The 35 Best Family Comedies to Watch with Kids (2024)

• Cast: Jack Black, Mike White, Joan Cusack and Miranda Cosgrove
• Rating: PG-13
• Run time: 109 minutes

A guitarist goes to extreme measures after he gets kicked out of his band. In an attempt to find work, he poses as a substitute teacher at a private elementary school, where he secretly transforms his class into an all-out rock band.

• Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell and Samuel L. Jackson
• Rating: PG
• Run time: 115 minutes

The film follows Mr. Incredible and his wife, Elastigirl, as they introduce their three children to their alter egos.

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• Cast: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney and Annie Potts
• Rating: G
• Run time: 84 minutes

The story follows Woody, Buzz and the rest of the toy box crew as they endure day-to-day obstacles—like new arrivals and Andy’s evil neighbor, Sid.

• Cast: Gene Wilder, Peter Ostrum, Julie Dawn Cole and Paris Themmen
• Rating: G
• Run time: 99 minutes

A young boy named Charlie Bucket obtains one of five highly coveted Golden Tickets, landing him an invitation to Willy Wonka’s candy factory. Inside, he discovers the chocolatier has created a magical world of his own—and he wants Charlie to join him.

• Cast: Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad and Jennifer Lee
• Rating: PG
• Run time: 106 minutes

When Snow Queen Elsa’s icy spell traps the kingdom in a never-ending winter, her sister, Anna, teams up with iceman Kristoff to break the curse once and for all. (The soundtrack will be stuck in your head after one viewing. You’ve been warned.)

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• Cast: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow and Cody Cameron
• Rating: PG
• Run time: 90 minutes

An ogre named Shrek’s isolated lifestyle is turned upside down thanks to Lord Farquaad. When Shrek cuts a deal with the dictator, he’s tasked with rescuing Princess Fiona, who—as it turns out—is hiding a deep, dark secret.

• Cast: Robin Williams, Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan, Mara Wilson and Matthew Lawrence
• Rating: PG
• Run time: 120 minutes

When Daniel Hillard’s wife divorces him, he comes up with an elaborate plan to see his kids more than their custody agreement allows. This includes dressing up as an older British woman and becoming the children’s nanny.

• Cast: Dick Van Dyke, Julie Andrews, Karen Dotrice, Matthew Garber and David Tomlinson
• Rating: G
• Run time: 139 minutes

While the Banks children aren’t thrilled about a nanny at first, that all changes when they meet Mary Poppins and embark on a musical adventure that is (almost) too unbelievable for words.

• Cast: John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Didi Conn, Stockard Channing and Jeff Conaway
• Rating: PG
• Run time: 110 minutes

Perhaps it's not the first movie that comes to mind when you think of the best family comedies, but it's got memorable characters and a lively tone to boost everyone's mood. In the movie, after a steamy summer fling, Sandy attends a new school as an exchange student only to discover that her former lover, Danny, is the big man on campus—and not in a good way.

• Cast: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal and Benjamin Bratt
• Rating: PG
• Run time: 104 minutes

Young Miguel embarks on a wild journey in the Land of the Dead while pursuing his dream of becoming a musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz.

• Cast: Tom Guiry, Mike Vitar, Patrick Renna and Chauncey Leopardi
• Rating: PG
• Run time: 101 minutes

A young boy named Scottie Smalls moves to a new neighborhood with his mom and stepdad. When he becomes friends with a group of boys who play baseball in a sandlot (get it?), he quickly learns the price of impressing your friends. “You’re killing me, Smalls!”

• Cast: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Thomas F. Wilson and Crispin Glover
• Rating: PG
• Run time: 116 minutes

Marty McFly is unexpectedly sent on a time-traveling mission after his crazy eccentric scientist friend, Doc Brown, enlists him for an experiment. Together, they must ensure everything stays the same, or it will change the future indefinitely.

• Cast: Steve Carell, Jason Segel and Elsie Fisher
• Rating: PG
• Run time: 94 minutes

Gru is a supervillain who devises a master plan to steal the moon. However, everything changes when three orphan girls suddenly want him as their dad.

• Cast: Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres and Alexander Gould
• Rating: G
• Run time: 100 minutes

A young fish is taken by a group of divers. His dad embarks on the journey of a lifetime to find him. Along the way, he meets a fish named Dory, who is far from helpful due to an unfortunate case of short-term memory loss.

• Cast: Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman and Dante Basco
• Rating: PG
• Run time: 141 minutes

Peter Pan has officially grown up and put his Lost Boys days behind him. That is, until Hook captures his children, forcing him to return to Neverland as an adult. The whimsical tale will remind you why you fell in love with the classic story in the first place.

• Cast: Tim Allen, Judge Reinhold and Wendy Crewson
• Rating: PG
• Run time: 97 minutes

When Santa falls off the roof, Scott Calvin is forced to take over the role, whether he likes it or not. Will his son, Charlie, be able to keep his secret?

