It should be said right away thatThe Coen Brothersinclude comedy in just about all of their movies, with their sense of humor oftentimes being very dark. Between 1984 and 2018, Joel and Ethan Coen directed a total of 18 feature films, with 11 of those being considered frequently funny enough to be tagged as comedies, according to Letterboxd. Their other films tend to emphasize crime, thriller, or drama genres more than comedy, though they can still be quite humorous at times.
Those 11 comedies from the Coens are ranked below, starting with their not-so-great films and ending with their best.Given the high quality of the Coen Brothers' output, it’s fair to say that very few of these even come close to being genuinely bad, but such is the cruel nature of a worst-to-best ranking; some titles have to be closer to the bottom than others, even if in the overall scheme of things, they’re certainly not bottom-of-the-barrel movies.
11’The Ladykillers' (2004)
Starring: Tom Hanks, Irma P. Hall, and Marlon Wayans
For as original and distinct as Coen Brothers movies tend to feel, they’re also not shy about undertaking a remake here and there.True Grit(2010) is the most successful remake of theirs so far, given it improves the already compelling 1969 film of the same name, but when it comes to 2004’sThe Ladykillers, this one doesn’t really live up to the 1955 classic starringAlec GuinnessandPeter Sellers.
It’s a farcical heist movie following a group of very incompetent and unlucky bank robbers who find themselves constantly thwarted by their elderly landlady. The anarchy and broadly physical comedy on offer can provide a few laughs here and there, butit fails to do much that the 1955 version didn’t do nearly 50 years earlier, and better, making this film feel a bit disposable, sadly.
The Ladykillers
10’The Hudsucker Proxy' (1994)
Starring Tim Robbins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Paul Newman
The best thing about theoften overlookedThe Hudsucker Proxyis that it’s easy to appreciate for its ambition and confidence in doing its own strange thing. It takes place in the late 1950s, and has a premise revolving around a company director hiring a young graduate to use him in a stock scam, with said scheme involving installing this graduate as the president of a manufacturing company.
From there, chaos unfolds, and things go off in unusual, quirky, and sometimes even fantastical directions. Often, when the Coen Brothers get a little surreal, it’s thrilling and fun, but not all the unusual touches here work, and the film can feel as though it drags at times. However, there are still enjoyable moments and strong visuals to appreciate, meaning thatThe Hudsucker Proxyis far from bad; just a slight misfire, by the high standards set by other Coen Brothers comedies.
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9’Intolerable Cruelty' (2003)
Starring George Clooney, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Geoffrey Rush
If the Coen Brothers aren’t remaking a movie, there’s a good chance they’re paying homage to a genre or style of movie that was popular in the past, putting their own spin on established formulas in the process. This is the case forIntolerable Cruelty, whichfeels a little like the Coen Brothers updatingthe screwball comedy genre, giving it a 21st-century spit-and-polish60 to 70 years after the genre was in fashion.
It’s a little sappier and more broadly appealing than many other Coen Brothers movies, which could turn off their diehard fans, though it’s certainly not as bad as some people make it out to be. It’s very much watchable,George ClooneyandCatherine Zeta-Jonesare good in the lead roles, and it offers a (just) fresh enough take on an old-school romantic comedy premise to be generally entertaining, if perhaps not quite as memorable as the Coens at their best.
Intolerable Cruelty
Intolerable Cruelty: In this romantic comedy, a top divorce lawyer encounters a formidable adversary in a seductive gold-digger. As they clash in the courtroom and beyond, their professional rivalry complicates a budding romantic dynamic, leading to unexpected twists in their pursuit of love and justice.
8’Hail, Caesar!' (2016)
Starring Josh Brolin, George Clooney, and Alden Ehrenreich
LikeThe Hudsucker Proxy,Hail, Caesar!is also set during the 1950s, but this time takes place within a heightened and oftentimes comedically exaggerated version of Hollywood. It revolves around a big movie star who suddenly vanishes one day, causing a panicking studio to employ the services of a “fixer” to set out and locate this movie star and bring him back so that production on his latest film can continue.
Even for a Coen Brothers movie, it’s very strange, and has a tone that feels hard to describe, beyond emphasizing that it’s very much odd in a way that’ll work for some viewers while frustrating others. But as a comedy, it certainly delivers a decent amount of the time, and boasts a seriously impressive cast that includes the likes ofJosh Brolin, George Clooney,Ralph Fiennes,Scarlett Johansson,Frances McDormand, andChanning Tatum.
Hail, Caesar!
