The buddy cop movie is a staple of cinema, particularly when it comes to comedy. Even the more serious buddy cop movies like 48 Hrs. pair a comedic player (Eddie Murphy) with a more seasoned, serious one (Nick Nolte). There’s just something about the mismatched concept that can be toyed with so much that, before audiences knew it, there were a slew of films of the subgenre nearly as solid as 48 Hrs.
And, fortunately for Netflix US fans, there are quite a few buddy cop comedy films on the streamer for film fans to enjoy. From ’80s minor classics to more modern, high-budget takes on the subgenre (including a Netflix original or two), these are the best comedies on Netflix that feature an unlikely pairing where at least one of them is a law enforcer.
10 Dragnet (1987)
dragnet
- Release Date
- June 23, 1987
- Director
- Tom Mankiewicz
- Cast
- Dan Aykroyd, Tom Hanks, Christopher Plummer, Harry Morgan, Alexandra Paul, Jack O’Halloran
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Comedy
An adaptation of the classic (and cheesy) television series by the same name, Dragnet follows L.A.-based detectives Joe Friday (Dan Aykroyd) and smart-mouthed Pep Streebeck (Tom Hanks) as they attempt to solve a series of elaborate, ritual-style murders. But, first, they’ll have to solve their chemistry issues.
What Makes It Great?
Aykroyd and Hanks have great chemistry, but it’s Christopher Plummer who steals scenes as the villainous Reverend Jonathan Whirley. It’s a film that’s a product of its time, and it can be slow in spots, but more often than not Dragnet is worthwhile.
9 Bon Cop, Bad Cop (2006)
Bon Cop, Bad Cop follows two officers, one from Ontario and the other from Quebec, who are paired against their will to solve a murder. Before long, even if the pair never see eye to eye, they can see the opportunity to work together and take down a serial killer.
What Makes It Great?
With stylish cinematography and a snappy screenplay, Bon Cop, Bad Cop makes for a fun addition to international action movie night. The film has the genre-balancing of a Luc Besson film, and that works as well for it as the performances from Colm Feore (who American audiences will recognize from films like The Amazing Spider-Man 2) and Patrick Huard.
8 R.I.P.D. (2013)
R.I.P.D.
- Release Date
- July 18, 2013
- Director
- Robert Schwentke
- Cast
- Jeff Bridges, Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Bacon, Mary-Louise Parker, Stephanie Szostak, James Hong
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Action
Robert Schwentke wasn’t unfamiliar with adapting comic properties when he directed R.I.P.D., given his previous film was the much more successful Red back in 2010. But, watching it, one would be forgiven for thinking he was. For the younger audience members, it could prove to have its merits. The plot follows a recently slain cop (Ryan Reynolds) as he learns that not even death can keep him from duty, but at least now he has a shot at taking down his killer.
What Makes It Great?
R.I.P.D. is Men in Black if the fear factor were decreased as was the realism, to an even greater extent than it already was with that 1997 fan favorite. In those elements’ place are poop and fart jokes, which oddly enough will probably only work for those below the film’s MPA bar of PG-13.
7 Ride Along (2014)
Ride Along
- Release Date
- January 7, 2014
- Director
- Tim Story
- Cast
- Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, John Leguizamo, Bruce McGill, Tika Sumpter, Bryan Callen
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Action
Kevin Hart and Ice Cube provided 2014 with a box office smash in Ride Along. Specifically in January, which is typically the year’s dumping ground month for movies in which studios have little faith. But it can also be a solid release month for mid-budget, high-concept comedies, and this tale of a scrawny man-child security guard trying to get to know his career cop future brother-in-law is just that.
What Makes It Great?
Many fans’ pick for one of Kevin Hart’s best movies, Ride Along hinges on the charm of not only Hart and Ice Cube individually but their charm as a duo. Fortunately, they have chemistry to spare, enough to get the film a sequel.
6 The Nice Guys (2016)
The Nice Guys
- Release Date
- May 15, 2016
- Director
- Shane Black
- Cast
- Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice, Matthew Bomer, Margaret Qualley, Yaya DaCosta
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Crime
Easily one of the best action comedies of the past 20 years, Shane Black’s The Nice Guysfollows private detective Holland March (Ryan Gosling) and professional enforcer Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe, his best performance and role in years) as they drive through 1977 Los Angeles in search of Amelia Kuttner (Margaret Qualley), the daughter of a Justice Department official (Kim Basinger). But, they may find that the official is into far more than she lets on, and her interests don’t just involve her daughter’s safety.
