Marijuana comes in many strains. Some are designed to inspire and energize you, while several others push you toward – and beyond – the edges of your own creativity. Then, of course, there are the “giggly strains.” On one end, they will chill you out and are great for a relaxing hangout sesh. On the other end, they’ll have you in such fits of laughter you’ll find yourself needing to come back up for air every now and then. And one of the best ways to enjoy this latter version of the giggles is to put on one of these funny movies to watch high.
Just be sure to switch out your regular apparatus for something less likely to break like a silicone bong when you inevitably drop it mid-laugh!
Photo: Flickr
Best Comedy Movies to Watch When Stoned
Psychology and philosophy have tried for millennia to explain what makes us laugh. Is it just a case of classic Schadenfreude? A release of pent-up aggression or the melting away of repression? Maybe it’s a form of social connectedness derived from shared experiences?
Who knows, really. Certainly not the experts. But one thing we all can agree on is that we don’t need a scientific reason to indulge in this list of funny movies to watch while you’re high.
How High (2001)
Let’s kick this party off with a classic stoner comedy! How High stars rappers Redman and Method Man as a couple of college kids who smoke “something magical.” And suddenly, they find themselves in Limitless (2011) territory. They ace their entrance exams so hard they end up at Harvard. Unfortunately, as is the case with all magic beans, they run out of their supply. Soon, they’re left with nothing but their wits and street smarts to see them through the Ivy League world.
A second How High would later release in 2019 featuring Lil Yachty and DC Young Fly. Unfortunately, it just didn’t hit quite the same. Even if it is still a decently funny movie to watch high.
The Big Lebowski (1998)
The Big Lebowski is a textbook example of how to do a black comedy with a convoluted plot right. Jeff Bridges plays Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski, a slacker and bowler who finds himself the victim of an assault. One he soon learns was anything but a random hit.
Turns out, he shares his name with the real target of the hit who just so happens to be a millionaire. When the millionaire’s wife is kidnapped, he hires The Dude to deliver her ransom. Unfortunately, The Dude has to do more than just deliver the dough. He has to protect it from those that would rather pocket it. This includes a porn kingpin, nihilists, the Lebowskis, and his own friend.
The film opened to mixed reviews but developed a massive cult in the years since. Some have levied praise on it, claiming it offers some deep sociopolitical messages. Others have praised its writing, cinematography, and soundtrack. Ultimately, though, this movie is an absolute riot that is way funnier when you watch it high.
Friday (1995)
Friday is up there as one of the best comedies of all time. It features a fantastic cast that includes Ice Cube and Chris Tucker. And they deliver some of the most meme-worthy dialogues that include Tucker’s infamous “Daaaamn!”
Friday tells the tale of an entire series of unfortunate events. Most of which stem from the leading duo needing to cough up $200 by Saturday. If they don’t, they sleep with the fishes. Throw in a dealer and a supplier, a town bully, and a psychotic ex, and cue the mayhem.
Up In Smoke (1978)
Friday is regarded as one of the best and most popular buddy stoner comedies ever. So it’s only fair that we revisit the original stoner film that helped establish the genre itself. Up In Smoke, a movie brought to life by the counterculture comedy duo Cheech and Chong.
Anthony “Man” Stoner and Pedro de Pacas indulge on a drug-fuelled trip to nowhere. Every attempt the duo makes to get back on the road more frequently traveled manages to make everything worse. Yet, somehow, they escape by the skin of their teeth every single time.
The plot reads like the greatest hits of every subsequent stoner comedy, including The Big Lebowski and Friday. It’s easy to see why this film wound up inspiring an entire slew of stoner films in the decades that followed.
Smiley Face (2007)
Speaking of stoner movies inspired by Cheech and Chong’s grand misadventures…
The Anna Faris-starrer Smiley Face is up there as a pretty good homage to the stoner genre’s roots. What makes this movie work is it sticks to what made stoner films funny in the first place. A stoner, a stash, and a series of catastrophically hilarious mishaps. And if there’s anyone that can pull off classic comedy with understated brilliance, it’s Faris.
Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)
Jay and Silent Bob are an iconic stoner duo that you may or may not have heard about. They’re the backbone of the industry. Tying the whole enterprise together, yet never claiming their rightful place on the throne. Till this movie, that is.
In Strike Back (yes, that’s a Star Wars reference), the stoner duo learns their likeness will be used in a movie. And they’re not going to earn a dime from it. Naturally, they set sail for Hollywood to stop them from ruining their image. Or to make a quick buck, whichever works out.
The characters originally appeared in writer/director Kevin Smith’s black comedy, “Clerks” (1994), dealing weed in front of the store where most of the movie takes place. They would appear in nearly all media in the View Askewniverse, including an animated film. And in return for their significant contributions, several characters and actors from the multiverse appeared in Strike Back. This includes Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Chris Rock, Will Ferrell, Jason Lee, Carrie Fisher, Shannen Doherty, Mark Hamill, and many, many more.
Airplane! (1980)
When it comes to comedies that made history, Airplane! is up there as one of the most ground-breaking. Writer/director duo, brothers David and Jerry Zucker deliberately cast actors who were known for their dramatic prowess and had not done comedy before. This choice would prove to be the greatest move they could have made.
Leslie Nielson plays an ex-fighter pilot with a fear of flying and a drinking problem stemming from post-war trauma. Despite it all, he hops on a flight to win back his estranged ex-girlfriend. Unfortunately, the crew eats some bad fish and now he has to land the aircraft solo.
Airplane! was crafted to be a parody of disaster films of the day, drawing largely from the Airport series of films. The humor is ridiculous, surreal, and scripted to perfection. And the delivery from the expertly selected cast just takes this film to unimaginable heights.
In the years that followed, several movies attempted to capture the magic of Airplane! Some, such as Scrooged (1988) came pretty close, too. But nothing will ever match up to what this movie managed to accomplish. From visual gags that leave you in splits to dialogue that continues to be quoted today, this is a classic that will never go out of style. And that easily makes it one of the top funny movies to watch high.
Scary Movie (2000)
Parodies, of course, owe a lot to Scary Movie. Airplane! set the bar pretty high, and there really was no matching it. So instead of trying to recreate it exactly, Keenen Ivory Wayans teamed up with Marlon and Shawn Wayans to craft something entirely new within the subgenre of slapstick spoof.
Scary Movie follows Anna Faris’ Cindy and her friends who find themselves being stalked by the ghost of a man they accidentally killed exactly one year prior.
Primarily a parody of “Scream” (1996) and “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (1997), Scary Movie takes shots at the entire teen slasher genre. And it does so with a wonderful balance of absurdity and self-awareness.
This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
You’ve heard of documentaries. And you’ve heard of mockumentaries. But herein lies a rockumentary, the fictional account of a fictional documentary filmmaker who follows a fictional band Spinal Tap around as they stumble through an ill-fated tour.
The genuine hilarity of it all, however, comes from the fact that the story is drawn from the real-life struggles of bands on tour. This includes Black Sabbath on their 1983 “Born Again” tour, as relayed to the movie’s screenwriters by the band’s bassist Geezer Butler.
Unlike many other documentaries that chronicled the life and times of rock bands, This Is Spinal Tap portrayed a surprisingly honest version of what the world of rock and roll was really like. As such, it wasn’t just a spoof of “pretentious” rockstars. It was also one of the equally idolatry films that glorified them.
Add in the fact that a lot of the dialogue was improvised and you’ve got yourself a comedic gem.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
Improvisational comedy has been a longstanding stalwart of the industry. Films like “This Is Spinal Tap” laid the groundwork for the future of this form of theatre in film. Several comedic giants took it to the next level in later years.
One film that truly captured the essence of improvisation was Anchorman. It starred Will Ferrell and essentially most of the top comedic actors of the era in supporting or guest roles. Of funny movies to watch high, Anchorman definitely gets top billing for Ferrell’s performance and writing alone. But the combination of so many actors with the gift of the gab truly sealed the deal.
Beetlejuice (1988)
Veering from the endearingly odd to the downright horrifyingly hysterical, Beetlejuice is a supernatural horror comedy about a family that haunts their mansion and unsuccessfully tries to scare away the living tenants with the help of a bio-exorcist, Betelgeuse.
The premise is essentially an ‘80s version of “The Others” (2001). Only this one features extraordinarily trippy practical effects and some fantastic music to go with it.
Deadpool (2016)
We follow up Beetlejuice, a jewel in the crown of old-school practical gags, with Deadpool, a new-age CGI-fest. There really is no better way to demonstrate how much the effects industry has grown in the thirty years, while also showcasing the fact that good comedy can work with either format.
Ryan Reynolds portrays the merc with a mouth so authentically it’s hard for anyone to imagine him as anything but Wade Wilson. This is saying a lot, seeing as the character is somehow the enemy and ally of everyone in the universe all at once.
There’s a multiverse of madness you probably won’t get to see on the big screen anytime soon!
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)
In the mood for Deadpool’s unfiltered acid wit but don’t have the patience to wait for the rest of the Marvel franchise to catch up to his rating? Try a South Park film instead. After all, a list of funny movies to watch high could never be completed without our favorite foul-mouthed foursome.
The animated adult comedy show has cemented its place in history as one of the greatest satires in modern history. Satire of what? Literally everything.
In Bigger, Longer & Uncut, the show takes things further by taking shots directly at censorship itself. This movie gives us a little backstory into the children’s potty-mouthed antics. And it involves an American-Canadian war, a prophecy, Satan, and Saddam Hussein.
It also features an all-star voice cast and some ridiculously catchy musical numbers. The latter led to an Oscar nomination for the song “Blame Canada.”
Tropic Thunder (2008)
Comedies have generally teetered on the edge of what is socially acceptable. Some of them play it safe, others fall off the ledge. And some shoot themselves clear out of a cannon into the dark side of the moon.
Tropic Thunder stars comedy greats like Ben Stiller and Jack Black alongside Robert Downey Jr. before his fame as Iron Man’s Tony Stark. The premise involves a team of actors being pushed toward method acting to better portray their roles in a war movie. Unfortunately for them, a case of mistaken identity (one that runs several layers deep for Downey’s Kirk Lazarus) leads to them being kidnapped by local drug dealers and having to fight their way out alive.
The film’s most controversial aspects were written to specifically satirize and critique the film industry’s tackling of those very topics. As such, if you take offense to it, you’re probably in agreement with what the movie has to say.
Beyond its real-world drama, however, this film is easily one of the top funny movies to watch high.
Shrek (2001)
When Shrek dropped at the start of the 21st century, no one knew it would spark such a cultural revolution. A story about a big green irreverent ogre on a quest to rescue a princess so he can reclaim his swamp from fairytale characters? Hardly seems like it would be a hit.
We jest, of course. Every single thing about Shrek was designed to be a hit. And not one beat of this story missed its mark.
Outside of its outstandingly novel premise, the story also parodied every fantasy and fairytale character and creature it could cram into its 90 minutes. It also featured a script that remains unrivaled in the pop-culture references department.
What set Shrek apart, in addition to literally everything else, was that the film was made as much for adults who grew up on these fairytales as the children being newly introduced to them. The film was a hit with critics, claimed several awards and nominations, made DreamWorks a worthy competitor in animation, and sparked several global movements and festivals that continue to this day.
Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010)
Alan Tudyk is to animated movies what Andy Serkis is to motion capture. Indispensable, ever-present, and skilled in mysterious ways.
Most folks would know Tudyk as the rooster Hei Hei in Moana or Pico in Encanto. Apart from his extensive voice work, the actor has earned the Academic Excellence Award for Drama from Lon Morris Jr. College and even went on to attend Julliard.
In a rare live-action appearance as a human being, Tudyk stars alongside Tyler Labine as hillbillies on a mountain retreat. They are accidentally mistaken for chainsaw killers by a group of college students embarking on the vacation of their dreams. The dream, naturally, turns into a nightmare as both camps battle for survival amid a series of terrible misunderstandings.
If you’re in the mood for comedy with a slasher kick, Tucker and Dale have you covered.
Tenacious D In: The Pick of Destiny (2006)
This list has, thus far, included musicals, rockstars, wild antics, origin stories, fantasy, Satan, and much more. What do you get when you put that all together? Tenacious D.
Jack Black and Kyle Glass are Tenacious D, a Grammy Award-winning comedy rock duo and frequent collaborators to The Foo Fighters’ David Grohl. They’ve released several albums since they got together in 1994.
The 2006 film is a fictitious telling of the band’s formation involving their quest to find Satan’s pick so they can claim their place in the rock and roll hall of fame. If that isn’t the gold standard for funny movies to watch while stoned, what is?
Life of Brian (1979)
Would a list of stoner comedy be complete without a mention of Monty Python? An omission of this nature would be nothing short of blasphemous.
Life of Brian centers on a young man born a stable down from Jesus on the same fateful night. He grows up to be an accidental Messiah when he begins sharing the teachings of his neighbor, the actual Messiah, in an attempt to hide from the Romans. Why would he need to do that? Well as it turns out, Brian just happened to have joined the independence movement to impress the woman he loves.
Wildly irreverent and banned due to its “blasphemy,” Life of Brian is one of the funniest films ever made. And if funny movies to watch high is the name of the game, then this film is undoubtedly a winning hand.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
The only movie that can top a Monty Python offering is the Monty Python offering that preceded it.
A mythical king and his knights embark on a quest to find the fabled Holy Grail. Along the way, they must battle a variety of perils. This includes the Black Knight, a house of virgins, and the worst of them all – rude Frenchmen.
The Monty Python troupe’s brand of surrealist humor reshaped the comedy industry. Their foray into film helped redefine how sketch comedy was presented on-screen. And their absurd take on Arthurian legend is an absolute must-watch, and the more stoned you are, the better.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
The youth counterculture movements of the ‘60s made promises the weary adults of the ‘70s could not keep. The disillusionment of the era is often characterized in movies using a variety of tropes. Most notably, the “drug-induced haze.” In Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, the haze is in essence writer Hunter S. Thompson’s retelling of actual events through a drug-tinted lens.
Thompson’s story is told through Raoul Duke, a journalist played by Johnny Depp. He is accompanied on his trip – both versions of it – by his attorney, Benicio del Toro’s Dr. Gonzo. The duo goes from LA to Vegas with the goal of covering the Minto 400 race. Instead, they trip and fall from one drug and hallucinatory experience into another.
The film polarised critics when it dropped, with many deeming it an unwatchable mess. Yet, considering it is meant to tell real-life stories through a drug-fuelled haze, it makes perfect sense.
The Best Funny Movies to Watch High
Comedies are, ultimately, the best kind of movies to watch stoned. Even the ones that seem like an incoherent mess when you’re sober somehow make perfect sense when you hit your bong a few times first. Perhaps it’s just easier to indulge in someone else’s fantasies when you’re not trying to philosophically define humor. Who’s to say, really.
All anyone can say, though, is if you’re on the hunt for the best funny movies to watch high, there are decades of cinema to choose from.
