Studio comedies feel like a thing of the past. What once was a secure box office drive with several leading stars — like Will Ferrell, Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, and the incomparable Jim Carrey — has all but faded. Many of them have taken their comedic talents either to television or streaming. 2008 was the last gasp for a year with comedy success. In 2008, 9 comedies grossed at least $100 million and none were connected to existing IP, except for Sex and the City. Nowadays, the comedies that get the largest budgets are typically superhero movies. Think of films like Shazam or Thor: Ragnarok. Studios are less inclined to take a risk on a comedy with a budget of $40 Million than they are to put their chips on a film that has a built-in fan base and has a nostalgic driving point.
2008 proved that there was still an audience, yearly, for the gross-out comedy gag or the heartfelt rom-com. The mid-2000s were a treasure trove of comedy that enlisted a slew of familiar faces thanks to guys like Judd Apatow and Adam McKay. Each had their unique take on the way these films should be made, both heavy on the improvisation. What’s clear over the years is that these films are missing, and looking back, 2008 was the last great year for the studio comedy.
8 Role Models
Underrated in regard to this era of bro-driven comedies that felt like it was attached to the hip of what Judd Apatow helped spawn, where the plot is kept loose, and the scenes feel improvised — Role Models is a prime example of what comedies used to make it to theaters. Starring Paul Rudd and Sean William Scott as friends and ne’er-do-wells that take on a bunch of troubled kids lead to plenty of memorable lines. What comes through is Rudd and Scott’s ability to carry films with their sexy, comedy charisma, but also gave young Bobb’e Thompson the spotlight, as the foul-mouthed child.
7 Zack And Miri Make A Porno
One of the last studio comedies that got a theatrical release from the raunchy mind of Kevin Smith, Zack and Miri Make A Porno is one of the clear indicators of where comedy has gone since Smith’s heyday. With Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks in the leads with a few Smith staples in the supporting ranks, Smith’s comedy is as disgustingly humorous as his others. With gross-out gags, his fan base is familiar with and a soft heart at its romantic center, the film feels like a relic of the past.
6 You Don’t Mess With the Zohan
Before inking a $250 million deal with streaming giant Netflix, Adam Sandler dominated the comedy box office and was once a lock to have at least one film play in the theaters. One of his last “funny voice” films to come close to having an R-rating was You Don’t Mess With the Zohan. While not having a strong plot, the film flies off the colors of Sandler’s insane turn as an Israeli super-assassin forced to live in exile in New York City and takes his love of fashion over absurd killings. The film has an out-of-left-field cameo with Dave Matthews as a white supremacist that Sandler must defeat. The film probably wouldn’t be made today, a running theme through most comedies made in 2008.
5 Yes Man
One of the last gaps of the old superstar comedy model, Yes Man is one of the final original comedy films that Jim Carrey carried to box office success. Now, Carrey got sucked into the IP machine that has swallowed Hollywood and is in an acclaimed television show. Carrey was once a lock to open a movie. Yes Man earned $220 million at the box office, but was also a hilarious romp into the absurd task of saying “Yes” to any and everything. While the road to the end was predictable as it starts to hit typical romantic-comedy beats, Carrey’s zany energy is undeniable. The film even features a supporting turn from Bradley Cooper when he was still in his, showing up in the comedies era of his career.
4 Pineapple Express
Seth Rogen set out to make a stoner comedy unlike those that came before it, while still staying true to the genre. He did just that with co-writer Evan Goldberg, capitalizing on the success of their previous screenplay Super Bad. Pineapple Express is a buddy comedy, stoner comedy, and hyper-violent action-thriller hybrid with Seth Rogen in the lead, co-starring James Franco as the unlikely friends come together. The two battle crooked cops and lunatic drug dealers while smoking the best weed possible. On a path of riotous laughter, great needle drops, and hilarious one-line quips, the film found box office success to the tune of $102 million.
3 Tropic Thunder
A satire on film studio nonsense and wannabe auteurs Tropic Thunder is a masterpiece of disaster. One of the last great big-budgeted, R-rated comedies, the Ben Stiller-directed comedy goes for the throat. Garnering an Oscar nomination for a role and movie that most likely would not be made today, Robert Downey Jr. shines as the actor who goes way too deep to get into character. The film showcases several comedic talents like Jack Black, but a Tom Cruise cameo as the vulgar studio producer ‘Les Grossman” steals the show.
2 Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Not only one of the great romantic comedies of the last 15 years, but a bastion of the Judd Apatow era of comedies where seemingly awkward men deal with the turmoil of romantic life. Jason Segel wrote the script for and stars in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, in which he tries to get over the love of his life by going to a resort in Hawaii, but instead finds himself in even greater trouble when he runs into his ex, played by Kristen Bell. The gags are non-stop with an awesome, Russell Brand supporting turn, the film is raunchy as it is heartfelt and generated enough success to score a spin-off.
1 Step Brothers
An absurdist classic from the unbeatable tandem of John C. Reilly and Will Ferrell, whose chemistry wavers from symbiotic to combustible was perfect as the overgrown man-children in the raunchy classic Step Brothers. The film was not only a hit but features an endless queue of quotable and classic scenes like the unforgettable “You touched my drum set!”. Backed by a stellar supporting crew including Richard Jenkins whose even temperament gets broken by the ridiculousness of Ferrell and Reilly, Step Brothers is the epitome of what studio comedies used to be.
