"I think I have enough laughter in my life," said no one, ever. There's simply no such thing as too much laughter, and whenever you're feeling down, you can always depend on a silly comedy to lift your spirits. While there are several contemporary comedy movies [1] we could recommend, the '90s produced a ton of hilarious gems that, in our opinions, deserve more recognition. Whether you're into dark humour, slapstick humour, or something in between, Netflix has comedy flicks from the '90s that everyone can enjoy (and they even have some family-friendly comedies [2], too!). Here are just 16 of the best '90s comedies you can stream right now.
Back to the Future Part III (1990)
This third and final instalment in the Back to the Future franchise follows Marty McFly as he travels to 1885 in order to rescue Doc before the doctor is killed by Biff's great-grandfather, Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen. Unfortunately, the mission gets a little more complicated after Doc falls in love with a woman he saves from a runaway horse-drawn wagon.
Watch Back to the Future Part III on Netflix [4].
Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)
Mel Gibson [5] and Danny Glover reprise their roles in the third Lethal Weapon film, which follows LAPD Sergeants Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh as they pursue a former LAPD lieutenant who has since become a ruthless arms dealer. Of course, Joe Pesci also reprises his role as shifty informant Leo Getz, and yes, he's just as hilarious as he was in the first two movies.
Watch Lethal Weapon 3 on Netflix [6].
Strictly Ballroom (1992)
This romantic comedy centres around a ballroom dancer and his new partner, who shake up the dance world together by introducing some scandalous new moves. The best part: it's just as sexy as it is funny.
Watch Strictly Ballroom on Netflix [7].
Groundhog Day (1993)
Bill Murray [8] stars in this classic film as Phil Connors, a cynical TV weatherman who's sent to the small town of Punxsutawney in order to cover their annual Groundhog Day ceremony. Little does he know that he will live February 2 all over again the next day, and then the next day, and the next, and the next . . .
Watch Groundhog Day on Netflix [9].
Richie Rich (1994)
If you love the Home Alone movies, there's a good chance you remember this one. Based on the Harvey Comics character of the same name, Macaulay Culkin stars in this comedy as the titular Richie Rich, a pampered only child who has everything he could ever want — except for friends. However, that all changes after his parents go missing and he has to team up with a group of kids to find them.
Watch Richie Rich on Netflix [10].
It Takes Two (1995)
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen [11] tackle that whole "wish we had a secret twin thing" in It Takes Two, pulling off an epic The Prince and the Pauper-esque switcheroo to play matchmaker. If that doesn't sound amazing enough, there's also a great food fight scene in the camp mess hall along the way.
Watch It Takes Two on Netflix [12].
Bad Boys (1995)
In this buddy-cop comedy, two detectives (played by Will Smith [13] and Martin Lawrence) have five days to track down the crook who stole $100 million worth of heroin from their Miami police station. If they don't find him, they'll have to say goodbye to the narcotics division, and though the stakes are high, there are still plenty of laughs along the way.
Watch Bad Boys on Netflix [14].
The First Wives Club (1996)
In this comedy, three friends (played by Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn [15], and Diane Keaton [16]) are reunited at the funeral of their former college friend, who took her own life when her ex-husband married a younger woman. Once they're together, they resolve to all get revenge on the ex-husbands who took them for granted, and they are truly a power trio.
Watch The First Wives Club on Netflix [17].
Space Jam (1996)
This beloved movie tells the (totally fictionalized) story of what happened between Michael Jordan [18]'s initial retirement from the NBA in 1993 and his eventual comeback in 1995. Their version of events: The Chicago Bulls star was enlisted to help the Looney Tunes take down the owner of an evil amusement park in a basketball tournament, and honestly, their version is a lot more fun than the reality (which was a stint in minor-league baseball).
Watch Space Jam on Netflix [19].
Kingpin (1996)
This wacky sports comedy is set in the world of professional bowling, following an alcoholic ex-bowler (played by Woody Harrelson) who becomes the manager for a promising new talent (played by Randy Quaid). However, the new recruit is from an Amish community, so he's forced to keep his bowling hobby a secret from his family. Spoiler alert: it doesn't stay a secret.
Watch Kingpin on Netflix [20].
As Good as It Gets (1997)
When an insolent romance writer (played by Jack Nicholson [21]) gets stuck watching his neighbour's dog, his hard exterior slowly begins to soften, even allowing him to charm Helen Hunt [22], who plays the only waitress at the local diner who's still willing to serve him. Moral of the story: dogs are the best.
Watch As Good as It Gets on Netflix [23].
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
When cryogenically-preserved secret agent Austin Powers (played by Mike Myers [24]) is revived 30 years later, he must enlist the help of a modern-day woman (played by model Liz Hurley) to help him take his style, slang, and attitude out of the '60s. Oh, and to help him defeat Dr. Evil and save the world, of course.
Watch Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery on Netflix [25].
Chasing Amy (1997)
Ben Affleck [26] and Jason Lee star in this Kevin Smith-directed rom-com as Holden and Banky, comic book artists and lifelong BFFs who meet the beautiful artist Alyssa (played by Joey Lauren Adams) at a comic book convention. Holden is immediately smitten, and though he's dismayed to learn that Alyssa is gay, that won't stop him from trying to woo her anyway.
Watch Chasing Amy on Netflix [27].
Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)
Mel Gibson [28], Danny Glover, and Joe Pesci return once again for the fourth (and final) instalment in the buddy-cop franchise, which follows Martin, Roger, and Leo as they try to take down a team of deadly Chinese triads who've targeted them and their growing families. Chris Rock [29] joins the cast as Detective Lee Butters, and as you can probably expect, he provides plenty of comedy gold.
Watch Lethal Weapon 4 on Netflix [30].
Can't Hardly Wait (1998)
Just like all teen-centric '90s comedies, this flick takes place after high school graduation at a rich classmate's wild house party, where everyone hopes to settle old debts and make new moves before high school is over forever. Jennifer Love Hewitt [31] may have risen to fame in I Know What You Did Last Summer, but this movie officially made her '90s teen royalty.
Watch Can't Hardly Wait on Netflix [32].
Cookie's Fortune (1999)
Set in small-town Mississippi, this crime comedy tells the story of two sisters who decide to frame their rich aunt's suicide as murder to salvage their family's reputation — and then later take over her incredible mansion. It may not sound funny, but Glenn Close, Julianne Moore, and Liv Tyler [33] make for a wildly eccentric and entertaining trio.
Watch Cookie's Fortune on Netflix [34].