Movies

13 Comedies on HBO Max You Can Watch with the Kids

We found some oldies but goodies.

By Kristina Johnson July 18, 2022

Pressing play on a movie that’ll have the whole family rolling with laughter is one of the best ways to spend an evening at home. But sifting through the thousands of options readily available on streaming services to find one everyone can agree on isn’t always the easiest. To cut down on that endless scrolling through choices, we’ve compiled some of the most family friendly comedies on HBO Max you can watch with the kids.

These 13 flicks are total crowd pleasers, meaning mom and dad will have just as much fun as the little ones.

The Lego Batman Movie

Comedies on HBO Max include LEGO Batman — © Warner Bros.

Batman has never been funnier than in this animated hit. The Caped Crusader sets out to save Gotham City from the Joker’s villainous plans, and this time trusty sidekick Robin is along for the ride. With comedians Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Cera, and Jenny Slate rounding out the voice cast, you know you’re in for lots of laughs.

Rated PG.

Daddy Day Care

Eddie Murphy made his name as a raunchy stand-up comic, but this sweet and funny 2003 comedy on HBO Max is totally PG. Murphy and fellow comic Jeff Garlin star as career men who become stay-at-home-dads when they get laid off from their jobs.

Rated PG.

Dennis the Menace

Walter Matthau, a boy and a dog — © Warner Bros.

The beloved comic strip comes to life in this 1993 family comedy. Walther Matthau plays the curmudgeonly neighbor Mr. Wilson, whose peace and quiet keeps getting interrupted by Dennis and his mutt Ruff. Kids will love the hilarious hijinks Dennis constantly gets into, and parents will get more than a few laughs, too.

Rated PG.

Master of Disguise

A couple of Saturday Night Live veterans teamed up to make this over-the-top silly comedy. Adam Sandler produced the film and Dana Carvey stars as the titular Master of Disguise — a secret agent on a mission to rescue his parents from a criminal mastermind.

Rated PG.

Are We There Yet?

Rapper Ice Cube sits with his head in his hands and several kids behind him — © Sony Pictures

Rapper Ice Cube stars in this funny flick. He plays a bachelor who’s totally uninterested in kids, until he meets the woman of his dreams — who just happens to have two of them. When the whole gang ends up on a road trip together, lots of laughs ensue — and so does some family bonding.

Rated PG.

Shazam!

A teenage boy in foster care gets the power to turn into an adult superhero simply by saying Shazam! in this action-comedy on HBO Max. The grown-up version is played by Zachary Levi, who uses his newfound strength to take on bullies and bad guys. If the family falls in love with the movie, there’s a sequel hitting theaters this summer.

Rated PG-13.

Shrek the Third

Comedies on HBO Max include Shrek 3 — © DreamWorks

The beloved ogre returns for a royal romp in Shrek the Third. After inheriting the kingdom of Far Far Away, Shrek starts to think he might not be cut out for the monarchy—so he recruits Princess Fiona’s slacker cousin Artie (voiced by Justin Timberlake) for the job instead.

Rated PG.

Bee Movie

Written and voiced by comedian Jerry Seinfeld, Bee Movie has become something of a cult classic in the past few years. The 2007 animated film centers on a cute little bee named Barry B. Benson, who gets fed up with the human race and decides to do something about it.

Rated PG.

Early Man

The creator of Wallace and Gromit made this animated caveman comedy in 2018. Set in the year 1 Million B.C., the film follows a caveman named Doug who has to fight off more advanced invaders — by playing a game of prehistoric football.

Rated PG.

Zookeeper

Talking animals play matchmaker in this 2011 comedy on HBO Max. Kevin James stars as the unlucky-in-love zookeeper being set up by his zoo charges, voiced by a hilarious cast including Adam Sandler, Maya Rudolph, Judd Apatow, and Nick Nolte.

Rated PG.

Johnson Family Vacation

The Johnsons are heading from Los Angeles to Missouri for a family reunion, but their epic road trip goes awry time and time again. The funny cast includes Cedric the Entertainer and Steve Harvey, as well as rapper Bow Wow, Vanessa Williams, and Solange.

Rated PG-13.

The Bob’s Burgers Movie

Comedies on HBO Max include Bob's Burgers Movie — © 20th Century Studios

This movie based on the hit TV show serves up lots of laughs. Gearing up for summer fun, the Belcher family gets distracted by financial troubles—and the giant sinkhole that opens up under their restaurant, leading to a mystery that only this burger-flipping family can solve.

Rated PG-13.

Elf

Christmas movies aren’t just for December, especially when they’re this funny. Will Ferrell stars as a human raised as an elf at the North Pole trying to connect with his birth father—and bring the world enough Christmas cheer to power Santa’s sleigh.

Rated PG.