Comedies That Couldn’t Get Made Today

1. White Chicks (2004)

(Image/ Source: yardbaker.com)If you aren’t familiar with the movie, let us fill in the blanks. It’s about two black detectives that go undercover as two white women- hence the title! It’s known for its crass jokes and quips about “things that white people do”, and there were a fair few people out there that found the whole thing offensive.

2. Pretty Woman (1990)

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It might be a classic romcom, but think about it. A man (Richard Gere) pays a woman (Julia Roberts) for sex, which is then turned into a love story. And it’s ok, because the man in question is not only handsome, but he’s also super rich. Oh, and he tells her how to act and how to dress. This would definitely not fly today…

3. Shallow Hal (2001)

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The 2000s weren’t exactly great for inclusive comedy. This 2001 horror show, starring Jack Black and a fat suit-adorned Gwyneth Paltrow, was pretty fat phobic even then. But every time we look back, it gets worse. And worse. Gwyneth even said she regretted making the movie, branding it a “disaster”.

4. Cuties (2020)

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As soon as the posters were released, Netflix’s Cuties

was hit with backlash. People were absolutely outraged by the images of young children twerking, and many claimed its gross sexualization of children should get the movie banned. Netflix later apologized for the release of the posters, but it didn’t stop the “#cancelnetflix” hashtag from trending.

5. Wedding Crashers (2oo5)

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Another car crash from the 2000s. This one was a red flag from the off; from men deceiving women just to sleep with them to jokes about rape, Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn’s characters were pretty horrendous. But Isla Fisher’s was just as bad, as there was a scene of non-consensual sex while Vince’s character was tied up.

6. Revenge of the Nerds (1984)

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We’ve all heard the “it was a different time” line before, but this is… disturbing. And it’s hard to believe that Seth McFarlane was pushing for a reboot in 2006. Groping and sexual assault is played for laughs, as well as a controversial rape scene which is later turned into a joke. The characters then refer to it as “rape-by-detection”.

7. Soul Man (1986)

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We’re not sure who thought this one was a good idea… Essentially, it’s about a white man who is desperate to go to law school, but he can’t afford it. So just how desperate does he get? He decides to paint his face black. The film was widely criticized when it came out- there were even protests outside cinemas.

8. Sixteen Candles (1984)

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Rape culture was strong in the 1980s. Sixteen Candles

was another one that wouldn’t ever get made today thanks to its glorification of date rape. But it doesn’t stop at misogyny. With plenty of racist and homophobic slurs, it really does push the boat out on the controversy. Molly Ringwald, who played Samantha Baker in the movie, says she now opposes what appeared in the film.

9. Tropic Thunder (2008)

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Tropic Thunder

ruffled a LOT of feathers when it first came out. Robert Downey Jr. was kitted out in blackface makeup, and Tom Cruise’s character was a Jewish stereotype. The film also attracted controversy thanks to “its depiction of the mentally handicapped”. Downey Jr. later said he had no regrets about making the movie.

10. The Love Guru (2008)

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Before we even start on the jokes, the idea of a white man playing an Indian guru of love is…questionable. But throw in crude jokes aimed at Indian people, as well as a few stereotypes and dodgy accents, and you can see exactly why this wouldn’t fly with today’s audiences. No wonder it killed Mike Myers’ career…

11. Crocodile Dundee (1986)

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There’s nothing untoward about the plot in Crocodile Dundee-

but there’s one particular scene that raised eyebrows. As Mick Dundee encounters a trans woman in a bar in New York, he learns more about her gender. For some reason, he then grabs her crotch- and does the same to another woman too. Safe to say this has NOT gone down well with modern viewers.

12. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)

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While many consider this movie a 90s classic, Jim Carrey’s character wasn’t exactly kind to Lois Einhorn, played by Sean Young. He decides to out her as transgender to the entire squad, leaving her shocked and upset. It then gets worse, as every man that she’s ever been intimate with then starts throwing up.

13. Song of the South (1946)

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This is one of the most controversial Disney movies ever made. It's been widely criticized for glorifying slavery for Black people, as it shows a strange idyllic master-slave relationship that was a far cry from reality. Disney has been aware of how controversial the film is, and has continued to erase it from its history.

14. Blazing Saddles (1974)

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This Western movie had potential. It focused on a black sheriff in an all-white town, but the racist and derogatory language used in it would never, ever be used today. The film even used the word that you just can’t say, which will shock an awful lot of viewers. It’s uncomfortable to watch, to say the least.

15. Porky's (1981)

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Low-brow humor aside, it’s pretty unlikely that Porky’s

would ever make it today. Its most famous scene is the most questionable, which features the boys using a peephole to spy on girls showering. Throw in the film’s sexist stereotyping of the female coach, (not to mention the lengths she’ll go to in order to catch the boys), and it’s probably not going to go down well with today’s audiences.

16. Life of Brian (1979)

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Comedies that focus on religion always spark controversy, and Life of Brian

was no different. Created by the infamous comedy troupe Monty Python, the film caused a LOT of global outrage when it came out in the 70s- especially because of its lighted-hearted approach to crucifixion. It’s hard to believe that studios would ever give this a green light today.

17. The Jerk (1979)

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From the get-go, The Jerk

does its best to push audiences’ buttons. Steven Martin’s character Navin R. Johnson, who is as white as they come, immediately drawls “I was born a poor black child”, which really does set the tone for the rest of the movie. The way Navin interacts with his adoptive black family skirts controversy to begin with, let alone now.

18. As Good as it Gets (1997)

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The casual racism, homophobia, and misogyny in this movie really hasn’t aged well. To give an example: Jack Nicholson’s character goes to his favorite restaurant and finds a young Jewish couple sitting at his favorite table. he says, "How much more you got to eat? Appetites aren't as big as your noses, huh?" to get them to leave so he can sit there…

19. Manhattan (1979)

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Woody Allen movies look a little different these days. After multiple sexual abuse allegations (including one made by his adoptive daughter) the writer and director’s back catalog of films have been called into question, especially Manhattan

. Allen plays the character of Isaac and his incredibly young girlfriend Tracy, who is just 17.

20. Slap Shot (1977)

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As a lot of the jokes in this movie focus on homophobia and misogyny, it’s hard to imagine a film being made like this today. Anti-gay slurs, gags about lesbians, and crude comments about Florida waitresses all take center stage- and there are a couple gags about the mentally disabled thrown in for good measure.

21. The Toy (1982)

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This might sound like something straight out of Black Mirror

, or a dystopia, but, there really was a family movie about a wealthy white man buying a black man to be his son’s toy. And it was intended to be a kitsch 80s comedy. You probably don’t need much more of an explanation on why it would never, ever be made today…

22. American Beauty (1999)

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There are a few problems with this one, even if you did recast Kevin Spacey (the man who’s been banned from Hollywood thanks to numerous allegations of sexual misconduct). The idea of a man having a mid-life crisis and lusting after his teenage daughter’s friend, and it somehow being ok (and not illegal) is pretty wild.

23. Basic Instinct (1992)

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Basic Instinct

was met with a lot of backlash in the 1990s. Sharon Stone’s most infamous movie (yes, we’re talking about THAT leg crossing scene) made it a lightning rod for controversy, even without the graphic sex, violence, and negative LGBTQ stereotypes. Still, it went on to be a major hit, but it’s doubtful it would even make it to production in today’s world.

24. Zapped! (1982)

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This strange 1980s comedy is about a horny teen boy who has telekinetic powers, and uses them to yank the clothes off of girls he doesn’t like at school. Oh, and he’s somehow also the hero of the movie. It’s another example of sexual abuse played for laughs, which seems to be a running theme in 80s teen flicks.

25. Big (1988)

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This Tom Hanks classic has won tons of fans over the years. And it can be quite a sweet film- as long as you don’t think about the VERY creepy side to the story! The tale of a pre-teen boy in a grown man’s body is all well and good, until you throw in a romantic sub-plot Susan (Elizabeth Perkins). It all gets a bit uncomfortable.

26. Heathers (1989)

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If you’re not familiar with the plot for this one, it’s basically about a disturbed teen who attempts to kill kids at his school by blowing them all up. Starring Christian Slater and Winona Ryder, it was probably a risk to make even in the 80s, but now, after so many tragic school shootings in the US, it’s hard to imagine anything like this ever being released again.

27. Bridget Jones's Diary

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What could possibly be so bad about this modern classic? Well, two decades later, the degree of sexism and harassment (not to mention the sheer number of fat jokes) that Bridget goes through is actually quite shocking. Even the author of the books, Helen Fielding, admitted that “you couldn’t write that now.”

28. I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (2007)

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This gay marriage comedy does end with a speech that declares gay people deserve equality and respect. Which is surprising, given the fact that this movie is crammed with homophobic slurs and insults from the off. You’ll also find Rob Schneider appearing in multiple scenes making fun of Indian people, which is ghastly to say the least.

29. Norbit (2007)

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2007 was a really terrible year for comedy movies. Norbit

is now known as one of the worst movies ever made in history, and it’s not too difficult to see why. It’s cringey, tacky, and the story of a dominating woman who basically abuses her husband plays out with racism and endless fat jokes. No wonder Eddie Murphy’s embarrassed.

30. American Pie (1999)

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This raunchy franchise had huge box office success, and told the story of four teen boys hoping to lose their virginity by prom night. But this kind of crass comedy wouldn’t fly today, which the cast is aware of. Actor Seann William Scott who played Stifler said: “You could never make American Pie these days. Some of the stuff in that movie, you would get arrested and probably go to jail for a long time if you did it.”