2011 Comedy Movies

Spoiled Chanel moves back to the ghetto with her mother and daughter after getting placed on house arrest for a crime she didn't commit, and finds herself forced to choose between two disparate lifestyles when her boyfriend DeAndre proposes to her from behind bars. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fisher, and Lizzy Caplan star in this comedy about three dysfunctional friends who attempt to leave the past behind while serving as bridesmaids at the wedding of a woman they mocked mercilessly back in high school. As teenagers, Regan (Dunst), Gena (Caplan), and Katie (Fisher) used to call Becky (Rebel Wilson) "Pig Face." Years later, Becky is about to tie the knot and asks her taunting former classmates to join the wedding party. And though Regan is determined to give Becky the ultimate bachelorette bash, tart-tongued Gena has already started partying hard well before the big night, and capricious Katie seems to have her head stuck in the clouds. Later, as the ladies cut loose and the booze begins to flow, a mishap with the wedding dress sends the entire event spiraling out of control, leading to a wild night of debauchery that nobody will ever forget. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A spontaneous love affair threatens permanent repercussions when a couple neglects to use birth control, and finds that their fleeting romance may in fact have strong roots. Fred (Noah Bean) and Nelly (Anna Chlumsky) have been together for years. But when Fred meets free-spirited Mindy (Rachel Boston) while Nelly is away on business, playful drinking leads them straight to the sheets. The following morning, when Mindy reveals that she isn't on birth control, Fred drives her to the pharmacy and purchases the "morning after" pill. Though Mindy storms off following a brief tussle, Fred learns that she has to take another pill 12 hours later in order to halt the pregnancy. Now, in order to sidestep paternity and salvage his relationship with Nelly, Fred must find a means of getting back on Mindy's good side, and getting her to take the second pill. Unfortunately for Fred, regaining Mindy's trust will not only involve an uncomfortable one-on-one with her crestfallen ex-boyfriend, but also joining her family to celebrate her brother's 11th birthday. Somewhere along the way, however, It begins to become clear that Mindy is everything Fred has ever wanted in a woman, and that in order to be happy, he may finally have to experience life outside of his carefully-structured comfort zone. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

An unassuming pet photographer (Dave Annable) gets involved in organized crime when he is forced to marry a Croatian mobster's daughter (Katharine McPhee), who is promptly kidnapped while honeymooning at a Tahitian resort. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi

Two teenage girls enter into a passionate romance that threatens to fall apart when one announces that she will soon be leaving for school, which creates a swell of emotions and brings about a disturbing transformation. When it comes to love, New York City tomboy Jack (Riley Keough) always plays it cool. But when she meets Diane (Juno Temple), something just clicks. Beautiful and unassuming, Diane captures Jack's heart almost instantly. But trouble starts to brew when Diane reveals that she won't be in the city much longer. School is starting, and when it does, she'll head back to Europe. Crestfallen, Jack puts up an emotional wall that Diane does her best to break through. Upon realizing Jack has no intention of continuing their relationship, Diane finds her emotions surging out of control, and the disturbing visions that have been haunting her threaten to lead them both down a terrifying path from which neither may ever return. Kylie Minogue co-stars. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Based on the hit British TV series of the same name, director Ben Palmer's The Inbetweeners follows teenage losers Will, Jay, Simon, and Neil as they head to Greece for a wild vacation, but find their dreams of debauchery scuttled by an acute lack of funds and female interest. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A desperate Texas drug dealer plots to settle a sizable debt by killing his mother and collecting the insurance money, but gets into an even bigger mess after hiring a twisted police detective who moonlights as a killer-for-hire to get the job done. Chris (Emile Hirsch) is in serious trouble. He's just incurred a major debt to Digger Soames (Marc Macaulay), and when you're late paying Digger, you can wind up dead. His back against the wall, Chris comes to his father Ansel (Thomas Haden Church) with a sinister proposition: they'll hire a killer to get rid of Chris' mother (and Ansel's ex-wife), then collect the insurance money that will go to Chris' teenage sister Dottie (Juno Temple), a seraphic sleepwalker who seems to exist in a world all her own. Bringing Chris' temperamental stepmother Sharla (Gina Gershon) in on the hustle, the young deadbeat and his dimwitted father enlist the services of Joe Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), a local police detective whose authority and detailed knowledge of police procedures make him the perfect hired killer. But Joe doesn't come cheap, and when his fee proves bigger than expected, Chris and Ansel agree to let him have Dottie as a "retainer" until the insurance check clears. Just when it starts to look as if everything is going according to plan, however, an unexpected complication plunges the entire situation into total chaos. A lurid black comedy that goes to some very dark places, Killer Joe is the second collaboration between acclaimed director William Friedkin and playwright/screenwriter Tracy Letts, who previously worked together on the 2006 psychological thriller Bug. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Introverted L.A. comedian Fred Stoller (playing himself) finds his initial excitement over the prospect of a new roommate fading when his agoraphobic pal Vinnie D'Angelo (Angelo Tsarouchas) travels across the country to share an apartment. Now, the more time Vinny spends mooching off his best friend, the more Fred's patience starts to wear thin. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Jim Field Smith's gentle satire Butter stars Jennifer Garner as Laura Pickler, the wife of the longtime winner of a local butter-carving contest. When he decides to bow out of this year's competition, she can't imagine the family not having the title, so she begins to train herself. Her biggest rival turns out to be a young adopted African-American girl named Destiny (Yara Shahidi), who has a natural gift for sculpture. As the competition gets more and more fierce, Laura resorts to drastic measures, convincing an old flame to perform some dirty tricks in order to get the upper hand. Butter screened at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Writer/director Julie Delpy follows-up her 2007 comedy 2 Days in Paris with this tale of a happy couple who find their comfortable relationship put to the test during a tumultuous family visit. Marion (Delpy) and Mingus (Chris Rock) both come from failed relationships. But by bringing their children together, they've managed to form a small yet happy family. Tensions in their household soon begin to spike, however, when Marion's jovial father (Albert Delpy -- the director's real-life father) shows up on their doorstep with his randy daughter and her peculiar boyfriend in tow. Later, as the motor-mouthed houseguests shatter every taboo imaginable, the happy couple begin to question their commitment. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Frustrated Los Angeles artist Jackson falls into a soul-sucking cycle of sexual debauchery when his loneliness becomes too much to take, only to find himself growing numb to the pleasures of the flesh. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi