For some, Friday is just another day of the week, but others see it as so much for than that. To many in the Black community, Friday is one of the most nostalgic feel-good films to debut during their younger years, making it one of the ultimate rewatches of all time when you need a laugh. After Ice Cube and Chris Tucker introduced us to Craig Jones and Smokey in 1995, they made a comeback in 2000 and 2002 for Next Friday and Friday After Next respectively. Watching all three movies back to back will likely leave you with tears streaming down your face, but if you’re searching for movies like Friday to check out instead, we’ve got some that will tickle your funny bone.
The “Straight Outta Compton” MC appears in several of our picks, while others encourage you to check out modern reboots and retellings of classics from the 90s and early 2000s. Next time you’re planning a movie night with your crew, drop a link to this article in your group chat and start debating which two would make the perfect double feature.
11. The Wood (1999)
IMDb: 7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
If the first time you watched The Wood was in your younger years, there’s no telling what kind of emotions it might stir up while revisiting as an adult. Omar Epps, Richard T. Jones and Taye Diggs lead the charge in the coming-of-age romantic comedy, which follows three friends preparing for a wedding while looking back on their adolescence in Inglewood, California. Overcome by jitters, the groom mysteriously goes missing before tying the knot to Lisa Raye, leaving his lifelong pals to support him through this major life transition. Fans of the movie were previously pleased to hear about a spinoff series being in the works at Showtime, but last spring we confirmed that it’s no longer moving forward. For now, at least, the 1999 movie is streaming on FuboTV, Paramount+ and other platforms.
10. How High (2001)
IMDb: 6.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 79%
If you’re craving movies like Friday that are full of stoner comedy antics, How High is the perfect pick for you. Redman and Method Man bring best friends Jamal and Silas to life in the Jesse Dylan-directed classic, which has kept us laughing since 2001. After smoking some seriously special kush, both men ace their college entrance exams and find themselves among the bright minds at Harvard. Things go over well for the weed-loving duo – until their kush supply runs out, that is. Then its up to their natural wit and charm to help them stay in their professors’ good graces. More recently, Lil Yachty and DC Young Fly took us on an adventure through Atlanta in the 2019 sequel, How High 2.
9. Ride Along (2014)
IMDb: 6.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 58%
Part of what makes Friday so great is Ice Cube’s performance as Craig Jones, but the 54-year-old has plenty of other comedic roles to add to your watch list too. Among them is 2014’s Ride Along, in which he plays the man standing in the way of Kevin Hart’s happy future. The latter actor plays Ben, a security guard vying for the heart of Angela, James (Cube’s) sister. After finally earning acceptance into the police academy, the veteran officer taps his potential future in-law to join him on a ride-along intended to scare Ben off. Their ventures unexpectedly lead them to Atlanta’s most notorious killer, turning James’ plan on its head. Two years later. Cube and Heart reunited for Ride Along 2, which is also worth watching if you need a laugh.
8. Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)
IMDb: 7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 80%
Stoner movie lovers are sure to appreciate Danny Leiner’s Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, which is set to celebrate its second anniversary this July. John Cho and Kal Penn prove that opposites really can make the most iconic duos after a night of getting stoned at home leads them on a desperate hunt for sliders. While hunting for the famous burger joint after seeing a commercial on TV, they encounter rednecks, cops and Neil Patrick Harris – all standing in the way of what they crave most. Besides their 2004 debut, we’ve also seen Harold & Kumar in Escape from Guantanamo Bay and their 2011 Christmas special.
7. White Men Can’t Jump (2023)
IMDb: 5.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 60%
Hollywood has been churning out reboot after reboot recently, and though there’s an obvious desire for new voices to come to the forefront of storytelling, some film buffs were curious if the new White Men Can’t Jump would live up to its predecessor. Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes famously showed off their basketball skills while forming an unlikely friendship in the original movie, and Jack Harlow’s modern retelling with Sinqua Walls proved to be a strong acting debut for the former. The 2023 reboot of White Men Can’t Jump is available exclusively with a Hulu subscription, while the 1992 original is currently streaming on Max.
6. Half Baked (1998)
IMDb: 6.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 81%
The comedic stylings of Dave Chappelle have come under criticism in recent years, but if you’re looking for movies like Friday, Half Baked undoubtedly belongs on the list. The 50-year-old plays Sir Smoke-a-Lot, or Thurgood Jenkins in the 1998 arrival, which follows three notoriously lazy stoners as they craft a plan to raise bail money for their friend who was arrested for feeding junk food to a police horse. After putting their heads together, the group decides to steal pot from a pharmaceutical lab and sell it. Even with the risks involved, there’s nothing they wouldn’t do to assist a friend behind bars.
5. Role Models (2008)
IMDb: 6.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 74%
The David Wain-directed Role Models hit theaters in 2008 but remains just as funny to this day. Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott are Danny and Wheeler, coworkers who end up in court after trashing a company truck. Their choice for righting their wrongs is to either serve jail time or enter a community service mentoring program. Thinking time spent with the youth might be easier for them, Danny and Wheeler take the second option, but their young matches prove to have some tough problems that have the duo pondering if jail would’ve been less hectic.
4. Barbershop (2002)
IMDb: 6.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 62%
After Friday and before Ride Along, Ice Cube won us over with 2002’s Barbershop, which is arguably one of his most heartfelt roles to date. Playing Chicago native Calvin, the “No Vaseline” hitmaker details the day in the life of a barbershop owner on the city’s south side. After inheriting the business from his late father, Calvin has come to see it as a burden that’s keeping him stuck in life. It’s only when he sells to a loan shark that the barber can see his dad’s vision and legacy as he struggles with feelings of being a sellout. Two years later Cube returned for a sequel, and in 2023 talks of rebooting the beloved movie began circulating.
3. Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019)
IMDb: 5.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
Speaking of reboots, stoner favorites Jay and Silent Bob came through with one in 2019. As spaced out as ever, the two friends take a trek to Hollywood after inadvertently signing their names and rights away to a movie called Bluntman and Chronic. After realizing the severity of their mistake, it becomes Jay and Bob’s mission to stop the film from being made.
2. Superbad (2007)
IMDb: 7.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 87%
At the heart of all the chaos that unfolds in Friday is Craig and Smokey’s friendship. The same can be said of Superbad, starring Jonah Hill and Michael Cera as two inseparable high school seniors about to head off to different colleges. Tensions rise as both men think about what life will be like with their newfound freedom and without each other. As grad nears closer, repressed feelings come out in bizarre ways while they try to enjoy a wild night of partying with their dream girls.
1. 21 Jump Street (2012)
IMDb: 7.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 83%
Our final suggestion of movies like Friday is one of Ice Cube’s most memorable roles from the 2010s – 21 Jump Street. The N.W.A. alum taps Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill to work in a special division of the police force tasked with going undercover in a high school to solve the mysteries behind a dangerous drug ring impacting teens in the community. Not only is their policework difficult, but Schmidt (Hill) and Jenko (Tatum) have their notoriously tough boss (Cube) and resurfacing inferiority complexes to deal with too.
