Michael Keaton (also known by his surprising birth name, Michael Douglas), might be best known for some of his action movie roles, such as Batman or the Vulture, but his filmography is actually full of comedies. This might be surprising for some if you don’t know any of his other works, as comedy and action movies don’t always coincide. But there’s no doubt Keaton has a knack for comedies, especially since they helped start his career. He was predominantly a comedic actor for more than a decade, which was why people were so skeptical about his casting in Batman.
Of course, comedies are rarely ever just comedy. They might be a dramatic comedy, an action comedy, or the ever popular rom-com. Keaton doesn’t just stick to one of these subcategories either, displaying his comedic range over a number of roles and genres, proving that not all actors have to be locked into one genre when they’re working. Some of Keaton’s best work is in his comedies, and those can be found here.
7 Mr. Mom
Mr. Mom is a simple comedy movie revolving around the changing lives of one family in the recession. Jack Butler, a husband and father to three, loses his engineering job, the only source of income for the household. Trying to find any way of getting money for the family, his wife Caroline, who was previously a stay at home mother, uses her college degree to get a job at an advertising company.
As she re-enters the work force, Jack now has to take care of their kids, struggling to learn how to juggle home repairs and watching the young children at the same time. Keaton plays Jack, learning how to take care of his children full time on his own. He knows just how to play the role, bringing us a father figure who clearly cares for his kids, and bringing the comedy in the bizarre ways he tries to learn how to care for them.
6 The Other Guys
In the action comedy The Other Guys, we see the story of detectives Allen Gamble and Terry Hoitz. This buddy cop movie follows their investigation of a scaffolding permit violation that turns into a much bigger plot by billionaire David Ershon to cover his losses and try to embezzle funds to get it back. As they investigate more and more into the case, they uncover many different crimes surrounding it, but they run into problems too, including their own personal struggles.
Keaton plays Captain Gene Mauch, the captain of the police force who also works at a Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Considering that those two jobs sound nothing alike, you know the role was made to be comedic in a bizarre way. Keaton brings the role together perfectly, as no matter whether we see him in the police office or on the retail floor he feels like the same surreal person, bringing arguably the most comedic value to this film.
5 The Paper
The comedy drama The Paper follows one day in the life of a newspaper editor, and is like the great screwball comedy His Girl Friday, a newspaper classic, but with the drama of the great film The Front Page. Henry Hackett is a workaholic who is struggling with his job — some of his co-workers aren’t great, and his wife is also home about to have a baby. A new story begins circulating about the murder of some businessmen, but Hackett and another writer believe the suspects are innocent thanks to listening into their police scanner.
Knowing the story will be the front page of tomorrow’s paper, Hackett sets out to try and prove that the arrested boys were innocent so that they can publish it in the morning. Keaton plays Henry Hackett, bringing the reporter to life along with the story. Without his expertise to know when to be serious and when to let the comedy flow, the movie would have been a lot different.
4 Night Shift
Strictly a comedy movie, the great Ron Howard film Night Shift is about Charles “Chuck” Lumley, and how his life gets turned around by a co-worker. After leaving a job as a successful stockbroker for personal reasons, Chuck gets a job as an attendant at a local morgue. He is given the night shift, where he meets Bill "Blaze" Blazejowski. Inspired by Chuck’s neighbor Belinda, they decide to put their financial and entrepreneurial skills together to open a prostitution service at the morgue.
Keaton brings Blaze to life on the screen in his first ever leading role, and one that was his breakout role. Considering this was how he became popular, it’s clear some of Keaton’s best comedy acting can be found here, and is only proof for how good he is at the genre.
3 Much Ado About Nothing
Based on Shakespeare’s play of the same name, the legendary rom-com Much Ado About Nothing is a wildly interwoven tale of how two couples get together. The plot is delightfully convoluted and rewards multiple viewings (or readings), filled with witty dialogue and great characters. Keaton plays constable Dogberry, who is without a doubt an intended comedic relief character. He’s meant to be incompetent and bumbling, so the plot can further without him outright telling the main characters that the wedding was purposefully ruined, because they can’t understand him. Keaton is a good fit for the role, and brings a perfect balance to the cast.
2 Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice is a very popular horror comedy movie directed by Tim Burton. Lydia’s parents buy, renovate, and take residence in an older home. She discovers a ghost couple also living in their house and befriends them, finding they had recently died and are now stuck living here for several years or there will be dire consequences during the afterlife. Despite their friendship, the couple doesn’t like the renovations to their house nor the extra members living in the house, so they contact Beetlejuice, a ‘bio-exorcist’ hoping he will haunt the house and scare the family away.
Suffice it to say, it doesn’t go as planned. Keaton is astounding as Beetlejuice himself, bringing the terrorizing demon to life. As the comedic relief of the movie, Keaton brings his A game and offers a fantastic, if not creepy, performance. Everything from his grizzly voice to his rapid-fire line deliveries and even just the way he walks is perfect.
1 Birdman
A comedy-drama, but also a satire about Keaton’s own career, Birdman follows Riggan Thomson, a once famous actor known for playing the superhero Birdman. He is plagued by the growling internal voice of the character, who often physically manifests himself near Riggan and is only seen to him and the audience. Trying to make himself popular again, he writes, directs, and stars in a Broadway play of a short story adaptation, but Birdman continues to lurk in the background and insists he’s the most important role Riggan has ever played, and he should return to it.
Keaton is Riggan Thomson here, and Birdman is intended to symbolize his time as Batman. Of course, no one else would have been as convincing in the role because of this, and Keaton really showcases all of his acting skills here, standing out in an incredible ensemble cast that includes Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Emma Stone, Zach Galifianakis, and many more. Keaton was nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars, and he won his first Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy.