9 female-led comedies from the last decade that you might have missed

It’s a female-led week at the movies since we have two women-oriented films hitting cinemas which star two of the biggest actresses working today.

Both are comedies but take very different approaches to the genre. Tully sees Charlize Theron play a mother of three who decides to hire a night nanny, while in I Feel Pretty, Amy Schumer plays an insecure woman who after hitting her head during a spin class, sees herself as a beautiful woman.

Inspired by these and other fab female comedies of late, we decided to look at some that you might have missed over the last ten years, since the likes of Mean Girls, Clueless and Bridesmaids have probably be seen by everyone at this stage.

Bad Moms

We weren’t mad about Bad Moms ourselves but we can’t deny its obvious huge appeal to audiences, given it made $183.9 million at the box office off a $22 million budget. Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell and Kathryn Hahn (the movie’s MVP) play three moms who decide to abandon their traditional maternal ways and have some fun instead. The movie inspired last year’s sequel A Bad Moms Christmas.

Easy A

Before she was an Oscar winner, Emma Stone made her breakthrough with teen comedy Superbad and the role earned her the lead part in Easy A. The low budget flick went fairly under the radar when it was released but has gained prominence in recent years as Stone’s star status rose. It’s a great laugh if you haven’t seen it yet.

The Edge of Seventeen

Another teen pic, The Edge of Seventeen stars Hailee Steinfeld, who fans of the Pitch Perfect series will recognise, as a high school student whose best friend starts to date her brother (played by Everybody Wants Some’s Blake Jenner). The most enjoyable aspect of the movie is the antsy teen’s one-on-ones with her unsympathetic teacher, played brilliantly by Woody Harrelson.

Frances Ha

If you loved Ladybird, you'll want to check out this black-and-white dramedy. Greta Gerwig, who wrote and directed the Saoirse Ronan flick, stars in and co-wrote this film in which she plays an aspiring dancer who wanders through life aimlessly in a way many twenty something year olds can relate to very readily.

Girls Trip

The breakout comedy of last year starring Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith and Tiffany Haddish is definitely worth a watch, even for Haddish’s performance alone. It’s the best girls gross out comedy since Bridesmaids and made an impressive $140.1 million at the box office from a $19 million net budget.

In a World…

Ever wonder about the people behind the voices that provide voiceover narration for movie trailers, the opening typically beginning ‘in a world where/when…’? Well, wonder no more. Lake Bell directed, wrote and plays the lead, a vocal coach struggling to emerge from her father’s shadow. In spite of great reviews and awards, it didn’t get a wide release. However it’s well-worth seeking out.

Sisters

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are a fab comic duo. They previously had supporting roles in Mean Girls and starred opposite one another in Baby Mama. In Sisters, they play, well, sisters, who decide to relive their heyday as party-going teens by throwing a final all-out free gaff at their parents’ house before they move out. John Cena has a gas supporting role.

Trainwreck

Amy Schumer’s breakout movie was directed by none other than Judd Apatow, the man behind such comedy classics as The 4o Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up. Schumer plays a hard-drinking, free-spirited young magazine writer who falls for a doctor played by Bill Hader. John Cena has another great supporting turn here so it’s no wonder we’re seeing him play the lead in comedies like Blockers now.

Waitress

This touching indie comedy will definitely appeal to the foodie in you. It tells the story of a woman trapped in a loveless marriage and unhappy job who after becoming pregnant, becomes embroiled in a tricky romantic relationship with her handsome, married gynaecologist. The rom com was adapted into a musical a few years back.