What Makes It Great?
Shane Black directed what may very well be his masterpiece with The Nice Guys, one of the ultimate films to show off incredible cast chemistry. And, in the case of Black’s film, it’s not just between Russell Crowe’s detective and Ryan Gosling’s private detective, but the detective’s daughter as well (Angourie Rice). It’s a character-focused work with a perfectly recreated ’70s L.A. and a compelling mystery hidden within.
5 Bright (2017)
Bright
- Release Date
- December 22, 2017
- Director
- David Ayer
- Cast
- Will Smith, Joel Edgerton, Noomi Rapace, Kenneth Choi, Brad William Henke, Lucy Fry
- Main Genre
- Fantasy
One of the more successful original films Netflix has under its belt, Bright follows two cops, one human (Will Smith) and one orc (Joel Edgerton), as they seek to protect a high-value target female elf (Lucy Fry). But, in order to do so, they’ll have to put their cultural differences and disputes in their cruiser’s rearview mirror.
What Makes It Great?
While critics weren’t enamored with David Ayer’s sci-fi actioner, audiences got a kick out of it. It’s easy to see why, as it’s a film with game performances, solid action sequences, and mostly successful world-building.
4 The Happytime Murders (2018)
The Happytime Murders
- Release Date
- August 22, 2018
- Director
- Brian Henson
- Cast
- Melissa McCarthy, Elizabeth Banks, Maya Rudolph, Leslie David Baker, Joel McHale, Cynthy Wu
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Comedy
Brian Henson, son of The Muppets maestro Jim Henson, created something very different (albeit similar in one major way) from his father’s work in The Happytime Murders. The film features Melissa McCarthy as Detective Connie Edwards, a human paired with a fellow detective who just so happens to be a puppet. They live in a world of cohabitation, but as their currently-investigated murder proves, it’s not exactly a peaceful cohabitation.
What Makes It Great?
While The Happytime Murders was far from a critical darling, it has cult favorite written all over it. And, with excellent puppetry and a litany of hard-R jokes, it’s solid midnight entertainment for those looking to check their mind at the door.
3 Coffee & Kareem (2020)
Coffee & Kareem
- Release Date
- April 3, 2020
- Director
- Michael Dowse
- Cast
- Betty Gilpin, Taraji P. Henson, Ed Helms, Jesse Hutch, David Alan Grier, Chance Hurstfield
- Main Genre
- Comedy
Coffee & Kareem follows police officer James Coffee (The Office‘s Ed Helms), who is in a loving new relationship, even if her son isn’t quite so enamored with the addition to their family. But, when the boy witnesses a murder, he’s kidnapped by a corrupt cop, and it’s up to Coffee to both set things right and prove himself.
What Makes It Great?
As a narrative, Coffee & Kareem doesn’t go anywhere new. But, in a playing-in-the-background Sunday afternoon movie kind of way, it’s an unassuming and gamely-acted piece of entertainment with highlight supporting performances from Taraji P. Henson and Betty Gilpin.
2 Day Shift (2022)
Day Shift tells the story of Jamie Foxx’s Bud Jablonski, vampire hunter. He’s been ostracized from the official organization for his rough-and-tumble methods, but he’s given one last chance provided the studious but desk-bound Seth (Dave Franco) tags along and reports back.
What Makes It Great?
A movie with style to spare, Day Shift has fluid action sequences that are exciting with or without the mostly solid jokes. Furthermore, Foxx and Franco have strong chemistry while Steve Howey and Scott Adkins are total scene stealers as a pair of rival slayers.
1 Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery (2022)
Murderville is a Netflix original show that has Will Arnett (barely) inhabit the character of Detective Terry Seattle. In each episode, a famous personality enters Seattle’s world, playing themselves and assisting him in solving a murder. There are always three suspects, and those three suspects are always quite odd (just not as odd as Terry Seattle, who let his murdered partner’s pet rabbit starve to death as some sort of backward memory honoring).
What Makes It Great?
Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery may not have the runtime of a feature-length film, but with constant sparring between Jason Bateman and Will Arne— Terry Seattle and the cameos from Sean Hayes, Maya Rudolph, Santa, and Pete Davidson, it’s as star-studded as any prime release date studio comedy.
