25 Movies Like Step Brothers For More Absurd Buddy Comedy
Written by Will Ferrell and director Adam McKay, Step Brothers is an oddball comedy that takes a jab at one of parents’ biggest fears: adult children who never grow up and move out. Featuring tons of improvisation by stars Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, the pair’s on-screen chemistry is palpable as they embody their roles as two middle-aged men with no ambition still living at home with their parents. When they become stepbrothers and have to share a bedroom they battle like large, uncoordinated children, trying to top the other with constant one-upmanship and pranks before the dastardly duo accidentally ruin their parents’ marriage, eventually working together to save the day with an epic musical number, sung by the songbird of our generation, Brennan Huff.
Produced by Judd Apatow (The 40 Year Old Virgin), Step Brothers was a Box Office smash raking in over $128 million, and receiving positive audience reviews. After gaining a cult following for its childish, raunchy humor and viral notoriety for the song “Boats And Hoes”, fans have waited on rumors of a possible sequel, but there is yet to be any evidence of the production taking place. Without a sequel, audiences are left to look for something else to fill that sailboat-shaped hole in our hearts.
If you’re looking for more buddy comedies that will make you laugh so hard you fall off your dinosaur, then grab your microwaved nachos, make sure dad left you enough money for wings, and enjoy these 25 movies like Step Brothers.
The Brothers Solomon
Starring Hot Rod actor Will Arnett alongside SNL alum Will Forte, The Brothers Solomon is a surrealist comedy that follows two socially inept, childish men as they search for wives to start families with. Featuring a talented cast of actors, including Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Jenna Fischer, and more, this weirdly funny film gives audiences the uncomfortable task of laughing at the main characters and their awkwardness. Directed by Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul), the film was not well received by critics but has gained its own cult following with fans of the SNL alums appreciating its oddness.
Stuck On You
Written and directed by the Farrelly brothers (There’s Something About Mary), Stuck on You is centered on two brothers who want to follow their dreams and realize they need some time apart in order to do so. The only problem is that they are conjoined twins. Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear star as Bob and Walt Tenor, a shy fry cook with an online girlfriend and an aspiring actor with dreams of Hollywood. The strange buddy comedy features Eva Mendez and Cher as the pair’s new California friends. The film is silly, heartfelt, and ends with a fabulous, jazzy take on Bonnie and Clyde.
Blades Of Glory
Similar to Step Brothers, two rivals with an already icy relationship must come together to reach a common goal. Will Ferrell and Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite) star as two excommunicated figure skaters who return to the rink to compete as a team. Conceptualized by Busy Philipps and written by her then-boyfriend Craig Cox along with his brother Jeff Cox, the film was released at number one and received positive reviews from both Rotten Tomatoes and CinemaScore. With flamboyant costumes and majestic flowing hair, the duo brings to life the hilarious, overly-serious rival figure skaters, whose moves on the ice are a mix of professional choreography and improvisation by the actors themselves. Embraced by the figure skating community and comedy buffs alike, the film is a hilarious take on the Olympic sport, complete with that weird, stretchy, beige fabric.
Talladega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby
Written by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, the same minds behind Step Brothers, Talladega Nights: The Ballad OF Ricky Bobby stars Ferrell and John C. Reilly in a twist on sports comedies. Ricky Bobby and Cal Naughton Jr. find themselves in a similar battle of one-upmanship when two best friends fight over fame, women, and money. The pair eventually rekindle their lifelong friendship and work together when a new driver joins the race. This ridiculous film pokes fun at the world of stereotypical Mountain Dew chugging, hyper-masculine NASCAR drivers, and their beer-hat-wearing, belly-painted fans. Number one at the Box Office on its release, the film was Ferrell’s second highest-grossing film opening ever, following Elf. If you’re looking for more raunchy hilarity these good ol’ boys have the movie for you.
I Love You, Man
This bromance comedy stars Paul Rudd as Peter Klavan, an introverted, friendless man who needs a best man for his wedding. Peter becomes quick friends with the awkwardly forthcoming and kind Sydney Fife (Jason Segel), who ends up borrowing money from his new buddy, causing strain that ends the two’s friendship. The third film collaboration of Rudd and Segel, the movie features a cameo by the Canadian rock band Rush, who went on to use clips of the two lead characters in the video portion of their live concerts where the pair famously discussed how to “slappa da bass”. The film went on to be nominated for a GLAAD award for Outstanding Film – Wide Release, as well as the 2009 MTV Movie Awards category of Best Kiss for the kiss between Rudd and Thomas Lennon (Reno 911!), unfortunately losing to Twilight.
