Top 10 Most Emotional Funny Movies

"Trainspotting," the sophomore effort from famed British director Danny Boyle, is a masterful blend of dark humor and poignant drama. Set in the gritty streets of Edinburgh, "Trainspotting" follows the lives of a group of heroin addicts. They're led by Ewan McGregor's charismatic and troubled Mark Renton. The film's raw, unapologetic portrayal of addiction is punctuated by moments of absurdity and surreal humor. This relatable combination speaks to audiences, who laugh even as they confront the harsh realities of drug abuse. The eccentric characters, witty dialogue, and chaotic escapades provide levity on the surface, but "Trainspotting" is fundamentally a story of despair, loss, and the struggle for redemption.

"The Royal Tenenbaums" is the film that started to cement Wes Anderson's aesthetic style. It's a quirky and heartfelt exploration of the family dynamics of a clan of oddballs. The Tenenbaum patriarch, Royal, returns home claiming that he's dying in hopes that he can reconnect with his children. He finds each grappling with their own failures and unfulfilled potential. The humor is dry, but the emotional wells run deep. The strange mix of whimsy and absurdity enhances intensely personal moments. The Tenenbaums are all deeply flawed but shockingly relatable. It's hard not to feel for them. The film expertly walks a tightrope between humor and heartache, as we laugh and cry our way through a bittersweet story.

As the title suggests, viewers of "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" are destined for heartbreak. The film follows Greg, an awkward high school senior, and his friend Earl. At the urging of Greg's mom, they befriend Rachel, a classmate diagnosed with leukemia. The pair share their oddball, homemade films to bring levity to Rachel's difficult journey. Throughout, Greg constantly breaks the fourth wall, assuring us that Rachel doesn't die at the end. As Rachel's condition worsens, we're plunged into the raw, emotional realities of illness and friendship. The characters' genuine bonds and personal growth are deeply moving. "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" uses comedy to soften you up before it tears your guts out.

"Harold and Maude" had the bad luck of being made three or four decades too early. Centering an unconventional love story, it has the feel of a modern independent comedy Harold, a morose young man obsessed with death, befriends Maude, a spirited 79-year-old woman who revels in every moment of life. Their friendship is only slightly more likely than their eventual romance. Both are filled with an eclectic mix of macabre humor and genuine love. Even as Harold stages his own death in ever more elaborate ways, Maude's whimsical antics keeps us grounded in laughter. Beneath the humor is a story about living authentically and embracing the beauty of life. When the pair inevitably part, we are ready to crash from the emotional rollercoaster.

It's difficult to imagine enjoying the screen presence of a bumbling Adolf Hitler, but Taika Waititi makes it work in "Jojo Rabbit." Jojo is a young German boy whose imaginary friend - a silly version of Adolf Hitler - helps him navigate World War II. Through sharp wit and absurd humor, the film exposes the absurdity of Nazi ideology. As hard as it may be to imagine, Jojo's indoctrination is chock full of laugh-out-loud moments. His whole world is upturned, however, when he discovers that his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their home. Jojo is forced to confront his beliefs as the Allies close in and the horrors of war reach his own life.

Perhaps more than any other comedian, Robin Williams had an almost preternatural ability to infuse his comedic performances with real emotion and heart. For 90s kids, "Mrs. Doubtfire" is a prime example. WIlliams stars as Daniel Hillard, a struggling voice actor who has alienated his wife with his antics, losing both her and his kids. He disguises himself as an elderly Scottish nanny to spend time with his children. Williams' improvisational style combined with his embrace of the cross-dressing inspired humor is irresistible. Bubbling just under the surface, though, is real pain and a desperate desire to connect.

"Little Miss Sunshine" is a deep dive into family dysfunction, exploring both sorrow and comedy. The Hoover family sets out on a road trip to California so that its tiniest member, Olive, can compete in a beauty pageant. Each member brings their own set of quirks and baggage, from a vow of silence to recovering from self-harm. They fly through one hilarious and unpredictable misadventure after another. At the same time, "Little Miss Sunshine" is a heavy meditation on failure, unfulfilled promise, and acceptance. All through the laughs and the tears, the Hoovers’ support for Olive keeps us firmly in their corner.

John Hughes is heavily identified with American 80s cinema. The 1987 comedy "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" is perhaps the most under-appreciated movie in his filmography. John Candy and Steve Martin are comedy royalty and their undeniable rapport make it one of Hughes' best. Martin stars as Neal Page, an uptight marketing executive. Candy plays Del Griffith, a good-hearted but obnoxious shower curtain ring salesman. Together, they endure a series of travel catastrophes while trying to get home for Thanksgiving. The mismatched duo's antics and escalating misfortunes are comedy gold. But beneath the hilarious surface, "Trains, Planes, and Automobiles" is a tale about human connection. It's one of John Candy's best roles. His wacky exterior is a thin veneer masking a deeply lonely man.

"In Bruges" is the first film to team up Irish actors Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell, whose chemistry is quietly electric. They play a pair of hitmen, Ray and Ken, who are sent to Bruges to lay low after a job goes tragically wrong. They have the banter of an old married couple and the absurdity of their situation leads to scene after scene where you struggle not to burst out with laughter. The combination of Ray's blunt observations and Ken's patient exasperation is picture perfect. But fundamentally, "In Bruges" is a morality play about guilt, and about how the weight of past actions can make someone a dead man walking. Ray's remorse and Ken's paternal love are undeniably beautiful.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Robin Williams Is a Struggling Writer Whose Fake Journal for His Deceased Son Gains Notoriety

Thanks to a Magic Wish, a Young Boy Is Forced to Grow Up Overnight

A Guy in His 20s Leans on His Best Friend & Uses Humor to Face His Cancer Treatment

A Workaholic Dad Learns That Family Means Everything by Fast-Forwarding through His Life

A Paralyzed Socialite Finds a New Lease on Life Thanks to His New, Irreverent Caregiver

Before 1997's "Life Is Beautiful," most people couldn’t imagine a "Holocaust comedy." Writer, director, and star Roberto Benigni made it feel perfectly natural. He plays Guido, a charming and optimistic Jewish man armed with a quick wit, imagination, and a big heart. He and his young son, Giosuè, are ultimately introduced to the horrors of a concentration camp. Guido’s antics and humorous approach to life's challenges shield Giosuè from the trauma and provide us with the ability to laugh in the face of the worst humanity has to offer. Guido's unwavering love and sacrifice for his son will bring tears to even the hardest of hearts.