10 Great Comedy Movies That Save The Best Joke Until Last

Most comedy movies end with a moment of sincerity, but there are a few which keep delivering jokes until the very end. The best movie endings wrap things up for the characters in a satisfying way, and this means that it’s not always the best time for a joke. Some comedies buck this trend, ending with a great punchline that leaves the audience laughing as the credits roll, although this is relatively rare.

A perfectly timed punchline can be the best ending possible in a comedy movie, and it’s more original than veering into sentimentality or getting dark like so many other comedies. The final scene often represents the idea that filmmakers want to leave their audience with. Leaving the audience with a joke can therefore make the whole movie seem even lighter and funnier in retrospect.

10

Burn After Reading (2008)

The Coen Brothers Bring Things To A Screeching Halt

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Burn After Reading

R

Comedy

Crime

Documentary

Drama

4/10

Release Date

September 5, 2008

Runtime

96 minutes

Director

Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

Writers

Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of George Clooney

    George Clooney

  • Headshot Of Frances McDormand In The Los Angeles Premiere Of `Women Talking`

    Frances McDormand

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

Burn After Reading is one of the best Coen brothers movies, as the directing duo return to the fertile ground of crime comedies. However, unlike Fargo and The Big Lebowski, Burn After Reading refuses to get poignant in its final moments. The chaotic crime comedy draws to a close as two government officials try to make sense of the mess within the safe confines of an office far removed from the action.

The final scene of Burn After Reading acts as a wry meta-commentary on the entire movie.

The final scene of Burn After Reading acts as a wry meta-commentary on the entire movie, as if the two characters are struggling to find some kind of meaning that underpins the narrative. As they wonder what they’ve learned from the debacle, the obvious answer is that nobody has learned anything. The ending is the ultimate punch line to a crime comedy that never abides by the rules of conventional storytelling.

9

Some Like It Hot (1959)

Some Like It Hot Ends With An Iconic Quote

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

Some Like it Hot Movie Poster

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Some Like It Hot

Passed

Comedy

Music

Romance

ScreenRant logo

10/10

Release Date

March 15, 1959

Runtime

121 Minutes

Director

Billy Wilder

Writers

Billy Wilder, I. A. L. Diamond

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Marilyn Monroe

    Marilyn Monroe

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Tony Curtis

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

Some Like It Hot is one of the best Old Hollywood comedies, and it has aged beautifully despite dealing with some sensitive topics. The story follows two musicians who witness a gangland assassination in Chicago, so they disguise themselves as women and join a traveling band to evade the mob. The final scene in Some Like It Hot sums up the movie’s laughable comedy of errors in a single moment.

Jerry briefly entertains the idea of marrying Osgood and keeping up his lie for just long enough to become rich. Ultimately, he sees sense and tries to let Osgood down any way that he can, but he’s forced to lay his cards on the table. Osgood’s succinct, unbothered reply is one of the funniest punchlines in film history, putting a bow on a madcap comedy. Jerry has a quick comeback for everything, but Osgood leaves him speechless for once.

8

Tropic Thunder (2008)

Tom Cruise Steals The Show During The Credits

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Tropic Thunder

R

Comedy

Action

War

ScreenRant logo

8/10

10

8.3/10

Release Date

August 13, 2008

Runtime

107 minutes

Director

Ben Stiller

Writers

Justin Theroux, Etan Cohen, Ben Stiller

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Ben Stiller

    Ben Stiller

  • Headshot Of Robert Downey Jr. In The 10th Annual Breakthrough Prize Ceremony

    Robert Downey Jr.

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

Tropic Thunder has an outstanding ensemble cast, with the biggest surprise being Tom Cruise in a rare comedic role. He doesn’t get too much screentime, but Cruise’s brash, blunt studio executive steals every scene he’s in. Ben Stiller makes the wise choice to give him the spotlight during the movie’s credits sequence, and Les Grossman’s dance is as funny as anything that comes before it.

The idea of the dance scene is already funny, but the execution brings it up a notch.

The idea of the dance scene is already funny, but the execution brings it up a notch, as both the song choice and Grossman’s dance moves contribute to his over-the-top character. Tom Cruise’s performance is so enjoyable that he and Ben Stiller have discussed the idea of a Les Grossman spinoff over the years, which is something that Tropic Thunder fans would surely be on board for. Of course, another dance number would be the icing on the cake.

