What are our true Comedy Drama Favourites – What films make you laugh and cry at the same time?

What about films that you return to time and time again even though you know all the jokes and you know how it’s going to end?

Our favourite films often become our favourite films for strange reasons. It is not as straightforward as saying, “This one won all the Oscars, so this one’s my favourite”. Sometimes a certain scene, or line of dialogue just connects with you.

In this blog we’ve highlighted some of our comedy-drama favourites and explored why we keep coming back to them.

Our Short List of Comedy Drama Favourites

The Big Short (2019)

The Big Short is a film all about the events leading up to the 2008 financial crash. During the film we follow hedge fund managers, bankers and traders as they learn about the subprime mortgage crisis and decide what to do with the information they have before the crash occurs.

It doesn’t sound like a barrel of laughs or particularly dramatic but somehow it manages to be both funny, informative and poignant all at the same time.

It is a triumph in simple and effective storytelling. The film uses a slew of hilarious cameos to deliver exposition about complex financial ideas in a way that it is easy to digest.

An all-star cast embodies real-life characters that all get wrapped up in a drama too big for any of them to handle. It was a hit at the box office and continues to be a very relevant film about the perils of the financial world.

The Favourite (2018)

One of many people’s favourite comedy-dramas in recent years was Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite. The film is a period piece that follows the lives of Queen Anne and her close aides. The comedy is dark and often quite strange. And the performances by the three stars Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachell Weisz ensure that the film never has a dull moment.

In particular, Olivia Colman, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, is hilarious and vulnerable in her portrayal of Queen Anne. Many of director Yorgos Lanthimos’ films including The Lobster and The Favourite straddle the line between tragedy and comedy. They are often as disturbing as they are funny.

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Snatch (2000)

Guy Ritchie’s cult classic Snatch is a great ensemble film about the vicious and ridiculous world of the London crime scene. An incredible cast including Brad Pitt, Jason Statham, Stephen Graham, Benicio del Toro and Vinnie Jones play out this caper with delicious enthusiasm.

The fast paced style of the film allows it to flick between the ridiculous and the sublime in the space of one scene. The movie is also endlessly quotable with characters that will stick in your mind for a long time.

Lady Bird (2017)

On the surface, Lady Bird might look like another one of those many films about teenage angst. But it’s written and directed by Greta Gerwig. So it’s not like all those other films. In fact, it’s brilliant, hilarious and heartbreaking. It manages to do so much with relatively familiar material because of the whip-smart writing, understated editing and charming performances.

Lady Bird is about a teenage girl trying to navigate high school and a difficult relationship with her parents. It’s a modern coming-of-age film that dispenses with the clichés and cuts straight to the truth. The film also features stand out performances from Saoirse Ronan, Timothee Chalamet and Laurie Metcalf.

Paddington (2014) and Paddington 2 (2017)

We’re cheating a bit here but it’s allowed because the Paddington films are cinematic perfection. Charming, thrilling and hilarious entertainment for the whole family, both Paddington and Paddington 2 have been a hit in cinemas across the globe.

As the lovable young bear from Peru adventures around the dangerous streets of London, we meet many bizarre characters played by a cast of some of Britain’s most well-known character actors. Paddington, voiced by Ben Whishaw, is able to make you laugh and cry in the same scene and yet the films never seem sentimental or immature.

Paddington has been a national treasure for a long time and these most recent films, enhanced by wonderful direction and a delightfully animated bear, have only served to solidify his status as a pop culture icon.

Your Comedy Drama Favourites

It’s not easy to meld comedy and drama. Yet all of these films have become popular or achieved critical success because they’ve managed to do both without sacrificing any element of their story.

Of course, this list can only be so long. There are many more great comedy-drama movies. Let us know about your favourite comedy-drama plays or television shows and whether you have any favourite films that should make the list.

Take a look at the ful list of Comedians and Comedy plays appearing at Blackpool Grand Theatre.