There’s a certain prevalent energy brimming at the edges when I think about comedies targeted to men. It’s the Animal Houses and Caddyshacks of it all. Crass humor and dumb one-liners, often at the expense of women or the lgbtq+ community. Nudity for the sake of it. Calling each other the f-word. While you, kind reader of Cool Girls Cry at Movies, likely don’t believe those things need to be present in a comedy for the movie to be “good,” there are plenty of people who do. They’re the “gosh, it’s just a joke, lighten up” crowd. The “people are too sensitive these days” crew.
But we don’t live our lives by their rules, do we? We make our own! Clearly you don’t need to alienate most of the population to make a comedy men will like. Wanna know why? The following seven movies are just a taste of what it’s like to make a non-toxic comedy for men. These movies are hilarious and at times touching and wonderful, proving that a movie for men can be wholly non-toxic. (I might need to do a bit of convincing for a few of these, but I’m a professional. I’ve got this.)
Paul Rudd is getting married and he realizes he has no friends when tasked with picking groomsmen. He starts a search for bros that leads him to Jason Segel, a dude that can show him the way of modern male friendship. Paul Rudd’s character never does the “my old ball and chain” thing. He loves his fiancé. He tries to include her in their shared love of Rush. The humor isn’t at the expense of women. Even better is the unabashed love these two bro-chachos have for each other by the end. They don’t hide it to seem “manly.” So cute.
Based on a true story, this group of long-time friends have an annual tradition: An epic game of Tag. Even when they live across the country from each other, they take this game seriously. This isn’t about hounding women or cheating on wives or drilling holes into the walls of a women’s locker room. It’s just wholesome fun. FYI, this movie is very good and deserved a bigger audience when it came out. Show it some love. (And yes, this will make you want to play tag IRL.)
This might seem like a weird pick at first. It has a weird concept (literally the title, babes) and the feeling of a movie that might have some toxicity. It becomes more clear that it isn’t when the boys go back to the ‘80s in their, wait for it, hot tub time machine. The past is an example of how toxic masculinity was back then and the men from the present are thrown off by it. It pokes fun at what comedy used to be. It’s just a silly little movie I can’t help but recommend.
A comedy for men doesn’t have to feel castrated for it to be non-toxic. Hell, even this buddy detective comedy with the adult film industry at the center of the drama can still feel like it’s not punching down. It’s hilarious, fun, and has a good mystery. If you’ve ever wondered if Ryan Gosling can carry a comedy, it’s because you just haven’t seen this yet.
Friends Schmidt and Jenko agree to go back to high school as undercover cops trying to stop a teen drug ring. But when when these bumbling trainwrecks go back expecting everything to be as toxic as it was when they were in high school, they come to find that modern high school is pleasantly woke. While the movie does poke a little fun at modern teens, it does so in a way that feels loving and not hate-filled. Plus, this is just an infinitely meme-able comedy with great examples of a wonderful bromance.
This might seem like a weird choice. I mean, Bradley Cooper’s character is the quintessential “marriage sucks, let’s go to the strip club” kind of guy. If you drill down, this comedy is a lot less toxic than it seems on the surface. Even Bradley Cooper proves that all that shit he spouts is a bunch of nonsense by the end. The Hangover is crass, yes, but it still feels like it’s a movie for everyone. Bonus points for how hot Ed Helms is with a tooth missing. (I said what I said.)
Okay, sure, this movie was marketed more toward women than men. I understand why you might be confused that it’s on this list, but have you seen this movie? It’s a road trip with the boys. Sure, they spend some of their time stripping for the femmes, but it’s mostly just a bunch of dudes being guys. Honestly, men can get a lot out of this movie, especially those who love women. This is how you treat a lady. (It’s also just a good, fun movie, guys. I promise.)
Know any other non-toxic guy movies? Share them in the comments.
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