The field of comedy seems to be dominated by men in Hollywood, but there are plenty of funny movies directed by women that prove that needs to change. Indeed, these original and irresistibly hilarious films include some of the biggest and most memorable comedies of all time. There are also exciting emerging voices in the world of women filmmakers who are creating unforgettable comedies, proving the importance of celebrating new talent to ensure that the future of the genre is diverse and inclusive.

Women directors have made all kinds of great comedies, from cult classics to blockbuster hits, drama-infused rom-coms to campy delights. These comedies run the gamut in terms of tones, genres, and levels of box-office success. Many of the best comedy movies are also written by women, some of whom have directed their own scripts. Women filmmakers often showcase funny women in front of the camera in lead roles too, though they're not limited to focusing on stories involving female characters. As is evidenced by any list of the best comedies directed by women, through various methods and means, they deliver laughs as big as they come.

15 Bottoms (2023)

Directed by Emma Seligman, who co-wrote the movie with Rachel Sennott, Bottoms follows two unpopular queer high school girls who start a fight club in an attempt to hook up with cheerleaders. The teen sex comedy is absurd with its broad depictions of high school stereotypes, like the hilarious man-child star football player. It's also incredibly surprising, with a crazy, go-for-broke final act that is impossible to see coming. The committed cast of Bottoms, led by Sennott and The Bear's Ayo Edebiri, and its unique tone make this a must-watch comedy.

14 She-Devil (1989)

She-Devil is directed by Susan Seidelman, who is also known for her hit film Desperately Seeking Susan and for helming the pilot episode of Sex and the City. The movie follows a housewife who plans a convoluted revenge plot against her husband after he leaves their family for a famous romance novelist. She-Devil stars a full-forced Roseanne Barr as the drab lead character, and Meryl Streep in one of her most deliciously ridiculous performances as the glorious diva novelist. It's a campy and delightful comedy about a ruthless woman who is sorely underappreciated.

13 You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah (2023)

This Netflix original movie is directed by Sammi Cohen, otherwise known for her work for the sketch comedy website CollegeHumor and her other young-adult feature, Crush. You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah stars Adam Sandler in a supporting role alongside his two real-life daughters, Sadie Sandler and Sunny Sandler. The plot follows a young girl and her best friend as they excitedly plan their Bat Mitzvahs with each other, only for a mutual crush to put a rift in their friendship. You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah has tons of funny quotes, and Sandler's daughters are natural talents.

12 Not Okay (2022)

Writer-director Quinn Shephard got her start as a child actor before transitioning in her early 20s to filmmaking. Her sophomore feature, Not Okay, follows a fame-hungry young woman (Zoey Deutch) who fakes a trip to Paris for her socials, only to get swept up in a media frenzy when she's believed to have survived a terrorist attack in the city. The lengths she goes to conceal her lie are hilariously extreme in this clever exploration of the difference between social media and reality, the use of tragedy for gain, and performative wokeness. Despite its dark subject matter, which may not be for everyone, this satirical comedy is a hoot.

11 Big (1988)

This iconic comedy stars Tom Hanks as a boy who makes a wish to be big and wakes up as an adult. Its director, the former sitcom star Penny Marshall, also helmed the classic sports comedy A League of Their Own but also could deliver great dramas, such as Awakenings. Earning the actor his first Oscar nomination, Big features one of Tom Hanks's best performances, as his awkward navigation of the world as a 13-year-old kid trapped in a man's body is charming and hysterical. Aside from some choices that are questionable involving Hanks's character and an older woman, Big is a classic that mostly holds up.

10 The Breaker Upperers (2018)

The Breaker Upperers is an under-seen gem about two women who run a company that helps people break up with their significant others. The Netflix exclusive is written and directed by New Zealand creators and performers Madeleine Sami and Jackie van Beek, who also star in the movie. The Breaker Upperers is a quirky comedy that finds authenticity in its depiction of female friendship, and it's also unabashedly funny, especially in the ridiculous schemes the two main characters invent to help their clients. At a mere 80 minutes, this slight but charming comedy is not one to overlook.

9 Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982)

Directed by Amy Heckerling from a semi-autobiographical screenplay from Cameron Crowe, the classic comedy Fast Times at Ridgemont High follows a school year in the lives of a group of teenagers. There's the inexperienced Stacy (Jennifer Jason Leigh), the popular Brad (Judge Reinhold), the smooth-talking Mike (Robert Romanus), and an unforgettable Sean Penn as rebellious stoner Jeff Spicoli. It's a raunchy and endlessly quotable film that, despite being utterly ridiculous at times, still captures the genuine emotions of high schoolers.

