The 1980s is considered the decade that changed the face of the movie industry. Although every decade brings forth its own unique cinematic styles, the 1980s brought a feeling of lightheartedness to its comedies, and its groundbreaking ideas were packed with entertainment that appealed to almost everyone. It was a time when movies brought fun and in terms of comedy, the output was nearly slapdash in its silliness and yet not without its pointed themes or three-dimensional characters.
It was a decade that saw a peak of parody movies and is even considered the “golden age” of the genre, a time when films like Airplane! saw both commercial and critical success and even today, 40 years after its release, remains one of the best comedies of all time. The best titles have duly endured in the pop cultural consciousness, a testament to their relatability and re-watchability alike. Each one also proves that there’s nothing wrong with simply having a good time at the movies.
Certain films come to mind when thinking about comedies of the 1980s, and along with that are the directors that made them famous. Among the most obvious is director John Hughes, who helmed some of the decade’s most popular films. That includes such classics as “Sixteen Candles,” “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “The Breakfast Club,” and “Planes, Trains, & Automobiles,” all of which punctuate sophomoric humor with moments of genuine insight.
These films gave us actors like Eddie Murphy, Bill Murray, and Goldie Hawn, among others, who reigned over the genre with impressive consistency, becoming Hollywood royalty in the process. Like each new decade, times have changed and norms have changed along with them. Because of this, many 1980s comedies might seem offensive at least in part, to some viewers. However, movies like “The Princess Bride” and “Beetlejuice” are no less charming now than they were when they first debuted. (Check out the best romantic comedies of all time).
It was a robust period for the genre. There may have been some films that might be considered inappropriate in today’s climate but if you put your retroactive critiques aside and leave your judgments behind, you just might enjoy yourself.
Methodology
24/7 Tempo created an index composed of each film’s rating on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, as well as its Audience Score and Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator to identify the best comedies that defined the 1980s. Data on domestic ticket sales came from The Numbers, an online movie database owned by consulting firm Nash Information Services, and is adjusted for inflation using the Consumer Price Index and historic movie ticket prices.
Here are the best comedies that defined the 1980s
50. Overboard (1987)
Source: Courtesy of MGM/UA Distribution Company
- IMDb rating: 6.9/10 (53,484 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 45% (33 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $26.7 million
- Directed by: Garry Marshall
- Starring: Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Edward Herrmann, Katherine Helmond
49. Weird Science (1985)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb rating: 6.6/10 (81,076 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 57% (35 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $16.3 million
- Directed by: John Hughes
- Starring: Anthony Michael Hall, Ilan Mitchell-Smith, Kelly LeBrock, Bill Paxton
48. Short Circuit (1986)
Source: Courtesy of TriStar Pictures
- IMDb rating: 6.7/10 (57,535 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 59% (37 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $40.7 million
- Directed by: John Badham
- Starring: Ally Sheedy, Steve Guttenberg, Fisher Stevens, Austin Pendleton
47. The ‘Burbs (1989)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb rating: 6.9/10 (69,663 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 53% (38 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $35.4 million
- Directed by: Joe Dante
- Starring: Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, Carrie Fisher, Corey Feldman
46. Mr. Mom (1983)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb rating: 6.6/10 (21,298 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 78% (23 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $64.8 million
- Directed by: Stan Dragoti
- Starring: Michael Keaton, Teri Garr, Frederick Koehler, Taliesin Jaffe
45. Tin Men (1987)
Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures
- IMDb rating: 6.6/10 (7,922 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 77% (22 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $25.4 million
- Directed by: Barry Levinson
- Starring: Richard Dreyfuss, Danny DeVito, Barbara Hershey, John Mahoney
44. Revenge of the Nerds (1984)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb rating: 6.7/10 (49,409 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 69% (42 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $40.9 million
- Directed by: Jeff Kanew
- Starring: Robert Carradine, Anthony Edwards, Timothy Busfield, Andrew Cassese
43. Uncle Buck (1989)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb rating: 7.1/10 (86,933 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 63% (24 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $66.8 million
- Directed by: John Hughes
- Starring: John Candy, Macaulay Culkin, Jean Louisa Kelly, Gaby Hoffmann
42. Spaceballs (1987)
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- IMDb rating: 7.1/10 (173,636 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 56% (43 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $38.1 million
- Directed by: Mel Brooks
- Starring: Mel Brooks, John Candy, Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman
41. Crocodile Dundee (1986)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb rating: 6.6/10 (93,912 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 88% (34 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $174.8 million
- Directed by: Peter Faiman
- Starring: Paul Hogan, Linda Kozlowski, John Meillon, David Gulpilil
40. Adventures in Babysitting (1987)
Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures
- IMDb rating: 7.0/10 (39,152 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 72% (29 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $33.8 million
- Directed by: Chris Columbus
- Starring: Elisabeth Shue, Maia Brewton, Keith Coogan, Anthony Rapp
39. Three O’Clock High (1987)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb rating: 7.2/10 (11,105 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 67% (12 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $3.7 million
- Directed by: Phil Joanou
- Starring: Casey Siemaszko, Annie Ryan, Richard Tyson, Stacey Glick
38. Used Cars (1980)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb rating: 6.8/10 (13,815 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 77% (30 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $11.7 million
- Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
- Starring: Kurt Russell, Jack Warden, Gerrit Graham, Frank McRae
37. Innerspace (1987)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb rating: 6.8/10 (54,915 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 82% (44 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $19.8 million
- Directed by: Joe Dante
- Starring: Dennis Quaid, Martin Short, Meg Ryan, Kevin McCarthy
36. Back to School (1986)
Source: Courtesy of Orion Pictures
- IMDb rating: 6.7/10 (28,699 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 86% (35 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $91.3 million
- Directed by: Alan Metter
- Starring: Rodney Dangerfield, Sally Kellerman, Burt Young, Keith Gordon
35. 9 to 5 (1980)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb rating: 6.9/10 (28,624 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 83% (41 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $103.3 million
- Directed by: Colin Higgins
- Starring: Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton, Dabney Coleman
34. Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)
Source: Courtesy of Orion Pictures
- IMDb rating: 7.0/10 (120,512 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 81% (53 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $40.5 million
- Directed by: Stephen Herek
- Starring: Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, George Carlin, Terry Camilleri
33. Fletch (1985)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb rating: 6.9/10 (48,303 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 77% (30 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $46.7 million
- Directed by: Michael Ritchie
- Starring: Chevy Chase, Joe Don Baker, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Richard Libertini
32. Coming to America (1988)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb rating: 7.1/10 (193,028 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 72% (53 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $128.2 million
- Directed by: John Landis
- Starring: Eddie Murphy, Paul Bates, Garcelle Beauvais, Feather
31. 48 Hrs. (1982)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb rating: 6.9/10 (71,716 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 93% (41 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $75.9 million
- Directed by: Walter Hill
- Starring: Nick Nolte, Eddie Murphy, Annette O’Toole, Frank McRae
30. Back to the Future Part II (1989)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb rating: 7.8/10 (487,720 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 66% (61 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $118.5 million
- Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
- Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Thomas F. Wilson
29. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb rating: 7.6/10 (162,596 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 68% (47 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $71.8 million
- Directed by: Jeremiah S. Chechik
- Starring: Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Juliette Lewis, Johnny Galecki
28. Caddyshack (1980)
Source: Courtesy of Orion Pictures
- IMDb rating: 7.3/10 (106,409 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 73% (59 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $39.8 million
- Directed by: Harold Ramis
- Starring: Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Bill Murray, Ted Knight
27. Better Off Dead… (1985)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb rating: 7.1/10 (41,802 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 76% (25 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $10.3 million
- Directed by: Savage Steve Holland
- Starring: John Cusack, David Ogden Stiers, Kim Darby, Demian Slade
26. Ruthless People (1986)
Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Distribution Company
- IMDb rating: 6.9/10 (26,113 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 94% (35 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $71.6 million
- Directed by: Jim Abrahams and David Zucker
- Starring: Bette Midler, Danny DeVito, Judge Reinhold, Helen Slater
25. Stripes (1981)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb rating: 6.9/10 (66,497 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 88% (40 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $85.3 million
- Directed by: Ivan Reitman
- Starring: Bill Murray, John Candy, Harold Ramis, Warren Oates
24. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb rating: 7.3/10 (167,960 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 83% (52 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $234.8 million
- Directed by: Martin Brest
- Starring: Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Lisa Eilbacher
23. Major League (1989)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb rating: 7.2/10 (62,798 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 83% (40 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $49.8 million
- Directed by: David S. Ward
- Starring: Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen, Corbin Bernsen, Margaret Whitton
22. Sixteen Candles (1984)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb rating: 7.1/10 (106,840 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 84% (43 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $23.7 million
- Directed by: John Hughes
- Starring: Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Justin Henry, Michael Schoeffling
21. The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980)
Source: Courtesy of Jensen Farley Pictures
- IMDb rating: 7.3/10 (53,142 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 85% (26 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $30.0 million
- Directed by: Jamie Uys
- Starring: N!xau, Marius Weyers, Sandra Prinsloo, Louw Verwey
20. Beetlejuice (1988)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb rating: 7.5/10 (266,669 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 85% (59 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $73.8 million
