The 7 Best Comedies on Prime Video in October

Here’s our list of the best comedies on Prime Video in October.

“Emma.”

It’s Jane Austen season, and 2020’s “Emma.” is one of the best adaptations of the author’s work. Anya Taylor-Joy stars in this sumptuous, clever take on the story of a wealthy young woman who finds joy in matchmaking. Yes, this is the Jane Austen book that served as the basis for “Clueless,” but if you’re curious about a straight adaptation, director Autumn de Wilde’s film is wonderful. Johnny Flynn, Josh O’Connor, Callum Turner, Mia Goth and Bill Nighy round out the terrific ensemble.

“The Love Hypothesis”

If a more modern rom-com is more your speed, “The Love Hypothesis” will do the trick. Based on the TikTok-famous book of the same name, this Prime Video original was released in September and stars Lily Reinhart as a PhD student who concocts a ruse to fake-date a widely feared/disliked professor (Tom Bateman) in order to benefit both her and the gentleman nicknamed “Dr. Evil.” But wouldn’t you know it, the plan gets complicated when the two start to have real feelings for each other. This is a sweet, charming romantic comedy with some serious laughs in all the right places.

“Project Hail Mary”

“Project Hail Mary” is a lot of things – thrilling, emotional, dramatic. But it is also very, very funny, and given that the awards campaign for Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s box office hit is just getting underway, now seems like the perfect time to revisit it (or watch it for the first time) on Prime Video. Ryan Gosling proves once again to be one of our best unsung comedic talents as he anchors the film as a schoolteacher launched into space to save Earth, collaborating with an alien being made of rocks. The movie rules, but do yourself a favor and catch “The Nice Guys” after this, in which Gosling gives one of the defining comedic performances of the 21st century.

“The Monster Squad”

If you’re looking for a comedy to watch for Spooky Season, “The Monster Squad” is a stone-cold classic. Basically “The Goonies” but with the Universal monsters, the film follows a group of monster-obsessed kids whose town becomes overrun by Dracula, Wolfman, Swamp Thing, the Mummy and Frankenstein’s monster. Seeing as how they’ve studied up on monsters of all shapes and sizes, they’re the only ones who can defeat this evil once and for all. It’s one part “Goonies,” one part “Halloween,” but the charming cast makes this a heck of a ride.

“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”

Sacha Baron Cohen revives his Ali G for a new movie in theaters this weekend, but why not revisit his “Borat” sequel too? The 2020 film was shot entirely in secret and dropped as a surprise, with Cohen reprising his Borat role just in time for the 2020 presidential election. It’s a funny and surprising follow-up, featuring an unforgettable scene with Rudy Giuliani, and it even earned two Oscar nominations for Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress for Maria Bakalova.

“Charade”

If you’re more old school, boy does “Charade” deliver. The 1963 romantic screwball comedy stars Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant and is essentially a lush spy romp. Hepburn and Grant are terrific together, and the whole thing kicks off in the Swiss Alps for that Old Hollywood feel. Stanley Donen, filmmaker behind “Singin’ in the Rain” and “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” directs.

“Bernie”

What about an off-kilter comedy? Something slightly left of center still guaranteed to make you laugh? For that, try Richard Linklater’s terrific 2011 film “Bernie,” which is inspired by the true story of the murder of an 81-year-old millionaire by her 39-year-old caretaker. The twist? Nobody had a bad thing to say about the caretaker. Jack Black gives one of the best performances of his career as said caretaker, while Shirley MacLaine plays the millionaire. The whole thing is shot like a documentary, weaving in true crime-esque elements as it tries to get to the truth of what would drive this nice young man to kill this woman?