Women-led comedies are not necessarily a genre overflowing with films, thanks in part to the rampant sexism in the film industry and an unfortunate amount of diminishing roles throughout Hollywood productions. But, recently, through the last 10 years, thanks to films like Bridesmaids, women-driven comedies are starting to become more commonplace. The history of the genre can be looked back at with classics like Breakfast At Tiffany’s or any number of Katherine Hepburn films from her time as a leading actor.
Women-led comedies have become raunchier with talented ensembles that show the breadth of their comedic talent. Melissa McCarthy and Tiffany Haddish have become mainstays in the genre thanks to their larger-than-life personalities and ability to take comedic gags to their maximum, heightened levels.
Updated on August 19th, 2023 by Rachel Johnson: This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.
15 The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
An unquestionable piece of the Meryl Streep canon and also part of Anne Hathaway’s early rise to superstardom that required her character to go through some physical transformation like The Princess Diaries, The Devil Wears Prada is a hilarious look at the fashion industry and a thoughtful look at the work-life balance. Streep brilliantly plays the matriarch of a historical fashion magazine who coldly destroys people with a faint whisper and some sly words, offering no remorse.
Hathaway plays the eager-to-please new assistant who has no idea of the plight of being a top fashion editor's assistant. The film softens the blow with a happy ending, but comes close to ending as a sell-your-soul-for-success warning.
14 Baby Mama (2008)
Comedy dream team and Saturday Night Live alums Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are a riot in Baby Mama, with the rom-com following a successful businesswoman as she sets out to have a baby by herself and enlists the services of an immature South Philadelphian to be her surrogate mother.
The sensational chemistry between the two side-splitting leading ladies helped make the flick a slam dunk at the box office, and their uproarious hijinks and playful banter delighted moviegoers everywhere. Anytime Fey and Poehler join forces it's sure to be a crowd pleaser, and the success of Baby Mama further established them as some of Hollywood's funniest comedians.
13 Josie & The Pussycats (2001)
If there were a film that perfectly encapsulated the denim suit moment from Justin Timberlake in 2001, it'd be Josie and The Pussycats. Distilling the vibe of a specific period in time when the boy and girl supergroups reigned supreme, the reimagining of the famous cartoon perfectly satirizes those years in pop culture.
With hilarious turns from television mainstays like Carson Daly, the film makes the record companies out to be evil geniuses using celebrities to brainwash the average fanatic. Directing duo Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont left behind an indelible cultural landmark.
12 Charlie's Angels (2000)
With a dazzling ensemble cast led by Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu, the action comedy Charlie's Angels features the talented actresses kicking major butt and looking good doing it in the lively continuation of the '70s classic show.
Director McG embraced more comical and offbeat elements in his adaptation (which Barrymore also produced) and it became a massive blockbuster hit that led to the 2003 sequel Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. Slate declared the film in their review "a charming, hyper-energetic, and wittily self-aware action comedy about gorgeous girls."
11 Girls Trip (2017)
A sensation when released, Girls Trip turned Tiffany Haddish into a big-screen comedy staple with her irreverent energy buzzing from frame to frame. Haddish helped elevate the film from girls' hangout to a comedy classic.
Girls Trip is packed with a socially conscious, dramatic plot and enough raunchy toilet humor to keep the laughs rolling. Led by a stacked cast of Queen Latifah, Regina Hall, and Jada Pinkett Smith, the film went on to gross $140.9 million.
10 Sister Act (1992)
Whoopi Goldberg earned a Golden Globe nomination for her rowdy role as lounge singer-turned-nun Deloris Wilson in the '90s hit Sister Act, with the funny lady sharing the screen with fellow stars like Maggie Smith, Kathy Najimy, and Wendy Makkena in the entertaining hit. After witnessing her mobster boyfriend kill someone, Deloris is put into witness protection and finds herself hiding out at a California convent, joining its choir in hopes of staying out of trouble.
Sister Act went on to become one of the most successful comedies of the decade and spawned an enduring and popular franchise that led to a sequel and musical adaptation. A third installment is currently in the works at Disney+, with Goldberg set to reprise her uproarious role.
9 Pitch Perfect (2012)
Audiences across the world became completely obsessed with the quirky a cappella group the Barden Bellas in the trailblazing musical comedy Pitch Perfect, focusing on the all-girl group as they compete against rival teams to win the national championship for their college.
Touting an epic ensemble cast including Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow, Rebel Wilson, and Anna Camp, the girl-power movie was a massive sleeper hit that kicked off the lucrative franchise and generated two exciting sequels and a television spin-off. The Pitch Perfect album went on to become 2013's best-selling soundtrack and sold a whopping 1.2 million copies, further cementing its status as a mega-hit comedy staple.