- Directed by: Tim Burton
- Starring: Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Michael Keaton, Annie McEnroe
19. Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures
- IMDb rating: 7.3/10 (127,838 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 90% (42 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $123.9 million
- Directed by: Barry Levinson
- Starring: Robin Williams, Forest Whitaker, Tom. T. Tran, Chintara Sukapatana
18. The Blues Brothers (1980)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb rating: 7.9/10 (185,325 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 73% (89 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $57.2 million
- Directed by: John Landis
- Starring: John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Cab Calloway, John Candy
17. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)
Source: Courtesy of Orion Pictures
- IMDb rating: 7.4/10 (65,634 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 88% (42 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $42.0 million
- Directed by: Frank Oz
- Starring: Steve Martin, Michael Caine, Glenne Headly, Anton Rodgers
16. The Goonies (1985)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb rating: 7.8/10 (247,632 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 76% (59 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $62.3 million
- Directed by: Richard Donner
- Starring: Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen, Corey Feldman
15. Trading Places (1983)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb rating: 7.5/10 (139,766 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 88% (48 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $90.4 million
- Directed by: John Landis
- Starring: Eddie Murphy, Dan Aykroyd, Ralph Bellamy, Don Ameche
14. The Naked Gun: from the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb rating: 7.6/10 (155,061 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 88% (57 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $78.0 million
- Directed by: David Zucker
- Starring: Leslie Nielsen, Priscilla Presley, O.J. Simpson, Ricardo Montalban
13. Raising Arizona (1987)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb rating: 7.3/10 (128,360 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 91% (58 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $22.8 million
- Directed by: Joel and Ethan Coen
- Starring: Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, Trey Wilson, John Goodman
12. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb rating: 7.8/10 (324,929 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 79% (68 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $70.1 million
- Directed by: John Hughes
- Starring: Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jeffrey Jones
11. Big (1988)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb rating: 7.3/10 (201,908 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 97% (74 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $115.0 million
- Directed by: Penny Marshall
- Starring: Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Perkins, Robert Loggia, John Heard
10. National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb rating: 7.4/10 (98,841 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 93% (44 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $61.4 million
- Directed by: Harold Ramis
- Starring: Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Imogene Coca, Randy Quaid
9. Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb rating: 7.6/10 (126,177 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 92% (59 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $49.5 million
- Directed by: John Hughes
- Starring: Steve Martin, John Candy, Laila Robins, Michael McKean
8. Midnight Run (1988)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb rating: 7.5/10 (77,016 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 94% (53 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $38.4 million
- Directed by: Martin Brest
- Starring: Robert De Niro, Charles Grodin, Yaphet Kotto, John Ashton
7. A Christmas Story (1983)
Source: Courtesy of MGM/UA Entertainment Company
- IMDb rating: 7.9/10 (133,620 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 89% (57 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $20.6 million
- Directed by: Bob Clark
- Starring: Peter Billingsley, Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, Scott Schwartz
6. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures
- IMDb rating: 7.7/10 (183,958 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 97% (66 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $154.1 million
- Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
- Starring: Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Joanna Cassidy, Charles Fleischer
5. The Breakfast Club (1985)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb rating: 7.8/10 (361,440 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 89% (65 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $45.9 million
- Directed by: John Hughes
- Starring: Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy
4. Airplane! (1980)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb rating: 7.7/10 (217,677 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 97% (67 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $83.5 million
- Directed by: Jim Abrahams and David Zucker
- Starring: Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
3. Ghostbusters (1984)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb rating: 7.8/10 (359,716 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 97% (73 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $242.2 million
- Directed by: Ivan Reitman
- Starring: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis
2. The Princess Bride (1987)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb rating: 8.0/10 (397,292 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 97% (77 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $30.9 million
- Directed by: Rob Reiner
- Starring: Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Robin Wright, Chris Sarandon
1. Back to the Future (1985)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb rating: 8.5/10 (1,075,227 votes)
- RT Tomatometer score: 96% (84 reviews)
- Domestic box office: $212.3 million
- Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
- Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover
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