It’s challenging to define comedy. Some people find humor in certain issues and punchlines, while others find them uninteresting or even offensive.
However, sometimes you just need something funny to laugh along with, and comedies are there for you. But what if you’ve already seen a ton of triple-A comedies from Hollywood? Even if Canadian comedies don’t have Hollywood’s budgets, they are still amusing. Some viewers might not even be aware that some of these films are from Canada!
A Dog’s Breakfast
In A Dog’s Breakfast, Patrick has never been very good at much of anything. He doesn’t approve of his sister’s relationship and engagement to TV personality Ryan, despite the fact that he truly has no say in the issue. Before Patrick can react, disaster strikes and Ryan is involved in a deadly accident. Patrick tries to dispose of the body, much to the amusement of the audience, in order to spare his sister any heartache and to clear his name of any wrongdoing.
This could be the throwback you missed if you like the silly sound design that frequently accompanied comedy films in the 1990s and 2000s since it wasn’t widely distributed in theaters.
A Simple Favor
A Simple Favor can be useful if you enjoy a little mystery mixed in with your chuckles. This film is brought to life by excellent performances from Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick.
Anna Kendrick’s character Stephanie Smothers is a single mother who makes friends with Emily, a high society mother whose son attends the same school as her son. Soon later, Emily vanishes, and Stephanie makes the decision to look for leads. The plot has some thriller aspects, but it is not nearly as grim as some of the others on this list. Is the suspense comparable to a show like Knives Out? No, but it is enjoyable anyway.
Bon Cop, Bad Cop
Despite being nominated and won in multiple categories at the 27th Genie Awards, Bon Cop, Bad Cop was never widely distributed to theaters outside of Canada.
A joint investigation is started when a body is discovered on the border between English-speaking Ontario and French-speaking Quebec. As a member of the Quebec police force, David Bouchard is a rule-breaking detective who frequently breaks the law. He is accompanied by stiff Ontario police detective Martin Ward. This film may adhere closely to the stereotype of the “straight man, funny man,” but what sets it apart is its capacity to subtly mock both sides of Canada in a bilingual setting.
Canadian Bacon
The book Canadian Bacon paints a picture of what a conflict between the United States and Canada would be like. Anti-Canada propaganda appears seemingly out of nowhere as the US economy falters and the president’s approval ratings decline, and new jobs are created at armory companies.
Canadian Bacon, in contrast to the most of the other films on this list, has a reputation for being so awful that it is fantastic. Despite being a comedy, it is funny for reasons other than the ones that were anticipated. In the words of the character Boomer, “don’t think about it too much.” “There are appropriate times to act and to contemplate. And now is not the time to think, gentlemen.”
Corner Gas: The Movie
Given that we just talked about how Corner Gas is a TV show and not a movie, you might be shocked to see it on our list. Nevertheless, it was well-liked enough to merit a stand-alone movie.
The movie follows the lives of the citizens of the little town of Dog River five years after the events of the series finale, when the mayor recklessly bankrupts the community. The locals try to rescue their house through a series of amusing incidents by competing to be named the “Quaintest Town in Canada” in a national competition. Fans of the original series will undoubtedly appreciate the film because, as many people have commented, it feels a lot like the program. However, if you haven’t seen every episode, you might not get all the humor.
Dr. Cabbie
Dr. Cabbie, the first romantic comedy on this list, is a ridiculous film about an Indian doctor who immigrated to Canada but is unable to practice medicine. After delivering a baby in his cab, he decides not to go home and instead works as a cab driver, sharing his patients’ medical information without their consent. In every rom-com, there is some sort of star-crossed romance, but this one is particularly absurd because the mother of the child he delivers ends up falling madly in love with the lead character.
While there are some cheap chuckles and cliched jokes in this film, as long as you don’t take it too seriously, you’ll have a blast laughing at this original perspective on life.
FUBAR
The movie 21 FUBAR FUBAR is about friendship, but not in the way that Disney would have you believe.
As we follow the antics of the main protagonists Terry and Dean, it begins out tremendously silly, nearly to the point of being painful. But as the story develops, one of the two men receives a dire health diagnosis, shocking the other to the core. Even while this seems gloomy, the story is masterfully told in a way that keeps everything feeling somewhat lighter. Shotgun a beer with the guys and laugh heartily while you continue to observe.
Goon
Ice hockey and being exceedingly courteous are two characteristics that most people associate with Canadians. When you consider the brutal fights that occur during some ice hockey games, those two things don’t really fit together, which is why why Goon is so funny.
The main character Doug Smith’s memoirs was really adapted for the screen. Despite being dramatized, several amusing events, like the time Doug scored a goal with his behind, actually happened. The main attraction is a cast of likable, complex, and heartfelt people. Goon might just tickle your funny bone if you enjoy sports and a good laugh.
Outrageous!
Outrageous! is a somewhat dramatic comedy film about a female impersonator and his schizophrenia roommate. It is based on the short story Making It from Margaret Gibson’s collection The Butterfly Ward. Despite featuring LGBT themes, the 1977 film was extensively seen in theaters and won a number of prizes. Perhaps it was Craig Russell’s skill in making his character Robin Turner seem and sound like so many famous female figures of the era.
The majority of the film is animated and peppy, and it provides a fascinating look at drag culture in the 1970s. This film is unquestionably worthwhile to watch if you have any interest in anything LGBTQ+.
Seducing Dr. Lewis
The English title Dr. Lewis may not be as elegant-sounding as the original French term La grande seduction, but it conveys the same meaning. The story takes place in the fishing community of Ste-Marie-la-Mauderne, off the coast of Quebec, where the locals are forced to rely nearly exclusively on welfare and some even choose to leave their community in search of employment. However, a plastic container manufacturer verbally agrees to rejuvenate the neighborhood by opening a new facility there if certain requirements are met with the locals. One of them is that a doctor must live in the community.
As the villagers urgently try to persuade the doctor to stay, Dr. Christopher Lewis appears, setting off the amusing antics of the rest of the film.
Starbuck
By the time they are 40 years old, some people need to mature and learn how to live responsibly. David Wozniak, not so. Up until everything started occurring to him at once, he has a reasonably carefree and relaxed life. When a lawyer unexpectedly shows up and reminds him of his past when he sold sperm to earn a fast profit, his girlfriend Valerie tells him that she is expecting his child. Over 100 people have filed a class action lawsuit to have his identity revealed since he is the biological father of more than 500 children.
It’s interesting to note that Patrick Huard portrays the lead role in both Starbuck and the prior film Bon Cop, Bad Cop.
Strange Brew
Rick Moranis’ debut film as an actor was Strange Brew, despite the fact that he is better recognized for his work in other movies like Spaceballs, Ghostbusters, or Honey, I Shrunk The Kids. On top of that, he is also a co-writer and co-director.
Bob and Doug McKenzie, brothers who are unemployed and only want to drink beer, wind up getting recruited by Elsinore Brewing. The stupid brothers discover a scheme to rule the globe using a mind-controlling substance slipped inside beer shipments as well as the mystery surrounding the murder of the late owner, John Elsinore. This PG-rated comedy is appropriate for viewers of all ages because it almost entirely centers around drinking beer.
Take This Waltz
The fantasy that many people have dabbled with once or twice in their lives is brought to life in the film Take This Waltz. On a flight back to Toronto, Margot meets Daniel, a charming and enquiring stranger, by happenstance. The two share a cab back to the same street and learn they are neighbors, which is an even larger coincidence.
People applaud the filmmaker, Sarah Polley, with bringing a new perspective to an otherwise worn-out cliché despite the fact that this kind of plot seems to have been used often. However, you might want to mentally prepare yourself because some of the more wholesome exchanges are interspersed with full-frontal nudity and other explicit material.
The Delicate Art of Parking
Have you ever let your meter run out of time and then sprinted back to your car in time to watch a police officer write you a ticket? Parking enforcer Grant Parker has received his fair share of criticism in The Delicate Art of Parking. Many people can harbor resentment for those who are merely carrying out their jobs.
