10 Best Underrated Comedies That Are Rated-R

An R-rating does not necessarily create a great comedy, yet it does guarantee that those behind the scenes are often working with little restriction and willing to go to some extremes to get a laugh from their audience. This can be said of modern classics in the genre, like The Hangover and Bridesmaids, to standouts from past eras, like Blazing Saddles and Office Space.

So many dark, absurd, or over-the-top comedies earn an R-rating, but don’t necessarily see the deserved recognition for what they bring to the crowded and subjective genre. Here are 10 outstanding R-rated comedies you probably have not heard of, but should certainly check out.

10 Deerskin (2019)

Georges, a 44-year-old man facing a midlife crisis, finds a new identity in a deerskin jacket. Georges becomes so obsessed that he begins to constantly record himself wearing it. This delusion leads to the belief that the deerskin has become sentient and is demanding he murder anyone else who dares wear a jacket of less quality. As he becomes more violent, he gets assistance from a local budding filmmaker, Denise, who becomes equally obsessed with recording Georges and his actions.

Killer Style

From electronic musician turned filmmaker, Quinten Dupiex, Deerskin is a wonderfully slow decline into violence and insanity. Obsession with a jacket makes for a peculiar approach to comedy, but the commitment of actor Jean Dujardin makes the humor land. It is, admittedly, a silly premise that is hard to take seriously, but the way it is approached as a character study of Georges’ defiance of his own mortality gives it a wickedly funny edge.

You can Stream Deerskin on AMC+ or Mubi.

9 Dinner in America (2020)

Punk rocker Simon is on the run after committing arson. Patty is a socially awkward teen obsessed with music and struggling to find stable work. A chance meeting sees Simon using Patty as a means to find a safe house while things settle down, yet the two slowly form a bond and become partners in crime. An awkward yet endearing love story between two outsiders, Dinner in America is drenched in nostalgia of youth in revolt and counterculture.

Not Your Average American Love Story

Director Adam Rehemeier has posed himself to be one of the greatest comedic directors of the 2020s, with Dinner in America being exemplary of dark, outsider humor delivered with wit and an attitude that is utterly infectious. Think the awkwardness of Welcome to The Dollhouse meets the punk rock angst of John Water’s early works, and you start to touch on the comedic brilliance here.

The best part? Dinner in America has a lot of heart and works wonderfully as a romance story for anyone who has ever felt awkward in their own skin.

You can stream Dinner in America on Hulu.

8 Buffaloed (2020)

Peg Dahl understands the hustle, and spends most of her time working on easy, quick scams. However, when she is caught and put on parole, she learns of the business of debt collecting and how her skills of conning others give her an edge. At first, working for another, after she finds she is not getting her cut, Peg decides to start her own debt collection company. This starts a war between the two agencies that gets dirty and violent.

For the Love of Money

The charm of Buffaloed lies almost entirely in its smart and snappy script by Brian Sacca and the standout performance from Zoey Deutch as the loud-mouthed and cocksure Peg Dahl. Deutch is amazing here with a strong presence that always steals every scene she is in and, when at her most explosive, has the best lines in the movie. Buffaloed also offers a humorous take on the culture of Buffalo, New York, with various other eccentric characters paying compliments to Deutch’s expressive Peg.

You can stream Buffaloed on Hulu, Hoopla, or Kanopy.

7 Some Like It Rare (2021)

Vincent and Sophie Pascal run a struggling butcher shop in France, whose lack of business is seeing their finances and relationship strained. When Vincent accidentally kills a vegan, vandalizing his shop, the two get rid of the body the only way they know how, butchering him and selling his remains to customers. Now with new meat that is high in demand with customers, the two begin to hunt vegans, realizing it’s their diet that gives their meat a unique taste.

The Price of Meat is Rising

Yes, yes, this angle has already been done in the 2003 Danish dark comedy Green Butchers, which you should also watch, but Some Like it Rare thrives on being the more absurd and over-the-top cannibal comedy. Fabrice Eboué and Marina Foïs are the perfect comedic couple, bickering their way through multiple kills of vegans. There is a dark, sinister edge here that is not quite a horror-comedy, but will appeal to those who love the genre. A meaty, tasty treat for comedy fans.

You can stream Some Like it Rare on Tubi.

6 Baby Assassins (2021)

High school friends Chisato and Mahiro make their living through taking on assassination contract, though they often run at a deficit with the fees incurred from clean-up. This forces them to take up part-time jobs, but the extremely difficult personalities of the two causes a strain on their relationship as they struggle to make ends meet and keep work. When the two become the target of the Yakuza, they have to overcome their strained friendship to fight to survive.

The Cutest Killers To Ever Grace a Comedy

For those looking for a martial arts-heavy comedy, Baby Assassins is going to be a blast. Not only do you have an adorable duo of assassins, but the prolonged action sequences land and are overly stylish. Still, at its heart, the movie is a buddy comedy, which works exceptionally well with the expressive personalities of Akari Takaishi and Saori Izawa as Chistaro and Mahiro.

Despite all the action, its humor falls in line more with stoner comedies when it comes to pacing, which may be make or break for some. Still, Baby Assassins has already won over a cult fanbase, with the movie turning into a franchise which includes two movies and a television series; Baby Assassins: 2 Babies, Baby Assassins: Nice Days, and Baby Assassins Everyday!. If you love the first movie, there are plenty more thrills and laughs to be had.

You can stream Baby Assassins on Hi-Yah!, Peacock, Tubi, or Hoopla.

