15 Most Underrated Comedy Movies of the 1980s, Ranked

Here's a list of often underappreciated, but nonetheless entertaining, comedy movies, filled with the unique and often absurd humor of the 80s.

15. Get Crazy (1983)

Welcome to the world of the Saturn Theater and its wild New Year's Eve concert, where the goal is to save the theater from an evil businessman. It's a madcap race against time with an ensemble of zany characters: an aging rock star, a paranoid electrician, an idealistic promoter, and a pill-popping diva. Each act brings its own brand of chaos, including a literal electric performance and a stage dive that goes hilariously wrong. Amidst the chaos, there's a romance rekindling and an epic climax concert.

14. My Science Project (1985)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 11%

High school senior Michael stumbles upon a weird glowing gizmo in a military junkyard for his science project. Little does he know, it's an alien engine capable of warping time and space. Cue historical figures and dinosaurs popping up in the school halls as the device goes haywire during the science fair. Michael, along with his girlfriend, a science geek, and a bully-turned-ally, must wrestle history back into the textbooks.

13. The Heavenly Kid (1985)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 30%

Bobby Fantana, a rebellious teen from the 60s, dies in a car race and finds himself in limbo. To earn his wings, he's sent back to Earth to help nerdy Lenny, a kid who's a lot like Bobby was. It's a humorous and heartwarming tale as Bobby, the leather-jacketed guardian angel, teaches Lenny how to stand up for himself. From dating advice to dealing with bullies, Bobby guides Lenny, and in the process, learns a few lessons himself.

12. The Great Outdoors (1988)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 40%

Chicago man Chet Ripley takes his family on a peaceful vacation in the woods, only for it to be crashed by his obnoxious brother-in-law, Roman, and his family. What follows is a comedy of errors in the great outdoors, from bear attacks (featuring a bald bear) to water skiing disasters. The tension between Chet and Roman escalates hilariously, involving a bat attack and a ruined fishing trip. But when Roman's financial troubles surface, the film takes a warm turn as Chet helps out.

11. Teen Wolf (1985)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 42%

Scott Howard is your average high schooler until he discovers a wild family secret – he's a werewolf! His newfound powers turn him into a basketball superstar and the most popular kid in school, but not without its hairy situations. From surfing on vans to awkward furry transformations at inopportune times, Scott's life becomes a rollercoaster of teenage angst and werewolf shenanigans.

10. Johnny Dangerously (1984)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 44%

Johnny Kelly turns to a life of crime, becoming the infamous gangster Johnny Dangerously to pay for his mom's medical bills (aww). His life's a carousel of wacky mobster antics, featuring a rival gang led by the hilariously inept Danny Vermin and a DA brother who's clueless about Johnny's double life. The plot thickens with prison escapes, vendettas, and a parrot that's a better mobster than most humans.

9. The Man with One Red Shoe (1985)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 47%

Poor Richard Drew, a clueless violinist, unwittingly becomes the target of CIA surveillance due to a case of mistaken identity – all because he wore one red shoe! He's completely oblivious as two rival CIA factions trail him, turning his life upside down. There's bugging, bizarre followings, and a series of misunderstandings, all while Richard remains cheerfully unaware.

8. The 'Burbs (1989)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 55%

In the cookie-cutter suburbs, Ray Peterson's vacation turns into a suburban spy mission when he suspects his new, reclusive neighbors, the Klopeks, are murderers. Joined by a troop of nosy, eccentric neighbors, Ray dives into a hilarious investigation filled with snooping, digging up yards, and paranoid theories. Things escalate when they actually find a bone in the Klopek's yard.

7. Summer School (1987)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 57%

Freddy Shoop, the laid-back gym teacher, gets roped into teaching a remedial English class during summer. The students? A motley crew of teenage misfits, including a surfer dude, a pregnant girl, and a horror movie fanatic. Shoop's unconventional teaching methods, like taking the class to an amusement park, are both hilarious and heartwarming. There's puppy love, a major makeover, and a classroom horror scene that's more funny than scary.

6. Just One of the Guys (1985)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 57%

Terry Griffith is a high school journalist who misses out on a coveted internship because of her gender. In a bold move, she enrolls in a rival school as a boy, "Terry the Guy", to prove her point. What follows is a hilarious exploration of high school life from both sides of the gender divide. Terry, as a "guy", gains new insights, forms a unique bond with nerdy Rick, and even deals with a bully.

5. Real Genius (1985)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 77%

Welcome to the world of genius teen Chris Knight and his fresh-faced protégé Mitch, navigating the brainy battlefield of Pacific Tech University. They're roped into developing a high-powered laser for what they think is a class project – only it's actually for a shady government operation. The duo, along with a gang of misfit geniuses and a mysterious genius hermit living in their dorm's steam tunnels, scheme to sabotage the operation. Their weapon of choice? A house full of popcorn and laser hijinks.

4. Used Cars (1980)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 77%

Rudy Russo, a fast-talking used car salesman, dreams of political glory. But first, he needs cash – lots of it. When his boss kicks the bucket, Rudy and his wacky coworkers go to absurd lengths to keep it a secret, battling the boss's evil twin brother who wants to take over the lot. Cue crazy stunts like a live commercial featuring a car jumping over a record number of vehicles and a dog trained to play dead. It's a raucous ride of deceit, slapstick, and some of the dodgiest car sales tactics ever.

3. Innerspace (1987)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 82%

Imagine a cocky pilot, Tuck, miniaturized in a submersible pod, accidentally injected into a hypochondriac grocery store clerk, Jack. That's Innerspace in a nutshell. Tuck navigates Jack's body, trying to communicate with his unwitting host through a device in Jack's eye. They form a bizarre but dynamic duo, dealing with Tuck's jealous girlfriend, industrial spies, and the pesky matter of getting Tuck out before he runs out of air. There's a wild chase involving syringes, a mall brawl, and a romantic subplot that gets quite literally under the skin.

2. The Flamingo Kid (1984)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 85%

Jeffrey Willis, a Brooklyn teenager, lands a summer job at the posh El Flamingo Beach Club. He's mesmerized by the glitzy world and especially by Phil Brody, a charismatic car dealer. In a hilarious and sometimes poignant coming-of-age story, there's a high-stakes gin rummy game, a love interest in the form of the club owner's daughter, and Jeffrey learning some hard truths about his idol, Brody.

1. Night Shift (1982)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

Chuck and Bill, two night shift attendants at a morgue, turn their workplace into a brothel after Bill's entrepreneurial idea strikes. What starts as a wacky venture quickly escalates into a full-blown, albeit quirky, business operation. There are laughs aplenty as the duo navigates their new roles as "love brokers", dealing with a motley crew of ladies of the night, nosy neighbors, and keeping the cops at bay.