It’s hard to believe that 2011 was ten years ago but the calendar doesn’t lie — even if people wanted it to. Major franchises like Harry Potter and Twilight were wrapping up, and comedy movies were emerging to fill in the gaps.
Admittedly comedy movies in 2011 didn’t look that much different than comedy movies today. Some were more family-friendly while others pushed the envelope earning that R-rating. And while most were purely original, the 2011 comedy genre also saw a few sequels. Not to mention, one of the greatest romantic comedies of recent years.
Bad Teacher – 5.6
Released in June 2011, Bad Teacher kicked off a summer of comedy movies with Cameron Diaz starring in the lead role. Diaz plays Elizabeth, an impassionate school teacher whose only real dream is to marry rich. Elizabeth’s dreams become closer than ever before when a new substitute teacher (Justin Timberlake) comes to school who also happens to be wildly rich.
The comedy movie was a major box office hit earning $216.2 million against a measly $20 million budget. Despite its R-rating, the movie went on to win several Teen Choice Awards.
Hall Pass – 5.8
Hall Pass starred an incredibly talented cast of comedy heavyweights: Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Jenna Fischer, and Christina Applegate. Despite this talented cast, the movie was met with mixed reviews but did have a unique premise.
The movie centers on Wilson and Sudeikis who play best friends who are having problems in their own marriages. They are given a “hall pass” by their wives, allowing them to have sex with other women for one week without having to feel guilty about it.
30 Minutes Or Less – 6.1
After starring in the Academy Award-nominated drama movie The Social Network, Jesse Eisenberg returned to his comedy roots appearing in 30 Minutes Or Less opposite Aziz Ansari, Danny McBride, and Nick Swardson.
Eisenberg plays Nick, a pizza delivery guy who is forced to rob a bank for two criminal masterminds, or else he’ll die by the bomb strapped to him. Nick forces his estranged friend Chet (Ansari) to help him on this impossible mission.
The Change-Up – 6.3
The Change-Up plays on the popular body-swap trope Freaky Friday made popularly but does it in a way that appeals to adult audiences; especially male audiences and the romantic comedy crowd.
The movie stars Jason Bateman and Ryan Reynolds as two friends who have grown apart. The two decide to reconnect and after a wild night of drinking they wake up to find that they have switched bodies and thus, switched lives.
Just Go With It – 6.4
Comedy veteran Adam Sandler released two comedy movies in 2011 but only one of them is worthy of rewatching today. Just Go With It is a romantic comedy, released just in time for Valentine’s day that stars Sandler opposite Jennifer Aniston, Brooklyn Decker, and Nick Swardson.
Sandler plays Danny Maccabee a successful plastic surgeon who pretends to be married to pick up women. His plan is full proof until he meets the girl of his dreams and begins complicating his lies by including a family. He then enlists his coworker Katherine (Aniston) and her children to help him pull off his lie.
Friends With Benefits – 6.5
Oddly enough Friends With Benefits wasn’t the only movie released in 2011 with a “friends with benefits” plot but it is the one that became more popular. It also took home $149.5 million at the box office.
Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake play two co-workers turned friends who decide they’re tired of relationships and getting their hearts broken. They set out to have fun by sleeping with each other but, of course, things go wrong when they start developing feelings for one another.
The Hangover: Part II – 6.5
After the major success of the first film, the creators of The Hangover got together and wrote the much-anticipated sequel. The movie saw the entire cast reprise their roles and went on to make $586.8 million at the box office.
This time around, the four friends find themselves in Thailand for Stu’s destination wedding. And while Stu takes every precaution not to have another Las Vegas-style adventure, his plans are thwarted by Alan and the group goes on another wild night adventure that they can’t remember in the morning.
Bridesmaids – 6.8
While comedy movies have traditionally been dominated by all-male casts, that began to change in 2011 with the release of Bridesmaids. The film reunited Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph who met on Saturday Night Live. Rounding out the cast was Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Wendi McLendon-Covey, and Ellie Kemper.
Penned by Wiig and her writing partner Annie Mumolo, the film followed Annie (Wiig) a down-on-her-luck woman who finds herself in an unnecessary competition to be the best maid-of-honor to her childhood best friend Lillian (Rudolph).
Horrible Bosses – 6.9
The comedy genre was good to several A-list actors in 2011 including Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, and Jason Sudeikis who all starred in multiple comedy films including Horrible Bosses.
Fed up with their unruly bosses but unable to quit their jobs, three friends decide to take advice from a criminal (Jamie Foxx) and plan to get rid of their horrible bosses once and for all. The movie was a commercial success and even spawned a sequel released in 2014.
Crazy, Stupid, Love – 7.4
Crazy, Stupid, Love is arguably one of the most memorable and popular romantic comedies of the 2010s. With an ensemble cast that includes Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Steve Carell, and Julianna Moore there is just no match for this hilarious and heartfelt story.
The movie centers on Cal Weaver (Carell), a devoted father and husband who learns his wife has been cheating on him and wants a divorce. Unsure what’s next for him, Cal befriends Jacob Palmer (Gosling), a gifted player who decides to help Cal adjust to his newly single life.