7

Monty Python & The Holy Grail (1975)

Monty Python Create One Of The Funniest Anticlimaxes Ever

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

PG

Fantasy

Adventure

Comedy

7.5/10

Release Date

May 25, 1975

Runtime

91 minutes

Director

Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam

Writers

Terry Jones, Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, John Cleese

Cast

See All

  • Headhsot Of Michael Palin

    Michael Palin

  • headshot Of John Cleese

    John Cleese

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

Monty Python’s movies are known for their absurd comedy, so it’s best to expect the unexpected. Monty Python and the Holy Grail roughly follows the journey of a group of knights in search of sacred treasure, but the narrative is little more than a loose structure that allows for a series of hilarious sketches. The disparate narrative threads finally come together in the end, as the knights converge on an enemy castle for an epic battle.

Imagery-from-Gremlins-and-The-Cable-Guy

Related

10 Light Comedy Movies That Unexpectedly Went Way Too Dark

It can come as a major surprise when watching a light comedy movie that suddenly descends into unexpectedly dark territory and themes.

Posts

1

Of course, the epic final battle never quite pans out, as the knights are arrested en masse by modern-day police officers. This is the final punch line to the running joke of a historian who narrates the events of the movie as if he’s presenting a documentary. It’s also a hilarious anticlimax, and one last dose of silliness in keeping with the movie’s unpredictable sense of humor.

6

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)

Quentin Tarantino Uses The Audience’s Assumptions Against Them

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

R

Comedy

Drama

ScreenRant logo

8/10

9.4/10

Release Date

July 26, 2019

Runtime

159 minutes

Director

Quentin Tarantino

Writers

Quentin Tarantino

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Tim Roth

    Tim Roth

  • Headshot Of Margot Robbie In The 10th Annual Breakthrough Prize Ceremony

    Margot Robbie

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is Quentin Tarantino’s colorful fantasy of Los Angeles in the late 1960s, as Old Hollywood gave way to new ideas and voices. Leonardo DiCaprio’s fading movie star represents the old guard, while Margot Robbie represents the new. Robbie plays Sharon Tate, a real-life actor who was murdered by the Manson family, and this information casts a dark shadow over the scenes in which she happily cruises around the city.

Tarantino’s irreverent style is so bold that it becomes funny in the end.

Tarantino decides to rewrite history in the end, saving Tate from her fate with a glorious outpouring of violence. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood frequently meanders from scene to scene, presenting a few vignettes of life in the city, but its finale pays off plenty of these seemingly unrelated scenes. After the Mansons are attacked by a dog and torched with a flamethrower, Rick has a quiet conversation with his neighbors. Tarantino’s irreverent style is so bold that it becomes funny in the end.

5

Dr. Strangelove (1964)

Dr. Strangelove’s Mask Finally Slips

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb

PG

Comedy

ScreenRant logo

10/10

10/10

Release Date

January 29, 1964

Runtime

95 minutes

Director

Stanley Kubrick

Writers

Terry Southern, Stanley Kubrick, Peter George

Cast

See All

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    George C. Scott

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Slim Pickens

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

Stanley Kubrick’s classic comedy has aged beautifully. Even though its Cold War context has become irrelevant to the present day, its razor-sharp political satire still rings true. Dr. Strangelove also benefits from an outstanding performance by Peter Sellers, who plays three characters of different nationalities, each culpable in their own way for allowing humanity to stumble into total nuclear annihilation.

His facade of respectability is shattered, but it’s far too late to matter.

Not many actors play multiple characters in one movie, but Sellers has impeccable comedic range. While his cowardly British military man and his self-conscious American president are more reserved characters, the title character is an eccentric. German scientist Dr. Strangelove barely conceals his allegiances to the Third Reich, and he seems to be hiding a few more secrets. After the iconic bomb drop scene, Dr. Strangelove breaks the tense mood in the war room by rising from his wheelchair and screaming in glee. His facade of respectability is shattered, but it’s far too late to matter.

4

22 Jump Street (2014)

The Sequel Pokes Fun At Big Comedy Franchises

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

22 Jump Street Movie Poster

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

22 Jump Street

R

Comedy

Action

Crime

ScreenRant logo

8/10

10/10

Release Date

June 5, 2014

Runtime

1h 52m

Director

Phil Lord, Chris Miller

Writers

Michael Bacall, Oren Uziel, Rodney Rothman, Jonah Hill, Patrick Hasburgh, Stephen J. Cannell

Prequel(s)

21 Jump Street

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Jonah Hill

    Jonah Hill

  • Headshot Of Channing Tatum

    Channing Tatum

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

Comedy sequels are notoriously difficult to pull off, but 22 Jump Street is a rare success. In the movie’s final moments, it shows a cunning level of self-awareness, and its ridiculous credits sequence teases an endless number of new sequels. This refers to the tenuous approach of the sequel. Like most comedy movies, 21 Jump Street is built around a premise that’s hard to replicate. 22 Jump Street finds a way to make it work, but it slams the door shut on any more sequels.

