There was once a time when offensive jokes against certain groups of people were okay to put in movies. Not in 2024, though. As time has progressed, the entertainment industry has evolved with the times. There is no longer any room for racist, sexist, or homophobic jokes in films like there was in the early 2000s. There are plenty of movies that wouldn’t fly in 2024 because of the new perspective on jokes at other people’s expense.
One movie that certainly wouldn’t fly in 2024 is “White Chicks.” While many millennials consider the movie a classic, the idea of people covering their faces with another skin tone to fit in doesn’t align with the message of 2024. There was also a scene in the movie when the characters were driving down the road singing a hip-hop song. The white women in the car loudly sang when the derogatory name for African-Americans played out. While the scene was laughed at when the movie was first released, the jokes in “White Chicks” would get those actresses “canceled” almost immediately today.
Another film that audiences wouldn’t approve of is “American Pie.” The jokes in the movie are crude, to say the least. The idea of teenagers pursuing Stiffler’s mom would be considered awkward by many. The scene where the pie is used by Jim Levenstein to pleasure himself wouldn’t make viewers laugh nearly the same as it did when the movie was released in 1999. For more film content, click here to read about movies that should have been rated R.
To compile this list of comedy films that would never be made today, 24/7 Tempo consulted entertainment-related sources. These include UltimateClassicRock, IMDb, and Rotten Tomatoes.
“White Chicks”
- Year released: 2004
Tons of millennials around the United States would name “White Chicks” as one of their favorite movies if you polled them. The plot revolves around two F.B.I. agents restoring their reputations within the department after ruining a drug bust. They must keep two wealthy sisters safe after threats against their lives go public. To make sure they’re safe, the agents dress up like white girls – even though they are African-American men.
Throughout the movie, there are plenty of racist and sexist jokes told by the characters. One moment that stands out among the rest is the group singing in the car to a heavy-hitting rap song, and the derogatory name for African-Americans is mentioned. Instead of skipping over it, the group continued to sing. While viewers ate up the comedy at the time in 2004, Gen-Z would hardly find any of the jokes told funny.
“American Pie”
- Year released: 1999
After being released in 1999, “American Pie” quickly gained a reputation for having jokes that were even questionable back then. The writers didn’t hold back, especially when they added the scene of Jim Levenstein secretly recording Nadia changing her clothes. In 2024, audiences would yell from the rooftops calling the moment harassment, which is a correct statement. They’d also be clamoring at the fact that the scene was glamorized.
Another moment that would have fans up in arms was when Levenstein used a freshly baked pie to satisfy his urges. In 1999, the joke that Levenstein needed a pie to get himself off was funny. In 2024, audiences would empathize with him and not make him feel guilty for doing what he did. “American Pie” is still considered a cult-classic by many people, but the film wouldn’t fly by today’s standards.
“Tropic Thunder”
- Year released: 2008
Imagine a Hollywood star in 2024 using blackface as part of their character. There’s no way society would sit back and be okay with it. However, Robert Downey Jr. did just that in the 2008 hit, “Tropic Thunder.” He played a black man, which was a role that should have been given to a black man. The use of blackface isn’t the only aspect of the film audiences in 2024 would see an issue with.
The character Downey Jr. plays was also a movie character who tried his best to think about how a black man would play the role he was asked to do. Even when the film was released, there were numerous people who didn’t feel comfortable with the use of blackface. In 2024, there was no chance that a movie that used this technique would be made.
“Blazing Saddles”
- Year released: 1974
Throughout time, Mel Brooks has pushed the limit whenever he’s made a movie. That’s no different when it comes to “Blazing Saddles.” The movie is a parody of other Western films, with heavy use of the derogatory name used to call African-Americans. Gen-Z has no time for jokes that come at the expense of anyone’s race, especially towards African-Americans. That isn’t the only type of joke that would fly in 2024.
Throughout the movie, the group of cowboys refers to their love of assaulting women numerous times. They think it’s a joke and a fun game, which audiences would continue to cringe at whenever they hear the lines said in 2024. Even at the time in 1974, there were plenty of people who thought that the jokes that were said were a bit much. Brooks has addressed the fact that there’s no chance another movie like this would be made in 2024 due to the social climate.
“Revenge of the Nerds”
- Year released: 1984
Throughout history, dorky people constantly fight back against the tough and popular guys in school. It’s not until they’re out of high school that nerds feel like they belong and are in the right place. In “Revenge of the Nerds,” most of the movie would still be seen as decent by viewers in 2024. However, there’s one scene that would need to be changed for the movie to satisfy audiences.
One of the nerds had a crush on a girl who was dating the most popular guy at school. He dreamed of hooking up with her and was determined to make it happen. His idea was that he was going to dress like her boyfriend to make it happen. Those watching in 2024 wouldn’t like the fact that he hid himself from her and manipulated her into hooking up with him. The writers would need to update the script to add mutual consent in a remake.
“Mr. Mom”
- Year released: 1983
In 2024, most households have at least two streams of income coming in. That means that both the father and mother are working in some capacity. In 1983, the idea of the woman going to work while the man stayed home with the family handling household chores seemed outlandish to many people. The film “Mr. Mom” took that idea and explored what a family dynamic would look like if the man did the household work.
There’s nothing truly wrong with the film, but Gen-Z would call out the fact that women are just as capable as men as being providers to their home. They wouldn’t like that the idea of a man helping out at home is turned into a joke. “Mr. Mom” was ahead of its time when it came out in 1983.
“The Toy”
- Year released: 1982
It’s essentially inconceivable that a movie like “The Toy” would come out in theaters in 2024. The plot showcases a wealthy white man who wants to buy a toy for his son. Rather than purchase him a toy off the toy shelf, he decides to buy him an actual human being to play with for the week. What makes the story become even worse is that the person the man buys is an African-American man.
The fact that a movie makers cast an African-American man to be sold to a wealthy white man was bizarre. The Black character was forced to do whatever the child wanted, and that would make audiences squirm in their seats. The story also unleashed racial stereotypes about African-American men being less than human by placing a value point on their worth. Gen-Z, millennials, and most everyone would agree that in today’s social climate, there’s no room for a movie like this.
“Sixteen Candles”
- Year released: 1984
In high school, most people want to be sought after by the popular and attractive kids. That’s exactly what happened in “Sixteen Candles.” While preparing for her 16th birthday, Samantha Baker looks to get the attention of Jake Ryan, the popular senior. At the same time, she’s pursued by Ted Farmer, the school nerd and dorky kid. While this might seem harmless, there are plenty of scenes and moments in the movie that wouldn’t be suitable in 2024.
For starters, in order to show his friends that he has a chance with Baker, Farmer steals a pair of her underwear to showcase to his circle. Stealing someone else’s personal belongings (especially their underwear) is part of a movie that wouldn’t fly in 2024. Another moment that audiences would have a difficult time grasping is when the Chinese exchange student shows up. He embodies nearly every Asian stereotype, which Gen-Z doesn’t appreciate making jokes about.
“Heathers”
- Year released: 1989
It’s difficult to imagine a movie that glamorizes a high school student attempting to kill their classmates for no reason. The movie “Heathers” turns the idea into a comedy. Even in the 1980s, the plot of the film wasn’t met with great reviews by critics and audiences alike. Fast-forward to 2024 and the constant news about a school-shooting taking place, there’s no chance that this movie would do very well.
It also hurts the writers that they tried to make a joke out of the concept in 1989. In 2018, a studio agreed to produce a television show that’s based on the film. The show never made it to air, which isn’t shocking at all. Even if there weren’t any school-shootings in the future, the United States has been through enough trauma.
“Silver Streak”
- Year released: 1976
The first part of “Silver Streak” would pass in 2024, and would actually be an interesting watch for tons of viewers. A man named George Caldwell is accused of murder while on a train ride to Chicago. He has to figure out a way to clear his name and is thrown in jail in a small town. When he gets to jail, he meets a criminal named Grover Muldoon, who’s willing to help him escape and get back on his train. The catch is, Caldwell must help Muldoon escape from behind bars as well.
