the princess, and the rebel/stoner are all there to deliver meaningful messages to the viewers. However, despite making some good points and depicting singular friendships, the movie undermines its message of individuality with one of the most infuriating makeover scenes ever.
7
Airplane! (1980)
Directed By Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker, & David Zucker
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Airplane!
PG
Comedy
Release Date
July 2, 1980
Runtime
88 minutes
Cast
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-
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
-
Lloyd Bridges
-
Peter Graves
-
Julie Hagerty
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The airplane disaster movie had been around for a while, and even though Harrison Ford wasn’t going to play the president in his airplane for another 17 years, the genre was very popular leading into the ’80s. So, the Zucker brothers, writing and directing alongside Jim Abrahams, saw 1980 as the perfect year to make a comedy spoof of the genre, and thus was born Airplane!, one of the funniest ’80s movies there is.
While it is 100% a product of its time, with many offensive bits, as an artifact of the ’80s, it is perfect. The best quotes from Airplane! demonstrate how witty the screenwriters are and how they weren’t holding back in parodying the genre and people’s obsession with it. The jokes don’t hold up today, but some of the satirical observations the movie makes about people’s behavior during a crisis are still relevant. Every joke is delivered hilariously, making it an enjoyable movie, if one can accept how dated it is.
6
Steel Magnolias (1989)
Directed By Herbert Ross
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Steel Magnolias
PG
Drama
Comedy
Romance
Release Date
November 15, 1989
Runtime
117 Minutes
Cast
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-
Sally Field
M’Lynn Eatenton
-
Dolly Parton
Truvy Jones
-
Shirley MacLaine
Ouiser Boudreaux
-
Daryl Hannah
Annelle Dupuy
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In an era when many movies were still using misogyny as their premise for humor and fun quality, Herbert Ross’ Steel Magnolias focused on six women who felt like authentic characters. While they’re not as layered and complex as they deserve to be, these figures are meaningful because of the way their existence challenges prevalent norms in the ’80s. They’re funny, grieving, witty, capable, and experience a strong sense of sisterhood for each other.
While the cast is stacked and talented, Sally Field is the standout actress, with her impassioned performance of grief and that unforgettable monologue. When Field emotes and delivers her speech about wanting to make someone else feel her pain, it’s impossible not to empathize with her. While it explores harsh realities, the togetherness between the characters makes Steel Magnolias another quintessential feel-good movie.
5
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
Directed By John Hughes
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Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
PG-13
Comedy
9/10
8/10
Release Date
June 11, 1986
Runtime
103 minutes
Cast
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-
Jennifer Grey
-
Matthew Broderick
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When it comes to frivolous ’80s movies, especially teenage comedies, John Hughes will inevitably be mentioned multiple times. While his most influential work is The Breakfast Club, which created the blueprint for the unlikely friend group trope, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is arguably his funniest movie. Much like every other comedy from the ’80s, some of its humor is dated, and might even feel mean-spirited at times, but the hilarity of the shenanigans will carry viewers through it.
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Hughes didn’t invent the rebellious teen, but he certainly reinvented the trope with Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. From the Elliot Page comedy that earned him his first Oscar nomination, Juno, to Hughes’ later movie Baby’s Day Out, the movie has inspired many films since its release nearly four decades ago. Some quotes from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off are relatable even today, and its most iconic piece of dialogue, the closing line, is important even today: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
4
When Harry Met Sally… (1989)
Directed By Rob Reiner
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When Harry Met Sally
R
Comedy
Drama
Romance
10/10
9.4/10
Release Date
July 21, 1989
Runtime
95 minutes
Cast
See All
-
Bruno Kirby
-
Meg Ryan
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The rom-com genre wouldn’t be what it is today without Meg Ryan, or in the ’90s, Julia Roberts. While the latter is still most known for her breakout role in Pretty Woman (1990), the former broke out a year earlier with Rob Reiner’s When Harry Met Sally opposite Billy Crystal. It’s one of the most influential works in the genre, creating many of the tropes prevalent in rom-coms, and inspiring romantic films for years to come.