Jim-Carrey-in-Ace-Ventura-When-Nature-Calls-and-Jonah-Hill-in-22-Jump-Street

Related

10 Comedy Sequels That Are Just As Good As The Original

Comedy sequels rarely manage to capture the brilliance of the original movies, but there are a few exceptions which can be just as funny.

Posts

1

As well as making fun of itself, 22 Jump Street also pokes fun at long-running movie franchises with its closing credits sequence. Some movie franchises become more and more outlandish as they stray further from the original premise, and this is the thinking that could easily lead to such ludicrous sequels as 27 Jump Street: Culinary School and 34 Jump Street: Return of the Ghost.

3

Airplane! (1980)

Airplane! Sneaks In One Last Joke After The Credits

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Airplane!

PG

Comedy

Release Date

July 2, 1980

Runtime

88 minutes

Director

Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker

Writers

Arthur Hailey, Hall Bartlett, John C. Champion, Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker

Cast

See All

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Lloyd Bridges

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Peter Graves

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Julie Hagerty

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

Airplane! is packed with great jokes from beginning to end. Few comedy movies manage to squeeze in so many laugh-out-loud moments, and Airplane! adds one final joke after the credits. The film is bursting at the seams with comedy, from witty wisecracks to slapstick and sight gags, so it’s appropriate that the humor can’t be contained within the regular runtime of the movie.

It’s one of Airplane!‘s best jokes, but many fans of the movie could easily have missed it.

Airplane!‘s brief post-credits scene is a brilliant callback, as Ted’s taxi passenger from the beginning is seen, still in the back of the cab, suggesting that he has been sitting and waiting patiently for the entire duration of the movie. Airplane! has countless ways of making its audience laugh, and it ends by delivering a hilarious punch line that consists of a man sitting still. It’s one of the movie’s best jokes, but many fans could easily have missed it.

2

The Italian Job (1969)

The Italian Job’s Cliffhanger Ending Is Both Excruciating And Hilarious

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

The Italian Job

G

Crime

Action

Comedy

Release Date

September 3, 1969

Runtime

99 Minutes

Director

Peter Collinson

Writers

Troy Kennedy Martin

Producers

Michael Deeley

Cast

See All

  • Shot Of Michael Caine In The World premiere of 'The Great Escaper' at BFI Southbank

    Michael Caine

    Charlie Croker

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Noël Coward

    Mr. Bridger

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Benny Hill

    Professor Simon Peach

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Raf Vallone

    Lorna

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

The Italian Job‘s ending is one of the most famous cliffhangers in film history, as the characters are left literally teetering over the edge of a cliff with a bus full of gold. It’s also the perfect punchline to a madcap heist comedy about a group of British louts who go to pull a job in Turin, although they resemble football hooligans far more than they resemble the typical suave ensemble of 1960s heist movies.

Michael Caine gets the last line in The Italian Job to cap one of his most endearing performances, as Charlie claims that he has a great idea. The camera pulls back before giving any indication of what that idea might be, and Charlie’s demeanor suggests he may not be entirely sure either. The film’s writers theorized that Charlie could let the gold slide out the back of the bus, so that his gang could regroup and gather the gold at the bottom of the mountain. A sequel based on this idea was never made, and it’s probably for the best that the cliffhanger was left untouched.

1

This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

A Blink-And-You’ll-Miss-It Gag Wraps Up The Classic Mockumentary

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

This_is_Spinal_Tap-129984257-large

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

This is Spinal Tap

9/10

Release Date

March 2, 1984

Runtime

82 Minutes

Director

Rob Reiner

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Rob Reiner

    Rob Reiner

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Christopher Guest

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

This Is Spinal Tap has set the tone for so many mockumentaries that have come in the years since, but it’s still fresh. The story of a hair rock band clinging to their fading relevance in the music industry often dips into the surreal, but it’s always presented with straight-faced, deadpan attitude. One of the movie’s best jokes focuses on how the band’s drummers keep dying in mysterious and unexplainable circumstances. The final moments of the movie offer a callback.

Characters from Don't Look Up and Mrs. Doubtfire are edited onto an image together.

Related

10 Comedy Movies That Will Also Make You Cry

Comedy films are known for making audiences feel good, but there’s a handful within the genre that catch audiences off guard and make them cry.

Posts

2

This Is Spinal Tap does opt for the sentimental ending that so many other comedy movies resort to, but it also has one last big punch line, as Spinal Tap’s drummer randomly explodes on stage. In keeping with the movie’s nonplussed style, he is replaced in the very next shot, and the song continues without missing a beat, as if nothing happened. After more than 40 years, a This Is Spinal Tap sequel is coming soon. Presumably, the band will have burned through dozens more drummers in the intervening years.