Due Date
An unlikely friendship brews between Zach Galifinakis’ wanna-be-actor character Ethan Tremblay, and Robert Downey Jr‘s clean-cut father-to-be Peter Highman, after the two are kicked off of the same flight. This road-trip-style comedy features uncomfortable, cringe-inducing situations coupled with empathy and those long, heartfelt conversations you can only have on long drives with stoned strangers. In the film, Galifinakis’ character is a huge fan of the show Two And A Half Men. Galifinakis filmed a short with the cast on the set of the show, using a portion of the piece in the film with the full version available to watch online. Receiving rather low critical ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, this weirdly hilarious film was loved by audiences who gave it a B- via CinemaScore.
Superbad
A “one night only” film that shows what it’s actually like to be the high school nerds who are never invited to the party. Audiences root for the relatable characters portrayed by Jonah Hill, Micheal Cera, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse in their attempt to get their hands on alcohol and win over their crushes before the start of summer. Excitement for the grad party and the pressure of starting college fuel the chemistry and dialogue between the characters. The raunchy film was written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, who started work on the script when they were just 13 years old, loosely basing the film off of their own personal experiences as seniors at Point Grey Secondary School. The two friends have gone on to work together on stoner-comedy favorites Pineapple Express and This Is The End. Following its release in 2007, Superbad stayed at number one for two weeks. The cult classic has received praise from critics and is considered one of the best comedy films of the 2000s.
Vacation Friends
Released summer of 2021, Vacation Friends hit audiences with wave after wave of laughter as exuberant John Cena and Meredith Hagner portray a couple so intensely friendly that their accidental counterparts do everything they can to escape a relationship with them. Lil Rel Howery (Get Out) and Yvonne Orji (Insecure) star in this happy, upbeat comedy that is rated-R for a reason. The film teaches that honesty is the best policy and communication is sexy. Released to stream on Hulu, the wedding-centered buddy comedy is said to have a sequel in works called Honeymoon Friends with director Clay Tarver and the main cast set to reprise their roles.
Pineapple Express
From the stoner-comedy writing duo Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg comes the cult classic that is Pineapple Express. Starring Rogen and James Franco as a stoner and his weed dealer, the two find the true meaning of friendship while inadvertently escalating a local drug war. With a “one crazy night” structure, the film delivers side-splitting laughs, and it’s not just the weed. Pineapple Express, named after a strain of marijuana, was inspired by Brad Pitt’s stoner character Floyd in the movie True Romance. Produced by Judd Apatow, the film scored higher with audiences than with critics, like his other cult classic favorites such as Cable Guy, Superbad, and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. While the film doesn’t have an official sequel, a short home-movie style sequel was filmed in the 2013 film This Is The End, with Rogen, Franco, Craig Robinson, and Danny McBride reprising their roles as Dale, Saul, Matheson, and Red respectively.
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure
Released in 1989, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure is a science-fiction take on the buddy comedy subgenre. This absurd cult classic follows two slacker teenagers as they time-travel to meet with historical figures in order to finish their history report and save their band. The cheesy 80s film is rife with excellent catchphrases, throwback references, and historical babes. Starring young Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves alongside late legendary comedian George Carlin, the film received some bogus mixed reviews with critics unimpressed by the dumbness of the comedy and shallow historical characters. The cult following and success that the film has gained over the years is a greater measure of the film’s success, with the film inspiring a comic by DC, two television show spin-offs, and two sequel films, most recently Bill & Ted Face The Music, released in 2020 with Winter and Reeves reprising their roles.
Wayne’s World
Shwing! The second-ever film based on an SNL skit, Mike Meyers and Dana Carvey took their basement-dwelling, rock-fan characters to the big screen where they starred as television personalities on the local small screen. Wayne Campbell and his best friend Garth Algar hosted the most radical local public access show in all of the greater Aurora, Illinois area. This oddball buddy comedy topped the box office at number one following its release in 1992, with audiences enjoying the mix of dumb stoner jokes, intelligent, thoughtful comedy, and classic rock references. The film was directed by Penelope Spheeris (The Beverly Hillbillies), who we have to thank for the classic “Bohemian Rhapsody” scene that inspired many car-fulls of singing fans for years to come.
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle
Harold and Kumar, two best friends who show their love by arguing, can agree on one thing after smoking some weed: tiny burgers. The pair stick together even when times get rough, facing a barrage of strange incidents including a car theft by Neil Patrick Harris himself. The film stars John Cho and Kal Penn in what became a cult classic with two sequels and talk of a third film in the works that was pitched by Cho. The hilarious chemistry between Cho and Penn may come from their real-life friendship, though the two didn’t start spending time together off-camera until three days before filming. The film was created by Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, who based the characters off of their high school friends and wrote in the part for Harris without asking him prior. Thankfully, Harris liked the script and agreed to join the cast, delivering stone-faced lines as a narcissistic, straight version of himself in this stoner buddy comedy classic.
