Netflix's new Amy Schumer comedy, "Kinda Pregnant" only just arrived, but it's already become the streamer's most popular movie.
At the time of writing, "Kinda Pregnant" is Netflix's No. 1 movie, mere days after debuting on the platform on February 5.
This is in spite of the fact that plenty of viewers just don't think "Kinda Pregnant" is worth watching. The movie currently holds an unenviable 22% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the majority of critics blasting it for being "unfunny", "shallow" and "cringeworthy"
The viewer score is barely higher (27%) and, after giving it a go myself, I'd have to agree with the consensus: "Kinda Pregnant" just isn't funny. To be honest, after sitting through this stale effort, I consider this movie a top contender for one of the worst films I've seen so far this year.
However, seeing as there's clearly an appetite for this kind of comedy, I've looked through the Netflix library and highlighted a handful of recent R-rated comedies that I think are much more deserving of your time than what the streaming service has just served up.
'Anyone But You' (2023)
Will Gluck's "Anyone But You" reimagines Shakespeare's classic comedy "Much Ado About Nothing" for the modern era. Here, we meet Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell), who immediately hit it off after a chance meeting at a coffee shop.
A misunderstanding leaves them on thoroughly bad terms, which is why it's a nightmare when they cross paths again at a wedding. But when their exes both show up as guests and the other attendees start scheming to get our two stars back together, Bea and Ben begin fake-dating to make their respective exes jealous.
Our two leads and their on-screen chemistry are the big draw here, but "Anyone But You" is a light, breezy and raunchy rom-com that I really enjoyed. Be warned, though; you might never be able to get "Unwritten" out of your head ever again.
Watch on Netflix now
'Hit Man' (2024)
Richard Linklater's "Hit Man" was a reminder that Netflix movies can be worth watching. And hey, I'm not the only member of the TG team that loved it, either: U.K. Entertainment Editor Rory Mellon lauded "Hit Man" as 'Netflix's best original movie in ages' when it dropped last summer.
This comedic thriller sees Glen Powell (again) starring as Gary Johnson, a mild-mannered teacher with a secret side gig: he moonlights as a long string of fake hitmen, in order to help the New Orleans PD bring in the people looking for real killers-for-hire. When he falls for a would-be customer (Adria Arjona), things soon get a lot more complicated.
It's a movie that reaffirms Powell's movie-star credentials, both because of his many committed performances. Plus, there's sizzling romance and genuine stakes as the movie's twisting plot unfolds; it's head and shoulders above many of Netflix's weaker efforts, including "Kinda Pregnant.".
Watch on Netflix now
'No Hard Feelings' (2023)
Jennifer Lawrence might be best known for fronting "The Hunger Games", but if you've never seen her fully flex her comedic chops in this 2023 raunchy comedy, you're in for a good time.
Gene Stupnitsky's off-beat rom-com introduces us to down-on-her-luck 30-something, Maddie (Lawrence). On the cusp of losing her family home, she stumbles onto a very lucrative but off-beat job offer: a pair of wealthy parents are looking for someone to date their timid, introverted son, Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman) before he heads off for college.
Alas, Maddie soon finds that getting the repressed Percy on side is a much bigger challenge than she anticipated. Even if some of the laughs don't land, the whole movie's essentially a ridiculous string of increasingly outlandish situations. It's light, loud, and occasionally crude entertainment that makes the most of Lawrence's comic timing.
Watch on Netflix now
