Best dark comedy films

Comedies about war, death, crime and terrible people, funny because they go where other comedies will not. Spoofs and family comedies are left out. Every pick has a TMDB rating of 7.0 or more from at least 1,000 votes, and new releases wait until their ratings settle. The order follows the Boxlist quality score, and we checked the list by hand to remove obvious misfits.

1
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Film8.1
After the insane General Jack D. Ripper initiates a nuclear strike on the Soviet Union, a war room full of politicians, generals and a Russian...
US Amazon Prime (rent), iTunes (rent), UK Amazon Prime (rent), iTunes (rent)
2
Brazil (1985)
Film7.7
Low-level bureaucrat Sam Lowry escapes the monotony of his day-to-day life through a recurring daydream of himself as a virtuous hero saving a...
US Amazon Prime (rent), Google Play (rent), UK iTunes (rent), Rakuten (buy)
3
Poor Things (2023)
Film7.7
Brought back to life by an unorthodox scientist, a young woman runs off with a lawyer on a whirlwind adventure across the continents.
US Amazon Prime (rent), iTunes (rent), UK Disney, Amazon Prime (rent)
4
The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)
Film7.5
Two lifelong friends find themselves at an impasse when one abruptly ends their relationship, with alarming consequences for both of them.
US FX, Amazon Prime (buy), UK Channel 4, Disney
5
The Death of Stalin (2017)
Film7.0
Proclaimed the funniest political comedy of the year (The Daily Beast), The Death of Stalin delivers a brutally executed parody of Cold War Russia.
US AMC, Hulu, UK Amazon Prime, Bfi Player (rent)
6
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Film7.5
Shaun lives a supremely uneventful life, which revolves around his girlfriend, his mother, and, above all, his local pub.
US STARZ, Amazon Prime (rent), UK Amazon Prime (rent), Chili (rent)
7
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Film8.0
A New York stockbroker refuses to cooperate in a large securities fraud case involving corruption on Wall Street, corporate banking world and mob...
US Kanopy, Paramount+, UK Amazon Prime, BBC
8
Heathers (1989)
Film7.4
A girl who halfheartedly tries to be part of the "in crowd" of her school meets a rebel who teaches her a more devious way to play social...
US Tubi TV, Amazon Prime (rent), UK ITV, Amazon Prime (rent)
9
What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
Film7.6
Vampire housemates try to cope with the complexities of modern life and show a newly turned hipster some of the perks of being undead.
US Amazon Prime (rent), Google Play (rent), UK ITV, Rakuten
10
The Great Dictator (1940)
Film8.4
Dictator Adenoid Hynkel tries to expand his empire while a poor Jewish barber tries to avoid persecution from Hynkel's regime.
US HBO, IndieFlix, UK NowTV, Amazon Prime (rent)
11
The Nice Guys (2016)
Film7.1
A private eye investigates the apparent suicide of a fading porn star in 1970s Los Angeles and uncovers a conspiracy.
US Amazon Prime (rent), iTunes (rent), UK ITV, Amazon Prime (rent)
12
In Bruges (2008)
Film7.5
Ray and Ken, two hit men, are in Bruges, Belgium, waiting for their next mission.
US Amazon Prime (rent), Google Play (rent), UK Amazon Prime, Chili (rent)
13
Raising Arizona (1987)
Film7.0
When a childless couple of an ex-con and an ex-cop decide to help themselves to one of another family's quintuplets, their lives become more...
US Disney, Hulu, UK Amazon Prime (rent), Google Play (rent)
14
The Menu (2022)
Film7.2
A young couple travels to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises.
US FX, Amazon Prime (rent), UK Disney, Amazon Prime (rent)
15
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010)
Film7.4
Two hillbillies are suspected of being killers by a group of paranoid college kids camping near the duo's West Virginian cabin.
US Amazon Prime, Hulu, UK Amazon Prime (rent), Google Play (rent)
16
Jojo Rabbit (2019)
Film8.1
A World War II satire that follows a lonely German boy whose world view is turned upside down when he discovers his single mother is hiding a...
US FX, Amazon Prime (rent), UK Disney, Amazon Prime (rent)
17
Ready or Not (2019)
Film7.0
A bride's wedding night takes a sinister turn when her eccentric new in-laws force her to take part in a terrifying game.
US FX, Hulu, UK Disney, Amazon Prime (rent)
18
The Gentlemen (2019)
Film7.7
American expat Mickey Pearson has built a highly profitable marijuana empire in London.
US Netflix, Amazon Prime (rent), UK Amazon Prime (rent), iTunes (rent)
19
Triangle of Sadness (2022)
Film7.3
A celebrity model couple are invited on a luxury cruise for the uber-rich, helmed by an unhinged, alcoholic captain.
US Hulu, Kanopy, UK BBC, Amazon Prime (rent)
20
Thank You for Smoking (2006)
Film7.2
Nick Naylor is a charismatic spin-doctor for Big Tobacco who'll fight to protect America's right to smoke -- even if it kills him -- while still...
US Hulu, iTunes (rent), UK iTunes (rent), Rakuten (buy)