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• Cast: John Goodman, Billy Crystal and James Coburn
• Rating: G
• Run time: 92 minutes

When a young girl accidentally enters Monsters Incorporated (a renowned scare factory), two monsters go above and beyond to ensure she’s returned safely.

• Cast: Mara Wilson, Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman
• Rating: PG
• Run time: 98 minutes

Based on the namesake story by Roald Dahl, the movie follows Matilda as she realizes she has telekinetic powers. She uses her skills to defend herself from her family and the evil principal, Miss Trunchbull.

• Cast: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith and Richard Kind
• Rating: PG
• Run time: 95 minutes

A young girl’s world is turned upside down when her family moves across the country. The catch? The story is told from the perspective of her emotions, who are animated beings.

• Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson and Selma Blair
• Rating: PG-13
• Run time: 96 minutes

Elle Woods is blindsided when her boyfriend, Warner, dumps her before heading to law school. She transforms herself into an ideal student and joins Warner as a classmate at Harvard Law.

• Cast: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett and Lainie Kazan
• Rating: PG
• Run time: 95 minutes

Nia can’t seem to find “the one.” However, when she meets the perfect man, her parents can’t seem to get over his one flaw: He’s not Greek.

• Cast: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Catherine O’Hara and John Heard
• Rating: PG
• Run time: 103 minutes

When the McCallisters accidentally leave their 8-year-old son, Kevin, at home, he takes advantage of their absence. However, things take an interesting turn when two con men try to break in, forcing Kevin to do whatever it takes to protect the family home.

• Cast: Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Ronnie del Carmen, Catherine O'Hara
• Rating: PG
• Run time: 109 minutes

Set in a city whereanthropomorphicelements of nature—including fire, water, land and air—live together, Elemental revolves around fire element Ember and water element Wade. When the latter is tasked with fixing a water pipe at Ember's father's store, the unlikely pair fall in love.

• Cast: Jennifer Garner, Édgar Ramírez, and Jenna Ortega
• Rating: PG
• Run time: 103 minutes

Two parents take the advice of a school guidance counselor and decide to give their kids a Yes Day, where for 24 hours, they have to say "yes" to all of their kids' requests. What ensues is a wild day packed with plenty of adventures.

• Cast: Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt, Hilary Duff, Tom Welling
• Rating: PG
• Run time: 99 minutes

When his wife, Kate, lands a successful book deal and has to travel to promote it, Tom Baker, a father of 12, is in for his biggest challenge yet: balancing his parenting duties with his dream job. Chaos ensues as he struggles to keep the house in order. (Pssst, if you enjoy this, you'll also love Cheaper by the Dozen 2.)

• Cast: Auli'i Cravalho, Don Hall, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House
• Rating: PG
• Run time: 107 minutes

Inspired by Polynesian myths, this fun adventure follows Moana, a brave young girl who's called by the ocean to rescue her village when ablightstrikes her island. The task? To journey across the Pacific and secure a powerful relic that was stolen by the demigod, Maui. NBD.

• Cast: Stephen Chbosky, Jacob Tremblay, Owen Wilson
• Rating: PG
• Run time: 113 minutes

Wonder tells the story of August Pullman, a 10-year-old boy with craniofacial abnormalities. When he enters the fifth grade and starts public school for the first time, Auggie encourages his peers to look beyond his appearance and tries to form new friendships. The film's positive messages about empathy and kindness will resonate with adults and kids alike.

• Cast: Daryl Sabara, Antonio Banderas, Alexa PenaVega, Carla Gugino
• Rating: PG
• Run time: 87 minutes

Retired secret agents Gregorio and Ingrid are summoned to take on a dangerous new enemy when their spy friends start to disappear. When they also vanish, their inexperienced children, Carmen and Juni, must step up and rescue them.

• Cast: Mckenna Grace, Viola Davis, Jim Gaffigan
• Rating: PG
• Run time: 98 minutes

Set in 1977, this comedy-drama tells the story of Christmas Flint, a spunky young outcast who enlists the help of her Birdie Scout group to achieve her biggest dream: getting recorded on NASA's Golden Record. Expect standout performances by Grace and Davis.

• Cast:Jamie Foxx, Quvenzhané Wallis, Rose Byrne
• Rating: PG
• Run time:118 minutes

After escaping the clutches of her awful foster mother, young Annie gets taken in by an ambitious billionaire who's running for mayor. We've seen multiple versions of this popular rags-to-riches tale, but this remake stands out, thanks to the catchy tunes and stunning performances.

• Cast:Pascal Lamorisse, Sabine Lamorisse, Georges Sellier
• Rating: TV-G
• Run time:34 minutes

The classic French film centers on a young child named Pascal,who embarks on an adventurein Paris with a redballoon that has a mind of its own.

• Cast:James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy, Jim Broadbent
• Rating: G
• Run time:97 minutes

When Santa Claus fails to deliver a little girl's present on Christmas Eve, his son Arthur is determined to save the day. With the help of his grandfather and a young elf, heraces to drop off her present in time for Christmas.

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