While it is the prototypical romantic comedy, as one would expect of a rom-com from the ’80s, When Harry Met Sally is overtly heteronormative in its approach to romantic love. The entire premise is hinged on the male lead’s claim that men and women can’t be friends. While his claim is based on his flawed perceptions that sex will get in the way, and is not upheld by the film, it does still depict them becoming “more than” friends because of love. However, that impassioned expression of love at the end makes When Harry Met Sally a beloved and uplifting romance.
3
The Princess Bride (1987)
Directed By Rob Reiner
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The Princess Bride
PG
Fantasy
Family
Adventure
10/10
12
9.5/10
Release Date
October 9, 1987
Runtime
98 minutes
Cast
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-
Mandy Patinkin
-
Chris Sarandon
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“Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die!” – one of the best 1980s movie quotes, these words have become an essential part of pop culture. Repeated several times by Inigo in The Princess Bride, it is a cathartic declaration of vengeance for the character. For many viewers, The Princess Bride is an ideal fantasy drama. It is goofy, simplistic, and regal, with a funny script filled with jokes that never fail to land, and a sense of heroism that will enthrall everyone.
Robin Wright’s breakout performance as Princess Buttercup makes her one of the most impressive female characters in a male-dominated movie. While being the Princess Bride is her aim in the film, she’s far from a one-dimensional damsel-in-distress and stands her ground whenever possible. This is what makes the film so good – it has a revisionist approach to traditional tropes of the fantasy genre. With intense sword fights, a romance to root for, a strong female character, beautiful visuals, and nostalgia galore, The Princess Bride is the perfect happy ’80s movie.
2
Stand By Me (1985)
Directed By Rob Reiner
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Stand By Me
R
Adventure
Drama
10/10
9.5/10
Release Date
November 26, 1986
Runtime
89 minutes
Cast
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-
Kiefer Sutherland
-
Jerry O’Connell
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Rob Reiner was the king of the ’80s, having made some of its greatest and most influential movies. His Stephen King adaptation, possibly the best adaptation of a story written by the legendary author, is a brilliant coming-of-age movie. It follows four friends who set out on a quest to see the body of someone their age who has died. They confront harsh truths about each other, bond over collective and individual trauma, and tackle unforeseen dangers on their journey.
While they share a name, Ben E. King’s song “Stand By Me” was written long before the movie was conceived. It is featured in the film and promotional material, but it didn’t inspire the film, which is based on Stephen King’s The Body. The title was changed, and the song was used after Rob Reiner heard Kiefer Sutherland and River Phoenix singing it.
The palpable loss of innocence in the film is beautifully conveyed by the four lead child actors, all of whom deliver poignant and composed performances. While it doesn’t shy away from exploring gritty reality, the film is ultimately a feel-good movie because of the themes of friendship and the bonding between the friends that drives the story. They develop new inside jokes, share heartwarming moments that will inevitably become fond memories in the future, and survive difficult situations by having each other’s backs throughout.
1
Back To The Future (1985)
Directed By Robert Zemeckis
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Back to the Future
PG
Adventure
Comedy
Sci-Fi
10/10
111
9.3/10
Release Date
July 3, 1985
Runtime
116 minutes
Cast
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-
Michael J. Fox
Marty McFly
-
Christopher Lloyd
Emmett Brown
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Robert Zemeckis’ breakout movie as a director is one of the greatest American movies of the 1980s. Inspiring a trilogy with no bad movies, it lives on in the cultural zeitgeist, and will likely never be forgotten. It’s also perhaps the most ’80s film of all time, featuring every trope associated with that decade’s filmmaking, but instead of being cliché, it feels refreshingly entertaining even today. Despite its obviously dated elements, Back to the Future never fails to engage viewers, who will laugh, cringe, clap, gasp, and cheer while watching it.
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It’s also lighthearted and funny with Christopher Lloyd’s physical comedy as Dr. Emmett Brown and Michael J. Fox’s snappy one-liners as Marty McFly. However, there’s no pulling of punches when addressing harsh realities in the various timelines explored in the Back to the Future franchise. While it always feels grounded in reality due to its acknowledgment of hard truths, Back to the Future is still the perfect 1980s feel-good movie with its funny dialogue, surprisingly consistent time-travel mechanics, thrilling last-minute escapades, witty characterization, catchy soundtrack, and sense of adventure.
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Category: Entertainment