5 Best Buddy Cop Comedies to Binge on Saturday Night

Saturday nights are perfect for settling in with movies that defy expectations. After the release of so many movies blending action, laughs, and the absurd realities of police work, it's clear that cop comedies are top choices for guilty pleasures.

The timeless appeal of mismatched partners solving crimes is the number one reason to watch these movies over and over again. Buddy cop comedies deliver that formula, combining high-stakes police work with chemistry-driven humor that keeps audiences entertained from start to finish.

These five films are the cream of the crop for your next weekend movie marathon.

1. ‘Men in Black’ (1997)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Men in Black has 91% from critics and 80% from viewers.
• On IMDb, Men in Black has 7.3/10.

Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones created comedy gold in this sci-fi buddy cop adventure that redefined the genre. Smith's wisecracking rookie Agent J perfectly complements Jones's deadpan veteran Agent K as they police alien activity on Earth.

Men in Black’s genius lies in its ability to blend otherworldly scenarios with classic buddy cop dynamics, creating unforgettable moments like the car chase through Manhattan and the iconic neuralyzer scenes.

2. ‘The Nice Guys’ (2016)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, The Nice Guys has 91% from critics and 79% from viewers.
• On IMDb, The Nice Guys has 7.4/10.

Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe deliver career-best comedic performances in Shane Black's 1970s-set detective story. Gosling's bumbling private investigator Holland March teams up with tough enforcer Jackson Healy, played by Crowe, to solve a conspiracy involving a missing girl and the adult film industry.

Gosling's physical comedy in The Nice Guys, particularly in the scenes with his arm in a cast, paired with Russell Crowe's grumpy, reluctant partnership, creates a dynamic that feels both fresh and nostalgic. The film captures the essence of classic noir while also maintaining a modern perspective, proving that buddy cop comedies can be hilarious and intriguing mysteries.

3. ‘Hot Fuzz’ (2007)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Hot Fuzz has 91% from critics and 89% from viewers.
• On IMDb, Hot Fuzz has 7.8/10.

Edgar Wright's loving parody of action movies disguised as a buddy cop comedy turns a sleepy English village into an action movie battleground. Simon Pegg's by-the-book London officer Nicholas Angel gets partnered with Nick Frost's well-meaning but incompetent Danny Butterman in the seemingly peaceful town of Sandford.

Hot Fuzz builds slowly, establishing character relationships and small-town quirks before exploding into an action-packed finale that rivals any summer blockbuster. And Wright's attention to detail makes the movie worthy of constant rewatches.

4. ‘21 Jump Street’ (2012)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, 21 Jump Street has 85% from critics and 83% from viewers.
• On IMDb, 21 Jump Street has 7.2/10.

Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum surprised audiences by taking a forgotten 1980s TV series and creating one of the funniest comedies. Hill's anxious Schmidt and Tatum's confident Jenko go undercover as high school students, but their old social dynamics get flipped when they discover how much teenage culture has changed.

21 Jump Street works because it subverts expectations at every turn, and the chemistry between Hill and Tatum feels authentic, built on genuine friendship rather than manufactured conflict.

5. ‘The Heat’ (2013)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, The Heat has 65% from critics and 71% from viewers.
• On IMDb, The Heat has 6.6/10.

Here’s a female duo at the center of attention, for a change! Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy definitely prove that buddy cop comedies work just as well with female leads.

In The Heat, Bullock's uptight FBI agent Sarah Ashburn clashes with the unconventional detective Shannon Mullins, played by McCarthy, as they track down a drug lord. The film succeeds by allowing both characters to be competent at their jobs while being incompatible as partners, at least initially.