Starring Tyne Daly, James Franco, and Brendan Gleeson
When the Coen Brothers make a Western, it’s generally a serious affair, given the likes ofNo Country for Old MenandTrue Gritlean towards being fairly heavy dramas. But 2018’sThe Ballad of Buster Scruggshad them not only making aWestern that was also a comedy(for the most part), but making their only anthology movie to date, with six stories being told within this single film.
The six stories do vary in tone, with some being very goofy, others containing minimal amounts of comedy, and the rest all falling somewhere in between.Like just about any anthology movie, certain segments are better than others, but the whole thing is still worth watching, presenting a lighter Coen Brothers Western that still feels uncompromisingly Coen Brothers-esque with its willingness to get a little dark and violent in certain places.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs presents an anthology of six distinct tales set in the American frontier, exploring themes of life, death, and justice. Each story, varying in tone and style, delivers a unique perspective on the struggles and eccentricities of characters navigating the challenges of the Wild West.
6’Barton Fink' (1991)
Starring John Turturro, John Goodman, and Judy Davis
Barton Finkis one of many movies that shinea light on the dark side of Hollywood, suggesting that it’s not all glitz, glamor, and fun, and that working there is soul-crushing and potentially life-destroying. Its titular character is a playwright from New York who goes to L.A. to write screenplays, only to experience the horrors of the film industry firsthand.
It’s technically a comedy, but a super dark one that gets more nightmarish as it goes along, ending up as arguably more of a psychological drama/thriller movie by the final act.It’s as strange and unrelenting as one would expect it to be, based on the premise and the filmmakers behind it, making it one of the most memorable Coen Brothers movies from their first decade of filmmaking.
Barton Fink
5’A Serious Man' (2009)
Starring Michael Stuhlbarg and Richard Kind
For those who’ve already watchedBarton Finkand can’t get enough darkly comedic and nightmarish misery with that distinct Coen Brothers flavor,A Serious Manhas you covered. It takes place in the 1960s, and follows a family man who has to deal with misfortune after misfortune, with nothing signifying that his luck will turn around any time soon.
Despite this miserable-sounding premise,A Serious Manis actually a comedy, albeit a tragic and quite sad one. Ittakes the Biblical Book of Joband updates it for the 20th century, having a man get pushed to his limits with chronically bad luck, testing his faith and his will to continue fighting… all the while being quite comedic in parts. It’s honestly only something the Coen Brothers could successfully pull off.
A Serious Man
4’Burn After Reading' (2008)
Starring George Clooney, Frances McDormand, and John Malkovich
ThoughBurn After Readingmight not be the best or most impactful Coen Brothers movie,it is one of the most consistently funny and entertaining. As such, it deserves to be ranked high when looking at the duo’s comedic efforts specifically, given this is a top-notch farcical film that moves fast, and proves to be genuinely surprising at just about every turn.
The film revolves around something valuable falling into the hands of two people who feel like they can profit off of it, only for this to put them at odds with various other parties, including the CIA. Things spiral out of control in a messy and darkly hilarious way, with the movie being exceptionally silly and in-your-face, and in turn, frequently very funny.
Burn After Reading
3’O Brother, Where Art Thou?' (2000)
Starring George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson
Those who don’t like traditional musicalsought to giveO Brother, Where Are Thou?a chance, as it shows the Coen Brothers sort of doing their take on the genre. Music plays a large role in the film and its story, with the basic premise revolving around three convicts searching for treasure during the 1930s after escaping from prison.
If that’s not ambitious-sounding enough, it’s also loosely based onHomer’sThe Odyssey, but heavily remixed and stylized in a way that only the Coens could pull off. It’s certainly an oddball film, and comes dangerously close to collapsing under its own weight, butpulls everything together in the end and makes for a truly singular and easy-to-appreciate viewing experience.
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
In the Deep South during the 1930s, three escaped convicts search for hidden treasure while a relentless lawman pursues them.
2’Raising Arizona' (1987)
Starring Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter
In a better universe, perhaps there would be more than one Coen Brothers movie starringNicolas Cage. But, on the other hand, a worse universe would have no Coen Brothers movies starring Nicolas Cage, so perhaps the best thing to do is simply be thankful thatRaising Arizonadoes exist within this universe.
It’s a quirky and comedic crime movie that revolves around a young couple kidnapping a baby, which then sets into motion a whole chain of strange and over-the-top occurrences.It’s a movie that has a great amount of energy and stays entertaining and funny for its whole runtime, meaning that as far as fun Coen Brothers movies go, this one ranks right near the top.