The part of the movie that wouldn’t fly in 2024 comes later. The only solution the duo comes up with is putting Caldwell in blackface, so nobody on the train recognizes him after being kicked off. If writers wanted to bring this movie back to life, they’d have to make sure that they didn’t include the blackface as part of the plot to help Caldwell clear his name. Luckily, there are plenty of new ideas for how to sneak someone onto a train in 2024.
“Three Men and a Baby”
- Year released: 1987
Few titles of movies explain the plot as well as “Three Men and a Baby.” A group of friends in New York City enjoy sleeping around and doing whatever it is that they want. One of the friends, Jack Holden, offers to get the group a surprise one weekend to kick it off the right way. Holden is expecting a large amount of drugs to show up at the door, but instead is greeted by his daughter, who came from one of the nights of sleeping around.
The friend group must band together to figure out how to raise a child and make sure they survive. In 2024, men are expected to take more of a lead when it comes to working with their children. There’s no room whatsoever for a man who’s incapable of doing work around the house. “Three Men and a Baby” implies that no man is capable of being a hands-on father and that it would be a joke to think otherwise.
“Soul Man”
- Year released: 1986
Nearly everyone in the world wants to have a career they can be proud of. Mark Watson was no different, and a position at Harvard Law School looked like it was coming right around the corner. However, at the last moment, his father decided that he didn’t want to pay the steep tuition that going to the school costs. He made Watson have to get a scholarship to get into the program. The only scholarship Howell could get was one for African-American students only. The problem was that Howell is white.
Rather than figure out something else, Watson decided to put on blackface to get the scholarship. He acted on tons of racist stereotypes during his mission to convince everyone that he was African-American. In 2024, there’s no room for anyone dressing up in blackface and acting out racist stereotypes to get a scholarship. Gen-Z would cringe and likely cancel the movie makers on social media the second it was announced.
“Just One of the Guys”
- Year released: 1985
Throughout time, there have plenty of examples of men having more chances than women when it comes to jobs. Terri Griffith was no different than any other woman trying to make it in her career. She was a teenager who was aspiring to become a journalist, but she had little luck with advancing. She thought that the best way to further her career was to pretend to be a man named Terry Griffith.
After starting her new journey, Griffith realized it wasn’t just her gender that was holding her back. The idea of the movie is thought-provoking and adds to different conversations that go on around the United States. However, in 2024, Gen-Z and millennials would be disappointed in Griffith for not staying true to herself and embracing her femininity to get farther along in her career. Plenty of women relate to this story, but there are better ways to help women get the confidence to pursue their passions.
“Ted”
- Year released: 2012
The most recent film that wouldn’t make the cut in 2024 is “Ted.” Part of the reason “Ted” was so successful when it was first released is because it was written and directed by Seth MacFarlane, the man behind “Family Guy.” Audiences already knew there were going to be plenty of crude jokes and humor that would not suitable for everybody. The reason “Ted” wouldn’t fly in 2024 is the countless racist and sexist jokes that are told throughout the movie.
Ted is a teddy bear that comes to life and becomes a horrible influence on his owner, John Bennett. The duo smoke weed and have no aspirations in their future. Ted is forced to get a job at one point. During his interview at the store, he only insults the manager’s wife and makes tons of sexual remarks about her. Gen-Z would most likely watch “Ted” without being amused.
“Home Alone”
Macaulay Culkin smiling on the couch in a scene from the film 'Getting Even With Dad', 1994. (Photo by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Getty Images)
- Year released: 1990
In 2024, most parents keep a close eye on their children. There’s little chance of a child ever being left behind by their parents on purpose. Kevin McCallister was given what many kids dream of – the chance to explore the world without having to answer to a single adult. The movie wouldn’t fly in 2024 because people would label the scenes child endangerment and viewers wouldn’t find the story funny.
That doesn’t mean it’s not still a Christmas classic, though. Since the movie was made in the 1990s and doesn’t include any racist or sexist jokes, “Home Alone” gets a pass by many people. There’s a reason that there haven’t been any remakes of the classic in more than 30 years. It wouldn’t work. For more movie content, click here to read about the best ’60s movies that will never get old.