Where Did the R-Rated Comedies Go?
There could be a resurgence of R-rated comedies with No Hard Feelings and Joy Ride out in theaters
This week we’re back with a couple movie recommendations, but first! Apologies for the spotty newsletter delivery over the last couple months, but we have been in the kitchen cooking up the Do You Like Apples podcast. On Wednesday, we released the first three (yes, three!) episodes for your listening pleasure. On the first episode, we talk about the best movies of 2023 (so far). On the second episode, we discuss all things Wes Anderson. And on the third episode, we draft our favorite Harrison Ford movies. Even though we’re still figuring this whole thing out, we have had some fun conversations and we hope you enjoy. Find the link to our podcast on Spotify and Apple below, and please make sure to rate, review, and subscribe on your podcast platform.
The R-rated comedy has been in decline for several years now due to a number of reasons, but one of them is that the people making them seemed to have run out of fresh ideas. Well, the summer of 2023 is trying to revive the presumed dead genre. No Hard Feelings, with megastar Jennifer Lawrence, came out in theaters a couple weeks ago and this weekend brings Joy Ride, a raunchy road trip comedy that has earned great reviews. With these movies in mind, we dipped back to the 2000s, the golden age of the R-rated comedy, for our recommendations this week. After that, we list the best of what’s new to streaming in July 2023.
Billy recommends…
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Of the movies I grew up with, this was the ultimate, “don’t let any parents know that we watched this.” And I almost still feel that to this day. It felt dirty, offensive, controversial, and only whispers were allowed in the crevices of my surroundings. We had to communicate in code by screaming “VERY NICE!” or “NOT!” at each other to avoid being bullied in school for not seeing it or grounded by your parents for seeing it. There is something about a movie forcing me to be hush hush that makes it even more special. Only recently have I felt comfortable talking about my love for this movie. Mom, I don’t care what you think anymore! I like Borat!
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan isn’t even a movie where we look back on it and think, “you couldn’t make that anymore.” Its Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay gave it immediate legitimacy among critics and the $260 million worldwide box office from casual moviegoers created the rare cross-section of unity, a rare sighting in today’s film landscape. Is Borat making me emotional?
More importantly than anything meaningful that I have talked about is that this movie EARNS its R-rating. To minimize the risk of being kicked off of Substack I will not describe any of the scenes that made me laugh, but it is an art form creating scenarios that earn its raunchiness and have complete approval from its audience. I doubt that Joy Ride or No Hard Feelings will have the cultural impact that Borat had. Hardly any movies do. But if the studios can figure out the R-rated comedy similar to how they have found a groove with horror movies then I think we have potential for a comeback. Support this lane of movies, it’s lovely having them back in our lives this summer season.
Streaming on Hulu
Drew recommends…
The Hangover
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… a vulgar and hysterical R-rated comedy could make $469 million worldwide. Actually, it was only 14 years ago when The Hangover dominated the summer of 2009, but it feels much longer than that. It became the highest-grossing R-rated comedy in history, and looking back, it’s clear that this was the high water mark for this type of raunchy bro-centric hilarity. After a decade of successful and beloved comedies from the likes of Judd Apatow, Adam McKay and Will Ferrell, Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn, The Hangover capped the 2000s with a massive hit both at the box office and culturally.
The film that launched a thousand (probably more) bachelor parties looking for trouble in Vegas also launched the careers of its makers. Bradley Cooper catapulted from supporting comedy guy to major star; within a couple years he was headlining The A-Team and Limitless. This was also the Zach Galifianakis moment. The part of Alan, the groom’s erratic future brother-in-law, was a great opportunity for a comedian to craft an indelible character. Galifianakis heightened the very relatable figure of the odd brother-in-law to uproarious new levels. And, director Todd Phillips, who had cut his teeth on college comedies like Road Trip and Old School, delivered a huge success that laid the groundwork for DC to eventually take a chance on his dark and gritty Joker.
Imagine being a 19-year-old dude when The Hangover came out. My friends and I were immediately obsessed. I saw it with a couple buddies opening weekend and we went back the next weekend with several more friends. The endless quotes and Mike Tyson’s tiger and Carlos the baby and much more made this an instant classic for us. Over a decade later, some parts haven’t aged as well, but it remains one of the funniest comedies of my lifetime. It’s hard to imagine anything taking its place as the highest-grossing R-rated comedy.
Available to rent on digital platforms
New To Streaming in July 2023
Netflix
Bridesmaids
Jumanji
The Karate Kid movies
Kick-Ass
Liar Liar
Pride & Prejudice
Rush Hour movies
The Squid and the Whale
Star Trek
Titanic
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (July 13)
Amazon Prime Video
A Star Is Born (2018)
Cool Hand Luke
Free Willy
Gladiator
Hacksaw Ridge
Legally Blonde
Men in Black trilogy
No Country for Old Men
Saving Private Ryan
Scarface
Serpico
The 40-Year-Old-Virgin
The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
The Shawshank Redemption
The Truman Show
True Grit
Witness For the Prosecution
80 For Brady
Till (July 18)
Knock at the Cabin (July 25)
Hulu
Alien
Deja Vu
The Descendants
Die Hard
Die Hard: With a Vengeance
Father of the Bride
Ford v Ferrari
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Mrs. Doubtfire
The Perfect Storm
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Step Brothers
Support the Girls
Sweet Home Alabama
Total Recall
What’s Love Got To Do With It
Whiplash
Max
17 Again
20th Century Women
American Sniper
Bullitt
Caddyshack
Dunkirk
Election
Good Will Hunting
Horrible Bosses
Lethal Weapon movies
The Meg
Pulp Fiction
Shakespeare in Love
Under the Silver Lake
V for Vendetta
What A Girl Wants