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Released in 2011, Hall Pass is a Farrelly Brothers comedy movie that shows all the hallmarks of the brothers’ writing and directing. It stars Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis as two guys whose wives give them the freedom to do whatever they want for a week (the titular “hall pass”). Naturally, things don’t work out quite as the two guys imagine, leading to some hilarious situations. If you’re a fan of Hall Pass and you’d like to find some movies similar to it, we’re here to help. Here are 12 movies like Hall Pass to watch if you’re hankering for more frat-style comedies.
1. Dumb and Dumber (dir. Farrelly Brothers, 1994)
The Farrelly Brothers’ first movie is also arguably their best. Dumb and Dumber spawned a whole host of quotable lines, and along with The Mask and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, it catapulted Jim Carrey into the limelight as well. Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne are two slackers who set out on a road trip to return a briefcase full of cash to its owner. As you can probably imagine, given that this is a Farrelly movie, hilarity ensues.
2. Knocked Up (dir. Judd Apatow, 2007)
Judd Apatow’s work is somewhat similar to the oeuvre of the Farrelly Brothers, so if you like their style, you’ll almost certainly find something to enjoy here. Knocked Up stars Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl as a slacker and a media mogul, respectively, and they both must deal with the consequences of a one-night stand that has more lasting implications than they might have wanted.
3. The Watch (dir. Akiva Schaffer, 2012)
Let’s get one thing out of the way first: The Watch isn’t going to win any awards for being the best comedy around. However, if you want something comforting and predictable to, uh, “watch”, then this movie will fit the bill. It stars comedy big hitters like Ben Stiller and Jonah Hill, as well as Brit legend Richard Ayoade, so the cast list alone almost makes this one worth a watch despite its problems.
4. There’s Something About Mary (dir. Farrelly Brothers, 1998)
Another Farrelly Brothers comedy makes the list. There’s Something About Mary is another classic from what was a creatively rewarding period for the Brothers; it stars a very game Cameron Diaz as the titular Mary, who must choose between four potential romantic interests. In classic Farrelly style, the comedy derives from a mixture of painful slapstick and outrageous jokes, so fans of Hall Pass will be right at home.
5. Dinner for Schmucks (dir. Jay Roach, 2010)
This 2010 comedy is based on the 1998 French movie Le Dîner de Cons, which literally translates as Dinner of Fools but was called The Dinner Game outside of France. It stars Paul Rudd as Tim Conrad, who gets invited to a dinner ridiculing not-so-intelligent people. Carell is one such person, the rather aptly-named Barry Speck, and hijinks ensue as Rudd attempts to convince Carell to come with him to the dinner.
6. The Internship (dir. Shawn Levy, 2013)
Again, The Internship isn’t going to win any Oscars for its quality, but then, arguably, neither is Hall Pass. This movie stars Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn as two hapless salesmen who must compete with younger blood in order to land internships at Google. The corporate bootlicking is laid on a little thick, but the movie isn’t without laughs, especially if you’re a fan of Wilson or Vaughn.
7. The Other Woman (dir. Nick Cassavetes, 2014)
If you want to imagine what the wives in Hall Pass might get up to if they found out what their philandering husbands were doing, then The Other Woman is the movie for you. It stars Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, and Kate Upton as three jilted women who have all been cheated on by the same man, here played by Game of Thrones’ Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. Together, they hatch a plan to humiliate him.
8. The 40-Year-Old Virgin (dir. Judd Apatow, 2005)
Apatow is a reliable companion to Farrelly Brothers comedies, so if you liked Knocked Up, then the chances are you’ll enjoy The 40-Year-Old Virgin as well. It’s a surprisingly big-hearted movie, with Steve Carell playing Andy, an electronics store employee who has yet to lose his virginity. Coworkers Seth Rogan, Paul Rudd, and Romany Malco conspire to help Andy lose his virginity to hilarious results.
9. Sex Tape (dir. Jake Kasdan, 2014)
Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel play the central couple in this bawdy 2014 comedy. Their love life has lost its spark, and so they decide to make the titular sex tape of the title. Unfortunately, the tape is accidentally uploaded to the cloud, so plenty of people who were never meant to lay eyes on it get to see the ill-fated tape. It’s a nightmare scenario, and while this is no masterpiece, it does have its moments.
10. Wedding Crashers (dir. David Dobkin, 2005)
Wedding Crashers represents the first time that Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn had shared lead role duties in a movie. The comedy movie also stars Christopher Walken and Rachel McAdams, as well as Bradley Cooper and the legendary Jane Seymour. Vaughn and Wilson are divorce mediators who hatch schemes to crash weddings and seduce potential romantic partners, but they bite off more than they can chew.
11. No Strings Attached (dir. Ivan Reitman, 2011)
In this 2011 romantic comedy, Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher play a pair of friends who decide to sleep together in the titular “no strings attached” manner. The movie fundamentally asks whether it’s possible for two people to enjoy such a relationship together without developing romantic feelings for one another, but it’s a fluffy yarn that isn’t too interested in making deeper philosophical points.
12. Bad Teacher (dir. Jake Kasdan, 2011)
Before Sex Tape, Kasdan made another movie with Cameron Diaz (and, indeed, Jason Segel) by the name of Bad Teacher. As the name implies, Diaz plays a teacher who probably doesn’t belong anywhere near a classroom; after quitting teaching, she returns in order to pay for plastic surgery. What are the chances that Diaz will learn her lesson and become a better person by the end? Hmm.
