While the journey to everlasting love can sometimes be an enjoyable one, sometimes the tale of true friendship is more impactful, or sometimes you just want to see dudes being dudes and bros being bros. Though the concept of bromance has only been referenced in recent decades, the idea of a “bromantic comedy” has existed for longer.
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With movies centered around male friendship likeDinerandWayne’s Worldsucceeding at the box office, the inspiration for the bromantic comedy was born. Though the movies on this list mostly still feature romantic interests, it is the relationship between the male leads that prove to be the most rewarding.
Dude, Where’s My Car(2000)
Waking up from a night of heavy partying to discover his car is missing, Jesse (Ashton Kutcher) recruits his best friend Chester (Seann William Scott) to find the misplaced automobile.
What begins as a simple quest soon spirals into a larger mystery as aliens, ostriches, and cults all become involved. While this comedy from 20 years ago doesn’t always hold up due to some questionable jokes that wouldn’t fly today, there are still enough laughs as the two well-meaning slackers search for their car. Zoltan!
Dude, Where’s My Caris available to stream on Amazon Prime and Hulu.
BASEketball(1998)
Two slackers are challenged by a pair of jocks to a game of basketball they know they can’t win, so they invent their own sport that combines basketball with baseball. Creating rules on the fly to help them succeed, the game becomes an overnight sensation and soon becomes a national sport.
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Led bySouth ParkcreatorsTrey ParkerandMatt Stone,BASEketballlampoons both sports films and sports in general as the two friends navigate the pitfalls of fame. Featuring plenty of gross-out humor and laugh-out-loud gags,BASEketballwill appeal to fans of the famous duo’s work.
Role Models(2008)
After his girlfriend breaks up with him, depressed Danny (Paul Rudd) impulsively drives his work car into a statue, and finds himself forced to undergo community service alongside his colleague Wheeler (Seann William Scott). Chosen to be “big brothers” for youths in need of positive role models, the pair of man-children are forced to grow up.
While the relationship between Danny and Wheeler is a focus, it is the friendship that forms between the two men and their charges that causes them to grow and change themselves for the better, while still providing plenty of laughs.
Step Brothers(2008)
A literal bromantic comedy,Step Brothersfinds two forty-year-old men forced to become, you guessed it, stepbrothers, after their parents get married.Will FerrellandJohn C. Reillyplay the two dysfunctional adults who have failed to leave the nest. Initially hostile to each other, the pair soon become best friends as they discover how similar they are.
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While it is often overshadowed byAnchorman,another collaboration between Ferrell and directorAdam McKay,Step Brothersstill holds up as a comedy about finding family in the most unlikely of places.
Pineapple Express(2008)
After witnessing a murder and promptly fleeing, stoner Dale (Seth Rogen) realizes he left a discarded joint at the crime scene. Discovering the blend of weed is rare and only sold by his dealer Saul (James Franco), the pair go on the run as the murderer seeks to silence the only witness to his crime.
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The film was released at a time when Rogen dominated the comedy genre, with the actor seemingly releasing a new movie every few months,butPineapple Expressremains one of his best.
Pineapple Expressis available to stream on Amazon Prime.
I Love You, Man(2009)
Likable Peter (Paul Rudd) is about to marry the woman of his dreams, Zooey (Rashida Jones). But when the topic of who will be his best man is raised, he is shocked to discover he possesses no male friends. Determined to make one in time for his wedding, Peter begins the search for a new best friend.
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Peter soon meets the vulgar Sydney (Jason Segel), who is basically his opposite. The men become fast friends, however, and the film focuses more on the “will they, won’t they” relationship between them rather than Peter’s relationship with his wife.
I Love You, Manis available to stream on Paramount+.
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle(2004)
After a late-night smoke session leaves them with a craving for White Castle, office worker Harold (John Cho) and his slacker roommate Kumar (Kal Penn) find themselves on a strange odyssey. Encountering disfigured rednecks and a warped version ofNeil Patrick Harris, the best friends are in for a night they will never forget.
Riding high on the wave of gross-out comedies from the early 2000s,Harold & Kumar Go to White Castledifferentiates itself by subverting racial stereotypes. Giving center stage to Korean-American Cho and Indian-American Penn, the film benefits greatly from their chemistry.
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castleis available to stream on Netflix.
On the verge of graduating from high school, two teenage outsiders (Jonah HillandMichael Cera) make a pact to lose their virginity after being invited to their first-ever high school party. Joined by their friend Fogell, aka McLovin (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), the teens embark on a wild journey.
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WhereSuperbadsucceeds is by showcasing an honest portrayal of teenage life, with the moviepossessing relatable characters and situations. Fogell’s adventure with two laid back police officers (Bill Hader and Seth Rogen) is the highlight of the film, while Emma Stone makes her feature film debut as Hill’s love interest.
The Hangover(2009)
After losing their friend Doug in Las Vegas just days before his wedding, his two best friends (Bradley CooperandEd Helms) and his brother-in-law (Zach Galifianakis) are forced to retrace their steps after a wild bachelor party to find him.
The Hangoverwas a massive success and went on to win the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical. While the film is one hilariously escalating situation after another, it succeeds by forcing the three mismatched men to come together to locate their missing friend, creating an unbreakable bond.
The Hangoveris available to stream on HBO Max.
Hot Fuzz(2007)
Not only the best bromantic comedy,Hot Fuzzis also one of the greatest comedies of all time. The second film fromEdgar Wright,Simon Pegg, andNick Frostafter the belovedShaun of the Deadis equal partsMidsomer MurdersandLethal Weapon, as murders and gunfights erupt in the quiet English countryside.
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After exceptional police officer Nicholas Angel (Pegg) is sent to the countryside after making the rest of his department look bad, he is partnered with the childlike Danny Butterman (Frost). The budding friendship between Angel and Butterman is the heart of the film, as Butterman sees in Angel the heroic cop he idolizes from his favorite action films.
Hot Fuzzis available to stream on Hulu.
NEXT:10 Most Fun Movie Bromances, from Butch and Sundance to Nic Cage and an Arms Dealer
