8 Biopics That Are Also Comedies


The biopic has often been one of the most serious (and sometimes the most dry) of all the film genres. Generally, biopics are made about highly revered or influential individuals, and so tonally, their life stories will be told on screen in a way that’s serious, respectful, and lacking in humor or levity. This is especially true if the filmmakers choose to focus on the most emotional or dramatic parts of a person’s life; they do only have two or so hours to hit all the most important parts, after all.


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That makes the rare comedic biopic stand out. Often, these dramatized life stories will be more memorable thanks to their different tones, and given a new Weird Al Yankovic biopic is making waves for also being a comedy – and serving as a parody of sorts to the biopic genre – it’s as good a time as any to list eight other biopics that also serve as comedies. These films aren’t without their more dramatic or serious moments, but all can be funny at times whilst also presenting a compelling retelling of a person’s life.

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‘I, Tonya’ (2017)

I, Tonya takes a stylish approach to its story about ice-skater Tonya Harding, with fast-paced editing, plenty of fourth-wall breaks, and some very effective dark comedy. It also plays with viewers’ expectations when it comes to Harding’s story, as it aims to change or reshape the familiar narrative of what made Harding a controversial figure, presenting her with a level of sympathy that aims to make viewers question whether they should believe everything they hear.

This is made clearer by the film’s end, with the comedic moments from earlier in the film ensuring the dark, even somewhat tragic ending hits harder, and feels more unexpected. Because of the dramatic turns it takes by the end, it can’t be called an outright, laugh-a-minute comedy, but some of it is absurdly and darkly funny, such as when Harding turns to the camera while firing a shotgun in the direction of her partner and declares “I never did this” (itself also hinting at how many sides and differing points of view there are to Harding’s life story).

‘War Dogs’ (2016)

War Dogs fits quite nicely into Todd Phillips’ filmography. Before this 2016 film, he’d risen to prominence for directing The Hangover films, which were outright comedies, and then three years later, he directed 2019’s Joker, which is well-known for being one of the darkest comic book movies released so far, and naturally doesn’t have much by way of comic relief.

So War Dogs works as a suitable transitionary film for the director, given it’s a pretty even split between comedy and drama. The plot deals with a pair of young and inexperienced arms dealers getting in over their heads as weapons contractors, but the serious story is told with a good deal of comedy; much of it dark. Perhaps casting someone like Jonah Hill in a main role all but ensures there’s going to be at least some levity to the proceedings…

‘Green Book’ (2018)

While it’s not among the best of the Best Picture winners from the past few years, Green Book is still a solid enough watch. It gets by thanks to the chemistry of its stars – Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali – and its fairly light, enjoyable story about a renowned pianist and his personal driver, and the friendship that develops between them, despite their vastly different personalities and backgrounds.

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It does tackle themes relating to racism and prejudice, but not in a way that’s as intense or harrowing as you might expect. There is a relatively breezy tone maintained throughout much of its duration, and the banter between Mortensen’s and Ali’s characters can be quite funny. It helps that director/co-writer, Peter Farrelly, has experience writing and directing comedies, going back to the 1990s.

‘Vice’ (2018)

Adam McKay approached the life story of Dick Cheney in Vice much in the same way he approached the U.S. mortgage housing crisis of 2005 in The Big Short. Each takes a relatively recent real-life story and treats it mostly seriously, though not without adding humor and a few quirky/surprising touches to make the stories feel less predictable, given each would be something many viewers would already have some familiarity with.

In Vice, the humor goes further. McKay uses it to satirize and criticize the U.S. political party that Cheney served as Vice President for. It deals with a somewhat dark, heavy time in (recent) U.S. history, but isn’t lacking when it comes to biting, often angry, and usually quite bleak satirical humor.

‘The Favourite’ (2018)

It shouldn’t be too bold a claim to say that The Favourite is a very strange movie, and far from your standard biographical film about a member of royalty. It’s set in the early 18th century and concerns Queen Anne, focusing on the strange bond she develops with a young servant girl, and the various lives that their relationship affects.

Director Yorgos Lanthimos has shown he has a strange sense of humor, perhaps most evident in the bleak, uncomfortable, but hilarious depiction of the perils of dating in 2015’s The Lobster. The Favourite might not be as funny or as impactful as that film, but it’s got an undeniably unique sense of humor, and it pokes fun at the pomposity and hypocritical nature of the monarchy in the 1700s in a variety of ways; some subtle, and some quite obvious.

‘Ed Wood’ (1994)

Ed Wood ends up being a charming comedy simply because it’s about a man who made some very funny movies. Perhaps those movies weren’t always intentionally funny, but the bizarre movies Edward D. Wood Jr. passionately made throughout the 1950s have gone on to become cult classics for a reason, with Plan 9 From Outer Space probably the most famous of his works.

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Ed Wood takes some liberties with the real-life story, but a good deal of it feels genuine, with some excellent humor mixing in with the more emotional story beats. Its presentation does help its authenticity, too, with the fantastic black and white photography effectively replicating the look and feel of a 1950s movie.

‘The Disaster Artist’ (2017)

Tommy Wiseau is something of a successor to Edward D. Wood Jr. His 2003 film The Room has become even more infamous and beloved by a cult audience than previous midnight movie classics like Plan 9 From Outer Space and Troll 2, and The Disaster Artist is a film that aims to tell the story of how The Room came to be, largely through focusing on the strange friendship between Wiseau and Greg Sestero, a young actor who ended up starring in The Room.

Unsurprisingly, a movie as unusual and often hilarious as The Room has a wild story behind it, and The Disaster Artist makes for a funny, entertaining watch as a result. There’s also some possible inspiration intrinsic to it, as while The Room may fail as a movie, it’s become celebrated in its own way, giving people like Wiseau and Sestero film careers in its wake.

‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ (2013)

Martin Scorsese has made a number of crime biopics throughout his decades-long career. Even if Goodfellas and Casino have some great dark humor in them, none feel as comedic as his 2013 film, The Wolf of Wall Street. It might be the fact that this one doesn’t have as much violent crime that enables a more comedic, slightly less serious tone to be adopted.

Make no mistake though, it is a crime film. Jordan Belfort’s life may be entertaining to watch, but he did do a great deal of damage through his exploits, even if he didn’t physically hurt people the way Scorsese’s other protagonists might. The film doesn’t shy away from the corruption and harm done by the characters, though it also is extremely funny, making its three-hour runtime a rollercoaster of emotions. And ultimately, the biggest joke of the film might be how little Belfort was ultimately punished

NEXT: ‘Blonde:’ 7 Biopics About Female Entertainers That Deserve to be Made



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