As soon as you catch a sight of the cast’s chemistry, it’s simple to understand why this film was warmly appreciated. When it comes to parking, Grant won’t give any room for error, and the realistic responses of irate motorists are all too relatable. You may even argue that this film served as the catalyst for performers Fred Ewanick and Nancy Robertson’s successful sitcom Corner Gas, which helped them reach higher levels of comedy.
Trailer Park Boys
The original beginning of the series, Trailer Park Boys, which debuted in 1999, should not be confused with the TV show of the same name or the movie Trailer Park Boys: The Movie. This film sets a high bar for the program as well as being frequently regarded as the greatest of all the films in the series. In order to leave behind a legacy, Julian records his criminal life in a trailer park after having a psychic prophesy his future and death over the phone.
Trailer Park Boys is the kind of slapstick humor that many people prefer to the excruciating secondhand embarrassment that may result from seeing other mockumentaries like The Office or Parks and Recreation, despite being shot in black and white and having a low budget overall.
Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day
This film, which is really the third in the series but is set two years after the events of the TV episode Say Goodnight to the Bad Guys and not after the second film, shares many of the same characters and settings as the TV program Trailer Park Boys.
After being released from prison, the three main protagonists Ricky, Julian, and Bubbles all attempt to change their lives—some in sillier ways than others—in Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day. Although many people may not enjoy the filthy humor and dark humour in this film, those who can handle it will find it to be a nice chuckle. Although occasionally chaotic, the mockumentary format of The Office works effectively for this storyline.
Trailer Park Boys: Don’t Legalize It
Trailer Park Boys: Don’t Legalize It is an additional film in the series. It centers on the typical Sunnyvale trailer park dwellers and their absurd antics. In this film, crime is still king, but none of our heroes appear to have honed their trade yet. The conflict these criminals have between wanting to use marijuana for recreational purposes lawfully (due to an imminent bill in the Canadian government) and running a successful, if illegal, marijuana distribution operation may be the film’s most amusing plot point.
There is something to be said about following the bizarre lives of these miscreants, but by this point in the list, you probably already know if this brand of humor is for you or not.
Tucker and Dale vs Evil
Tucker and Dale vs Evil, a humorous parody of other hillbilly horror films like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, did well at the box office and has only grown in cult status over the years. The title characters, Tucker and Dale, just want to unwind and work on their cabin in the woods for a few days, but their intentions are delayed by some college students’ humorous and illogical reasoning. After the cops and a news crew come, these hillbillies have a terrible time navigating through life.
It’s little wonder that Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk, who co-star in this amazing dark comedy, have amassed so many admirers when you witness their on-screen connection.
Tusk
The film Tusk is a little peculiar, straddling the lines of both humor and horror. Wallace Bryton, a podcaster, has a small bit of celebrity, but it has gotten to his head, and he believes he is “that guy.” Wallace’s ambitious goals send him to Canada to conduct an interview, but when he meets Howard, things take a strange turn. Be warned, the film’s crazy premise is both humorous and unsettling in different ways.
The cast, though, might be the most peculiar aspect. Along with some well-known internet celebrities like Harley Morenstein of Epic Meal Time on YouTube and others, famous actors like Michael Parks and Johnny Depp are included.
Waydowntown
Waydowntown is a satirical look at business culture in Calgary, Alberta, and is yet another spin on some black humour or gallows humor. A small group of office workers wager one month’s pay to see who can stay inside the building the longest. This is only conceivable because of the downtown area’s expanding network of covered walkways that connect buildings.
Fortunately, the movie begins on day 24 of the wager, saving you from sitting through the dull beginning of the wager. This movie has a running length that is just under an hour and a half.
What If?
What If, a romantic comedy that was originally named The F Word (probably for “friend”), follows the lives of Wallace and Chantry as they consider their friendship in the face of an immediate unspoken attraction to one another and seemingly insurmountable challenges.
Although the film doesn’t make an effort to avoid typical rom-com clichés, it does so in a way that some people find novel. That was unquestionably the case when the picture won Best Adapted Screenplay at the 2nd Canadian Screen Awards after being hailed as “one of the hottest films” at the Toronto International Film Festival. What If was an excellent exhibition of how Daniel Radcliffe can portray roles other than Harry Potter, and he does a fantastic job as Wallace.