5 The Overnight (2015)

After recently moving to Los Angeles with their son, Alex and Emily, the two feel socially isolated. This causes their meeting and invitation to socialize with another young family, Kurt, Charlotte and their son, a way to beat the tedium. As the two sets of parents get better acquainted, a long night turns into a series of bizarre events as Kurt and Charlotte let their freak flag fly and try to start a foursome with the more conservative couple.

Well, That Was Awkward

For those who like comedies that are built on awkward social interactions, The Overnight is about as uncomfortable as any indie comedy has ever gotten. Kurt and Charlotte are totally into their ‘hobbies,’ which include making canvas paintings of others’ nether regions, making milking fetish videos for cash, and providing happy endings to strangers at a seedy massage parlor for the thrills. Alex and Emily find themselves oddly entranced and disgusted by these actions, which is where the brunt of the comedy comes from.

The whole night is one long awkward lead up to an inevitable proposal, adding to each awkward interaction where Alex and Emily debate if they are okay with each reveal they see. For a comedy of this ilk, the cast is key, and Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling​​​​​​​, Jason Schwartzman​​​​​​​ and Judith Godrèche do a phenomenal job of gradually building up an absurd night of debauchery at its most comedic and uncomfortable.

You can stream The Overnight on Fubo, Pluto TV, Plex, or Freevee.

4 Buzzard (2014)

Marty Jackitansky goes through life with as little effort as possible, working a series of temp jobs and figuring out little scams to bring him nominal amounts of money; like returning stolen office supplies without receipts. However, as Marty grows increasingly paranoid after a series of his scams gets found out, and he begins to wander the streets of Detroit with a self-made ‘power glove,’ turning violent towards others.

Darker Than the Darkest Comedy

It is hard to say if director Joel Potrykus’s work will resonate with the viewer until they try out one of his films for themselves. Buzzardis incredibly bleak, slow-paced, and with a highly unlikable protagonist. This is comedy at its darkest, and is perfect for those who vibe with ‘misery loves company.’

Joel Potrykus’s love of horror and exploitation cinema also comes across, as while the movie is neither of those, its protagonist, Marty, is the embodiment of the worst traits of genre fandom. Give it a shot, you will know within the first 20 minutes if the movie is for you, and if it is, you can jump head first into Potrykus’s entire filmography.

You can stream Buzzard on Fandor, Tubi, Hoopla, Kanopy, or Freevee.

3 Wetlands (2013)

Helen is an unapologetically eccentric 18-year-old, who shucks social norms regarding sexuality and cleanliness; overly obsessed with her own secretions. When she is hospitalized after an accident, Helen spends more time examining her body and reflecting on past trauma that got her to her current mindset. At the same time, she uses the sympathy towards her to attempt to re-unite her estranged parents as well as hit on a nurse, Robin, that she falls for.

Getting Uncomfortably Intimate With The Body

Primarily unfolding through monologs from Helen, Wetlandsdoes not leave much to the imagination when it comes to exploring sexual exploits and the various fluids that come with it. This overly explicit exploration of sex even garnered the movie an NC-17 rating for how in-depth it goes.

However, as graphic as the discussions are, the imagery itself is far from pornographic and is better suited as a comedy driven by a sharp, witty, and introspective script. The movie will be a mysophobia sufferer’s worst nightmare, but those who can stomach it will find a clever comedy with a lot to say.

You can stream Wetlands on Tubi.

2 The Catechism Cataclysm (2011)

Father Billy Smoortser is forced to take a sabbatical after some bumbling, and accidentally blasphemous, actions as a Catholic priest. To reconnect with his roots, Billy reaches out to his high school idol, Robbie Shoemaker, and offers to take him on a fishing trip. Robbie, despite barely remembering Billy, takes up the offer but soon finds himself at odds with the loud and dumb personality of the priest.

A Very Awkward Road Trip

Steve Little is one of the most underrated comedic actors working today, and he is at his most socially awkward and obtuse in Todd Rohal’s The Catechism Cataclysm as Father William Smoortser. The loud, clueless personality opposite Robert Longstreet’s more hardened Robbie Shoemaker makes for an awkwardly hilarious pairing. The movie also ends in a bizarrely surreal sequence that audiences won’t soon forget. A road-trip comedy unlike any other.

You can stream The Catechism Cataclysm on AMC+.

1 I’m a Cyborg, But That’s Okay (2006)

Cha Young-goon, a young woman who believes she is a combat cyborg, ends up in a mental health facility after attempting to insert electronics into herself while at work. Convinced that she only needs battering, Young-goon slowly begins to starve herself, much to the horror of another resident who has taken an interest in her, Park Il-sun. Il-san, who believes he has the ability to steal others’ special skills, begins to formulate a plan with other residents to get the ‘cyborg’ to start eating.

A Peculiar Korean Rom-Com

The Korean rom-com is one of the most beloved genres, with the most dedicated fandom around them. While most Korean rom-coms deal with relatively light fare, I’m a Cyborg, But That’s Okay deals with enough sensitive subjects, like mental health and suicide, that it has landed it an R-rating. This may not surprise some who are aware of the works of its director, Park Chan-wook who is better known for his challenging works like Oldboy, Thirst, The Handmaiden, and Decision to Leave.

Despite its R-rating, the movie is, in many ways, a conventional love story for a rom-com, only slightly offset by its bizarre premise and eccentric cast of characters. For fans of rom-coms, I’m a Cyborg, But That’s Okay offers much of the same with a slight twist, and for fans of dark comedy, the movie offers a lighter fare that will still have those needed moments of mature humor.