# Recommend me some dark comedies and psychological thrillers. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 30, 2010, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-dark-comedies-and-psychological-thrillers/537918 "2010-04-30T22:57:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diamonds02](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Diamonds02](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diamonds02)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-dark-comedies-and-psychological-thrillers/537918/1 "2010-04-30T22:57:55Z")
I’m looking for new movies to watch, and those two genres tend to be my favorite. Also, movies where the main character has committed a major crime, but that can be any genre. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2010, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-dark-comedies-and-psychological-thrillers/537918/2 "2010-04-30T23:18:16Z")
_Very Bad Things_ _The Matador_ ---
**Author:** ![Crawlspace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Crawlspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crawlspace)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-dark-comedies-and-psychological-thrillers/537918/3 "2010-05-01T00:47:46Z")
_In Bruges_ not only fits the bill (dark comedy about a guy who commits a major crime), but was one of the best movies I’ve seen in a while. _Frailty_ was a pretty good psychological thriller. And I’ll throw in _Quick Change_, where Bill Murray plays a clown who robs a bank. It wasn’t particularly dark though. ---
**Author:** ![gladtobeblazed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@gladtobeblazed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gladtobeblazed)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-dark-comedies-and-psychological-thrillers/537918/4 "2010-05-01T00:59:06Z")
Dark comedy: _A Serious Man Citizen Ruth Happiness_ Thriller: _Lost Highway_ _The Machinist_ (I didn’t care for it, but my friends liked it and it is well done) _Memento_ _Caché_ ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-dark-comedies-and-psychological-thrillers/537918/5 "2010-05-01T01:36:36Z")
I just watched _World’s Greatest Dad_ a couple of weeks ago. I thought it was hilarious, and wouldn’t have rented it but figured no loss if I used Watch Instantly on Netflix. But it turned out to be something I would not have regretted renting. It’s pretty darn dark, and I think Robin Williams was perfectly cast. He does that stuff well, much to the disappointment of people who see his name on the bill and think they’re going to get Mork. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-dark-comedies-and-psychological-thrillers/537918/6 "2010-05-01T03:24:13Z")
Run away from Happiness (no offense or anything, but that was NOT a good movie. ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f08c70/32.png) [@Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Brother_Walker)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-dark-comedies-and-psychological-thrillers/537918/7 "2010-05-01T14:51:43Z")
I came here to mention _Frailty._ A day late and a dollar short I guess. But it’s still a great movie. I’ve seen it four times and still catch little hints to the ending. I guess if I laid off the sauce I might understand it a bit more. (hic). I’ll go with \*Eating Raoul. \*There’s an early role for Robert Beltran (Chakotay from ST: Voyager) and it’s just funny as all get out. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-dark-comedies-and-psychological-thrillers/537918/8 "2010-05-01T14:58:15Z")
**Living in Oblivion** is a pretty cynical comedy–not really dark as in deaths and horrors, but sharp nonetheless. Also it has the best dwarf dream sequence ever. **Highway 61** is a little-known movie about the Devil and a jazz musician. The musician isn’t all that interesting, but the Devil is a real scene-stealer. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-dark-comedies-and-psychological-thrillers/537918/9 "2010-05-01T15:08:52Z")
_Death to Smoochy_ ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-dark-comedies-and-psychological-thrillers/537918/10 "2010-05-01T15:17:02Z")
> [@Diamonds02](#): > > Also, movies where the main character has committed a major crime, but that can be any genre. _Kind Hearts and Coronets_, hands down. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-dark-comedies-and-psychological-thrillers/537918/11 "2010-05-01T15:50:21Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > _Kind Hearts and Coronets_, hands down. I’ll see yours and raise you with _Arsenic and Old Lace_. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-dark-comedies-and-psychological-thrillers/537918/12 "2010-05-01T16:12:22Z")
> [@detop](#): > > I’ll see yours and raise you with _Arsenic and Old Lace_. Yeah, but the main chracter doesn’t really commit a crime in that one. And he rather shamelessly overacts, to boot. ---
**Author:** ![pinkyvee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6de8d8/32.png) [@pinkyvee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkyvee)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-dark-comedies-and-psychological-thrillers/537918/13 "2010-05-01T16:36:11Z")
> [@](#): > > Eating Raoul. I loved this movie. Dark humor. A little cheesy. It’s all good. ---
**Author:** ![In\_Winnipeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a8b319/32.png) [@In\_Winnipeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Winnipeg)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-dark-comedies-and-psychological-thrillers/537918/14 "2010-05-01T17:19:18Z")
For dark comedy, I’d go with _Sean of the Dead_. From _Dusk Till Dawn_ isn’t supposed to be a comedy (or is it?), but it’s damn funny. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-dark-comedies-and-psychological-thrillers/537918/15 "2010-05-01T17:23:21Z")
Can’t believe no one has suggested _The Cable Guy_ yet. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-dark-comedies-and-psychological-thrillers/537918/16 "2010-05-01T17:24:43Z")
Black Comedy: _After Hours_ (1985, U.S., dir. Martin Scorsese) _Dr. Strangelove_ (1964, U.K., dir. Stanley Kubrick) “Psychological thriller” is a hopelessly vague term. Here’s some that might be what you want. I really don’t know what kind of films you’re asking about: _Blood Simple_ (1985, U.S., dir. Joel Coen) _House of Games_ (1987, U.S., dir. David Mamet) _Play Misty for Me_ (1971, U.S., dir. Clint Eastwood) ---
**Author:** ![pinkyvee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6de8d8/32.png) [@pinkyvee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkyvee)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-dark-comedies-and-psychological-thrillers/537918/17 "2010-05-01T17:55:10Z")
> [@Diamonds02](#): > > I’m looking for new movies to watch, and those two genres tend to be my favorite. > > Also, movies where the main character has committed a major crime, but that can be any genre. Zombieland Dark. Funny. Accidental-on-purpose killing. Hateful clown. Murder-by-piano. Celebrity cameo. Woody Harrelson kicking ass. Loud hard rockin’ soundtrack. Twinkies. . . . . PERFECTION !! ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-dark-comedies-and-psychological-thrillers/537918/18 "2010-05-01T20:24:05Z")
Only watch **Happiness** if you like movies that can be described as “dark comedies” by some viewers and “the most heinously nauseating, soul-crushing, oh dear God why did I watch that WHYYYYYYY” by others. ---
**Author:** ![gladtobeblazed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@gladtobeblazed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gladtobeblazed)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-dark-comedies-and-psychological-thrillers/537918/19 "2010-05-01T20:53:56Z")
_Happiness_ is one of the bleakest, repulsive and yet downright hilarious films I’ve ever seen. It’s a masterpiece of dark comedy, in my opinion it’s a near perfect example of the genre. It is a polarizing film, however, I don’t doubt that. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-dark-comedies-and-psychological-thrillers/537918/20 "2010-05-01T21:31:16Z")
How to be a Serial Killer is pretty decent. Kind of a Mockumentary and buddy flick, I think I found it particularly funny as it stars Matt Gruber of Criminal Minds as the apprentice of a serial killer. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-some-dark-comedies-and-psychological-thrillers/537918.md?page=2)