8 Sword Of Trust (2019)

Directed and co-written by the late, one-of-a-kind indie filmmaker Lynn Shelton, Sword of Trust is a hysterical comedy about a pawnshop owner (Marc Maron) who tries to sell a 19th-century sword that purportedly proves the South won the Civil War. Consistently clever and funny, it mixes intelligent political satire with an incredibly natural cast who make the eccentric, misguided characters feel warm and human.

7 Booksmart (2019)

Booksmart follows two overachievers who, on the eve of their graduation, realize they've wasted their high school years and attempt to make up for all of it with one crazy night. Booksmart is directed by actress Olivia Wilde in her feature filmmaking debut, with a script by four women writers: Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Susanna Fogel, and Katie Silberman. This over-the-top romp is as charming and funny as it is empowering and emotional. Booksmart is packed with exaggerated, cartoonish characters and an amazing cast.

6 The Heartbreak Kid (1972)

Elaine May, one half of the iconic comedy duo Nichols and May, later expanded into writing and directing feature films. She did not write The Heartbreak Kid, but its endless barrage of laughs is largely due to her phenomenal direction and unmatched comedic timing. The Heartbreak Kid follows a man on his honeymoon who becomes enamored with another woman and realizes his new wife, whom he had only dated for a brief time before marrying, is not the one. It's an incredibly original film — poorly remade 35 years later — that remains as hilariously awkward today as when it was first released.

5 Greener Grass (2019)

Comedians Jocelyn DeBoer and Dawn Luebbe wrote, directed, and star in Greener Grass, a surrealist take on the competitiveness of suburban motherhood, with Saturday Night Live's Beck Bennett and The Good Place's D'Arcy Carden appearing in supporting roles. It's like David Lynch by way of Mad TV​​​​​​. Greener Grass goes for broke in every minute of the film's runtime, consistently filling its frame with bright colors and absurd gags. With a sense of logic entirely its own, this completely unpredictable film is a hilariously odd and weirdly accurate take on social conformity that's sure to become a cult classic.

4 Lady Bird (2017)

Directed by actress and director Greta Gerwig and starring Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird tells the story of a high school senior and her complicated relationship with her mother. Though it's not just a comedy as it also has dramatic moments, Lady Bird's incredibly accurate take on growing up, complete with awkward flirting and fast-as-lightning mood swings, is frequently hilarious for how painfully relatable it is. There's also a host of quirky and hysterical side characters, all as self-involved as the titular lead, who bring a level of charming absurdity to the film. Lady Bird was critically acclaimed and earned five Oscar nominations, including two for Gerwig as writer and director.

3 Barbie (2023)

Greta Gerwig's third feature as a director, Barbie, was a cultural juggernaut as well as a critical and commercial success, becoming the first solo woman-directed film to cross the $1 billion line at the box office. With good reason too, as Barbie is a riotously funny film that both celebrates and critiques the titular doll brand, its history, and its representation of femininity. Ryan Gosling is brilliantly aloof as Ken, and Margot Robbie brings the iconic title character to life with both charm and deeply felt emotion.

2 Jennifer's Body (2009)

Jennifer's Body is a horror comedy written by Diablo Cody, best known for her Oscar-winning script for Juno, and directed by Karyn Kusama, who mostly works in television but has made several horror films. This movie follows a demonically possessed and bloodthirsty teenage girl (Megan Fox) and her nerdy childhood best friend (Amanda Seyfried) who tries to stop her. While Jennifer's Body has some good scares, it leads first and foremost with its campy aesthetic and hilarious genre subversions. Jennifer's Body bombed upon its release with critics and at the box office, but the comedy has more recently been reappraised as a feminist cult classic.

1 Clueless (1995)

Written and directed by Amy Heckerling, Clueless is a hilarious look into the inner workings of a self-involved but popular high school girl as she attempts to make over a new student. Starring Alicia Silverstone, Brittany Murphy, and Paul Rudd, Clueless is filled with iconic quotes and even more iconic fashions. While it is irresistibly hilarious and has a sharp eye for satire, Clueless also has a big heart and some charming romance. It's one of the funniest comedy films ever made, and it also just so happens to have a woman director.