A Night at The Roxbury
Released in 1998, Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan brought their socially-inept, club-going characters from SNL to the big screen in Night at The Roxbury. A hilarious look into the LA club scene, brothers Doug and Steve Butabi want to break into the glamorous world of high-end clubbing, meet ladies, and dance to the incredibly catchy “What Is Love” by Haddaway. Although the film is a cult classic with a huge following, it received terrible critical reviews, scoring a measly 11{a804659bb65d18cb4a6dc8e7d034c3e09b42584b41147982650930584377f6e7} on Rotten Tomatoes. The film is similar to Step Brothers in that the point of the characters is to laugh at them, with their oddly lovable and pathetic ways. Through quotable lines and recognizable dance moves, the film deals with a fight between brothers and the relatable feeling of rejection and inadequacy while chasing your dreams, but in an awkwardly exaggerated and gaudily fashioned way.
Dude, Where’s My Car?
This stoner buddy comedy stars Ashton Kutcher and Sean William Scott as two slacker best friend roommates who wake up after a wild night out. With a kitchen full of pudding snack packs, new tattoos, and no memory of the night before, the friends set out to try and put the pieces back together. While some stated that the plot is too thin, the sci-fi comedy was a box office success that gained a cult following. Directed by Danny Leiner, who also directed the first Harold & Kumar film, Dude, Where’s My Car? was released in 2000 to audiences who were already fans of Kutcher’s handsome and dumb pothead character Michael Kelso from That ’70s Show. In a 2016 interview, Kutcher stated he wouldn’t be against reprising his role for a sequel. While a follow-up film titled Seriously Dude Where’s My Car? has been in the works for years, it seems unlikely that it will come to fruition 20+ years after the original was released. Though, some fans are still waiting and asking “And then?”
Wedding Crashers
Vince Vaughan and Owen Wilson star in Wedding Crashers, a romantic take on the buddy comedy structure that follows John Beckwith and Jeremy Grey, divorce mediators who pick up unsuspecting women at weddings they weren’t invited to. The pair face betrayal and have to learn about themselves before healing their friendship. Directed by David Dobkin (Shanghai Knights) the film was a commercial success and tackles issues such as honesty and vulnerability in male friendships, hyper-masculinity, and the stereotype of men who refuse to settle down in this provocative production.
Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion
Single slacker best friends Romy White (Mira Sorvino) and Michele Weinberger (Lisa Kudrow) get wind of their upcoming ten-year high school reunion and, in an attempt to impress their past classmates, invent fake careers. Following an argument, their friendship is on the rocks, but bullying from their aged cohorts brings the two friends back together to prove them all wrong. A feminine flick that is heartfelt and playful, it boasts a danceable soundtrack and classic late 90s fashion. Directed by David Mirkin (Three’s Company), the film received positive critical reviews.
Beavis And Butthead Do America
The 1996 adult-animation film based on the MTV series Beavis and Butthead follows the two oblivious and lazy teenagers on an adventure across the US after being mistaken for hitmen. The raunchy comedy features show creator Mike Judge as the voices of both Beavis and Butthead, as well as guest-starring Demi Moore and Bruce Willis as voice actors for the antagonists of the story. With a following from the MTV series, the film was released to positive reviews from both audiences and critics. In 2019 Judge spoke about the possibility of a live-action sequel of the film but there is yet to be any word on production of a live-action film. There is, however, a new animated movie on the way that’s set to arrive on Paramount+ at an as-yet-undisclosed date.
Hot Fuzz
A satirical buddy cop film starring Nick Frost and Simon Pegg, who co-wrote the script with director Edgar Wright (Shaun Of The Dead), Hot Fuzz takes audiences to the small town of Sandford, where residents are being killed in strange accidents. Reassigned city cop Nicholas Angel (Pegg) is partnered up with inept and fumbling Danny Butterman (Frost). Frustrated by the incompetence of his colleague, Angel eventually befriends his coworker as they fight for a common cause. Wright decided to write the film after noticing that the UK didn’t have any great cop movies. He then teamed up with Pegg and Frost, whom he had worked with on Shaun Of The Dead in 2004. Pegg and Wright both come from the west country in the UK and chose to hold their high-octane action film in a dreary town reminiscent of their upbringings. The film, released two years on the heels of comedy-horror Shaun Of The Dead, received high critical reviews and scored 91{a804659bb65d18cb4a6dc8e7d034c3e09b42584b41147982650930584377f6e7} on Rotten Tomatoes.
Tommy Boy
Starring the late and great comedy master Chris Farley alongside his hilarious close friend and SNL castmate David Spade, Tommy Boy quickly became a fan favorite with audiences rating the film an A- on CinemaScore. The story of unlikely friends working together toward a common goal, Tommy Boy topped the box office at number one. This oddball comedy was produced by Lorne Michaels, creator of SNL and producer of The Tonight Show. The cheesy exuberance of Farley’s over-the-top comedy coupled with David Spade’s tightly wound, stone-faced character creates an uncomfortable and hilarious chemistry between the leads in this adventure flick.
The Blues Brothers
Brothers Jake and Elwood front the band The Blues Brothers, based on the band created and portrayed by Dan Akroyd and the late John Belushi for a musical SNL skit. The brothers hit the big screen in 1980 with John Landis (National Lampoon’s Animal House) directing. Following Jake’s release from prison, he and his brother attend church. It’s there where Jake sees the light and the two decide to get the band back together against all odds. With musical cameos from Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Cab Calloway, and Ray Charles this film is both danceable and hysterical. Filming was slow due to Belushi’s partying lifestyle, but the actor embodied the too-cool, over-the-top frontman with perfection. After going over-budget a number of times, the film was a huge success, coming in tenth at the box office for the entire year of 1980.
Up In Smoke
You better fasten your seatbelt, man. After ten years of being a comedy team, Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong put together material for their first film, Up In Smoke. Released in 1978, the buddy stoner comedy produced by Lou Adler (Rocky Horror Picture Show) is credited with being the first film of the stoner comedy subgenre. While reviews were initially negative, the film went on to be a cult classic and gross over $140 million. Adler used his own money to complete the project after Paramount Pictures refused to provide additional funds, which was quickly earned back in the first month of the film’s release. In Up In Smoke, slacker Anthony “Man” Stoner (Chong) is picked up by Pedro de Pacas (Marin) while hitchhiking. The two become quick friends and, following a series of wild, drug-fueled hijinx, must find a way back into the US from Tijuana in time for the battle of the bands. Music performed for the film by Chong and Marin under the name of Alice Bowie was released as a soundtrack album featuring the well-known song “Earache My Eye”. Since releasing the first of their cinematic ventures, the duo has gone on to create 13 films with a multitude of side projects, comic strips, glassware, and cameos.
Zoolander
Directed by and starring Ben Stiller, Zoolander is the story of how vain and unintelligent Derek Zoolander (Stiller) and rival male model, Hansel McDonald (Owen Wilson), reconcile and join forces to overthrow the fashionable political villain Mugatu (Will Ferrell). Additionally, the film features cameos by David Bowie and Billy Zane as themselves. Showcasing a satirical look into the high-end fashion world, Zoolander poked fun at a real-life clothing brand by designer John Galliano, with Mugatu’s parody garments being made of actual garbage. With many mispronounced words and cringy early 2000s references, the stereotypically dumb male models left audiences roaring with laughter and attempting to recreate the perfect “Blue Steel” look. In 2016, a sequel was released titled Zoolander 2, featuring Stiller, Wilson, and Ferrell reprising their roles and added to the cast Penélope Cruz, Kristen Wiig, Mila Jovovich, Fred Armisen, and Kyle Mooney.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Following a series of mishaps, snubs, and freak weather accidents, two businessmen with very different personalities are stuck traveling together two days before Thanksgiving. Steve Martin is the temperamental advertising executive Neal Page who gets stuck with the big-hearted and talkative Del Griffith (John Candy) in this cross-country story of unlikely friends. The film boasts a 92{a804659bb65d18cb4a6dc8e7d034c3e09b42584b41147982650930584377f6e7} on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics noting the heartfelt and hilarious on-screen chemistry between Martin and Candy. Planes, Trains and Automobiles takes a look at the lives of people in different economic standings and teaches us about kindness, empathy, and friendship. Released in 1987, this adventure-style buddy comedy is a holiday classic.
BASEketball
Starring South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, BASEketball tells the story of two slacker friends who invent a sport and become stars. The best friends end up parting ways after blaming each other for a controversy that arose in the press. BASEketball is the only piece of work that neither Parker nor Stone wrote, directed, or produced, with David Zucker (Airplane!) filling those roles. While the film is not well known, it features cameos by a number of celebrities including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dale Earnhart, and Reggie Jackson, and is credited with coining the term “derp”. Parker and Stone have gone on to reference the film and its negative critical reception in self-deprecating jokes featured in later seasons of South Park. Fans of the weird, hysterical chemistry between Stone and Parker would not be disappointed with this inventive sports film.
21 Jump Street
Starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum as undercover cops in a high school drug investigation, 21 Jump Street tells the buddy cop story of a stereotypical nerd and jock who became friends as adults. Based on the 1987 TV series of the same name, 21 Jump Street was written by Hill and Micheal Bacall (Scott Pilgrim vs The World), with the cast including Brie Larson, Dave Franco, and Ice Cube. Released in 2012, the action-comedy received high critical reviews and was a box office smash, taking the number one spot and raking in over $200 million. The film went on to be nominated for 16 awards, winning six including Channing Tatum receiving the Teen Choice Award for Best Comedy Actor 2012.
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