If you read this title and didn’t hear “alright, alright, alright” in your head, we have to get you into more Matthew McConaughey comedy movies. Along with his signature phrase, McConaughey has launched one of the most diverse acting careers to date. His roles in films, whether lead or supporting, have taken on many shapes. From his silly, lighthearted comedy to his tear-jerking dramas, McConaughey has proven he can nail almost any role. Many often box him into the”rom-com genre, as he has strongly proven himself in roles like Failure to Launch and The Wedding Planner, but there’s no denying he hits hard in his drama/crime based roles as well, such as Dallas Buyers Club and Interstellar.
McConaughey has simmered down in the acting department, with no new roles to speak of in 2022. He was set to begin filming his role of coach Bill Kinder in Dallas Sting in the upcoming weeks, but Skydance and its producers received concerning allegations around the true story the film was based on, and the production was canceled. The story was based on a 1984 Dallas girls soccer team competing against the best girl soccer teams during a competition in China. McConaughey was set to play the coach who leads them to victory for a championship win. Although we won’t be seeing any new Matthew McConaughey movies in the near future, we can take a peek at his best comedy movies to fill the void.
6/6 Failure to Launch (2006)
In Failure to Launch, McConaughey plays Tripp, a 35-year-old man with everything: he has a cool car, a unique job, a wonderful house, and a love of sailing. Except, he actually lives with his parents, and they want him out. They formulate a plan to hire the beautiful Paula (Sarah Jessica Parker), an interventionist who has a plan on how she will push him out of the nest and get him to assume responsibility in his life. To be frank, this film didn’t settle well with viewers. Scoring a poor 23% on Rotten Tomatoes and garnering some mixed reviews overall, this mid-2000s rom-com fell flat for McConaughey. But there are some adoring fans who admire the somewhat strange storyline and the meet-cute that the film provides.
5/6 Fool’s Gold (2008)
Fool’s Gold has almost all the elements a movie could possess: action, love, comedy, thrills, and adventure. In this film, we follow Benjamin Finnegan (McConaughey), a deep-sea treasure hunter who is certain he’s about to make a big find on an island near Key West. The only problem is, the island is owned by a rap star Benjamin is in debt to — and the rap star has a tendency to dabble in murder. He enlists the help of his long-time diving partner and ex-wife Tess (Kate Hudson), and her boss, the multimillionaire yacht owner Nigel Honeycutt. With their strange situation in hand, they set off to find the Spanish treasure and avoid the rap star and his thugs. McConaughey and Hudson always make a great pairing in any film with their electric chemistry and quick wit. Even with great chemistry, Hudson admits some kissing scenes “are not that fun to shoot” (via Independent), including the seawater scene in this movie. While some feel this movie is a “bit overdone.” the majority of watchers enjoyed the film for its comedy, its interesting storyline and great acting.
4/6 Dazed and Confused (1993)
Dazed and Confused was McConaughey’s first film, and we’ve gotta give it to him: it was a pretty good debut. In the film, it’s the last day at a high school in 1976 and there’s nothing but chaos. Upper classmen are hazing incoming freshmen, and everyone is trying to get drunk, laid, and/or stoned, even those who said they never would, and, of course, even Wooderson (McConaughey). Yes, the movie is silly, at times pointless, and overall chaotic, but it’s well-loved and creates genuine laughter and some surprising moments throughout. In fact, the film was so popular, they had a reunion for it recently.
3/6 Ghosts of Girlfriend’s Past (2009)
Ghosts of Girlfriend’s Past feels like that movie we’ve all seen somehow. But, if you haven’t, the story follows Connor Mead (McConaughey), a successful fashion photographer who lives for casual sex with no feelings involved. When he attends his little brother’s wedding, he is haunted by all of his girlfriends: past, present, and future, including Jenny (Jennifer Garner). This film is McConaughey in his rom-com prime: he’s charming, he is arrogant, and he probably has a few lessons to learn along the way. This movie is funny, it has heart, it’s light, and it’s so Matthew McConaughey. The movie is so well-liked, some speculate it qualifies in as one of the best ghost movies.
2/6 Sing 2 (2021)
Sing was a big hit, but Sing 2 shined in a way the original could only dream of. When it launched in 2021, it was one of the few movies to ever spend over 60 days on Netflix’s Top 10 list (per Forbes). For those of you who haven’t watched this masterpiece, it follows the story of Buster Moon (voiced by McConaughey), a theater owner who is rejected by a talent scout. Driven to prove her wrong, Buster and his actors end up at a talent show and impress Jimmy Crystal with their improv. Desperate to get his attention further, they lie and say they know the recluse Clay Calloway. Faced with his lies, Buster must find Clay Calloway, convince him to play in his show, and produce an entire show with little to no ideas. This movie is everything you could want it to be, and McConaughey plays a wonderful Buster. He’s diverse, he’s slightly arrogant, he wings everything, but he has a great heart and even better friends.
1/6 How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)
This is arguably the best Matthew McConaughey rom-com to ever exist. In How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, we meet Benjamin Barry (McConaughey), an advertising executive competing with two other co-workers for a major campaign. In an effort to overthrow the others, Benjamin makes a deal with them: the account is his if he can make a woman of their choice fall in love with him in ten days. The woman that’s chosen, Andie (Kate Hudson), is actually writing a story on how to lose a guy in ten days. With hidden motives on each side, which one will win? Another McConaughey and Hudson duo, this movie has a ton of banter, hilarious moments, a great storyline, and a large fan base.