8 Bring It On (2000)
Not only a hilarious early aughts romp featuring dialogue like “I was flying ignorami” as a way to say they were ignorant of the situation, but also a sty that provides an insightful look at race and class in regard to West Coast cheer squads.
Bring It On is a classic high school movie that never loses speed. With its opening, energetic cheer dream sequence with a fiery Kirsten Dunst leading the way. Although it would go on to spawn a bevy of sequels that aren't worthy of discussion, the original remains as a hilarious and fun look at the world of cheerleading.
7 Easy A (2010)
The always charming Emma Stone landed her first leading role when she starred as 17-year-old Olive Penderghast in the acclaimed teen rom-com Easy A, delivering one of the most iconic and amusing performances of her illustrious career. Inspired by Nathaniel Hawthorne's literary classic The Scarlet Letter, the flick centers on the high school student as she finds her world (and reputation) turned upside down after embellishing some details about her sex life, a mishap she capitalizes on to climb the social hierarchy.
Amanda Bynes is stellar as a devout Christian who condemns the seemingly promiscuous Olive, with the duo squaring off in a laughable fashion throughout the film. Easy A was both a critical and commercial triumph, raking in $75 million and nabbing Stone a Golden Globe nomination; Entertainment Weekly named the comedy one of the Best High School Movies on its 2021 list.
6 Legally Blonde (2001)
Reese Witherspoon, flexing all of her bubbly charm, charisma, and hard-nosed eagerness to succeed as the clad pink, feminine icon “Elle Woods” is what makes Legally Blonde move. The film features a great script that is as much a workplace comedy as it is a great courtroom drama turned lighthearted fare.
Witherspoon has to navigate the misogynistic expectations of her male counterparts while also battling the condescending nature of other female academics. It's a great part that also wielded the “Bend and snap!” rule that became tethered to the iconic movie for years to come.
5 Bridesmaids (2011)
Bridesmaids is in the pantheon of women-driven, studio comedies because of its hilarious ensemble of women and its disgusting humor. Many of the films that found success with women in the lead roles are PG-13, while many of the movies with men in the lead get to flourish under the R-rating. Bridesmaids broke new ground because it showed the women can hang and gross out an audience with hilarity in equally unhinged fashion while still having their friendships be grounded and centered.
After the success of Bridesmaids, Melissa McCarthy launched into leading roles after this Oscar-nominated turn as the foul-mouthed bridesmaid and would helm other profanity-laced comedies after. With an unforgettable outfitting scene that caused all the ladies' bowels to move at a speed no one would be comfortable.
4 9 to 5 (1980)
With three screen icons leading the way — Dolly Parton, Lilly Tomlin, and Jane Fonda — 9 to 5 had every right to jump to the front of the cultural conversation in 1980. Though somewhat ignored and dismissed by critics upon release, the film's workplace politics haven’t unfortunately aged at all, as the three women are constantly undermined in the workplace by their male counterparts who are in charge, and Parton's character has to juggle the pressure of her boss's sexual advances.
The film takes a turn not only to deliver a poignant message about misogyny in the office but also turns into a hilarious goofball romp of revenge that manifests because of the harassment and unfair treatment. Nine to Five is a classic that you can tell has influenced countless others.
3 Clueless (1995)
Not only an incredibly light-hearted satire of teen movies but one that does so with continuous wit and heart for its characters, Clueless is a masterpiece of teen comedy. It features an all-time comedic performance from Alicia Silverstone.
She cuts straight through the heart of the absurdity of the high-school social hierarchy, the film is a delightful romp at a perfect 97 minutes. And also: a perfect vessel for 90s nostalgia that doesn’t make the film's setting and costuming feel dated while also re-purposing an old text from Jane Austen.
2 Mean Girls
One of the all-time great high school comedies, but also a tale of finding yourself amidst a top-secret covert op of social terrorism, Mean Girls is as endlessly quotable as it is iconic. Starring Lindsay Lohan at the peak of her superstardom, leading the charge as the new kid Cady Heron.
Mean Girls also features an incredible villain turned victim role from Rachel McAdams as the leader of a tight social clique, Mean Girls had all the ingredients to be a hit and proved to be so with a box-office tune of $130 million and a sense of cultural relevance since its release.
1 An Unmarried Woman (1978)
A genuine depiction of heartache, unfamiliar terrain, and dealing with the loneliness of becoming yourself, but also hilariously delirious when new love does hit, An Unmarried Woman is a delicate and intoxicating look at life after marriage through the eyes of Jill Clayburgh.
Groundbreaking for its therapy session scenes where Clayburgh spills her heart but also iconic for its wandering New York scenes, An Unmarried Woman is funny as it is a tender look at the romantic life of a recent divorcée.