If you’re a fan of the outrageous buddy cop comedy 21 Jump Street, starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, you’re probably on the lookout for more movies that deliver big laughs with a side of action. The 2012 film, based on the 1980s TV series of the same name, follows two mismatched cops who go undercover as high school students to bust a drug ring. Hilarity ensues as the immature duo navigate the perils of teenage life while trying to crack the case.
The combination of raunchy humor, witty one-liners, and surprisingly heartfelt moments made 21 Jump Street a hit with audiences and critics alike. If you’re craving more comedies in the same vein, here are 15 of the best movies like 21 Jump Street to add to your watchlist:
1. 22 Jump Street (2014)
The most obvious choice for fans of the first film, 22 Jump Street reunites Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum as Schmidt and Jenko, this time going undercover as college students to investigate another drug ring. The sequel leans into the absurdity, poking fun at action movie tropes and its own existence. It’s just as crude and irreverent as the original, with the added bonus of Ice Cube’s angry police captain getting more screen time. If you loved 21 Jump Street, 22 Jump Street is a must-watch.
2. Superbad (2007)
Before Jonah Hill was busting perps on 21 Jump Street, he was playing a high school senior trying to buy booze and get laid in Superbad. This coming-of-age comedy, co-written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, follows inseparable best friends Seth (Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera) on a wild night of misadventures before graduation. With plenty of raunchy jokes, awkward teenage moments, and a scene-stealing turn by Christopher Mintz-Plasse as nerdy sidekick Fogell (AKA McLovin), Superbad is a hilarious and surprisingly sweet look at friendship and growing up. Fans of Jonah Hill’s comedic chops in 21 Jump Street will love his breakout role here.
3. The Other Guys (2010)
Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg star as mismatched NYPD detectives Allen Gamble and Terry Hoitz in this action comedy directed by Adam McKay. Gamble is a mild-mannered forensic accountant, while Hoitz is a hot-tempered cop stuck on desk duty. The two are forced to team up and take on a high-profile case that everyone else thinks is a joke. With a stacked supporting cast including Michael Keaton, Eva Mendes, Steve Coogan, and Samuel L. Jackson, The Other Guys delivers both big laughs and over-the-top action sequences. Like 21 Jump Street, it gleefully subverts buddy cop movie clichés.
4. Let’s Be Cops (2014)
When two struggling 30-something friends dress up as cops for a costume party, they quickly realize that people take them more seriously when they’re in uniform. Ryan (Jake Johnson) and Justin (Damon Wayans Jr.) start pretending to be officers to impress women and gain respect, but soon find themselves in over their heads when they get caught up with real mobsters and dirty detectives. Let’s Be Cops doesn’t quite reach the heights of 21 Jump Street, but it’s still an entertaining romp with plenty of funny moments and decent chemistry between the leads.
5. Hot Fuzz (2007)
Before taking on the apocalypse in films like Shaun of the Dead and The World’s End, director Edgar Wright spoofed buddy cop action movies in Hot Fuzz. Simon Pegg stars as Nicholas Angel, a London cop who is so good at his job that he makes everyone else look bad. As a result, he’s reassigned to a sleepy English village where the most exciting crimes involve escaped swans and underage drinking. But when grisly “accidents” start piling up, Angel teams up with bumbling local officer Danny Butterman (Nick Frost) to uncover a sinister conspiracy. Hot Fuzz lovingly sends up everything from Point Break to Bad Boys II, while still working as a satisfying whodunit. The quick-witted dialogue, sight gags, and explosive action finale are sure to please fans of 21 Jump Street’s self-aware humor.
6. Central Intelligence (2016)
Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart make a surprisingly great comedic duo in this action comedy about a CIA agent who recruits his high school friend to help him save the world. Johnson plays Bob Stone, a formerly overweight geek who shows up to his 20-year reunion looking like, well, The Rock. He enlists Calvin Joyner (Hart), a mild-mannered accountant, to help him track down a dangerous criminal. Cue shootouts, double crosses, and plenty of banter between the hulking Johnson and pint-sized Hart. Like Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum in 21 Jump Street, these two have an easy chemistry that elevates the material.
7. Pineapple Express (2008)
Seth Rogen and James Franco star as a process server and his marijuana dealer, respectively, who go on the run after witnessing a corrupt cop commit murder. Rogen’s Dale Denton and Franco’s Saul Silver make an oddball pairing as they try to evade hitmen and save their own skins. The movie blends stoner comedy with action movie thrills, to often hilarious effect. Danny McBride nearly steals the show as a dumb but vicious drug lord. If you enjoyed the genre-mashing and bromance of 21 Jump Street, Pineapple Express offers a similar vibe.
8. Keanu (2016)
Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key, of Key & Peele fame, star in this action comedy about two mild-mannered cousins who pretend to be ruthless killers to retrieve a stolen kitten. Yes, you read that right. Rell (Peele) is heartbroken after a breakup when an adorable kitten named Keanu shows up on his doorstep. But when Keanu is catnapped, Rell and his straight-laced cousin Clarence (Key) have to pose as deadly assassins to infiltrate a street gang and get him back. Keanu is a funny and surprisingly violent romp, anchored by the easy rapport between Key and Peele. Like 21 Jump Street, it has fun subverting racial stereotypes and action movie tropes.
9. The Heat (2013)
Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy make for a great odd couple in this buddy cop comedy directed by Paul Feig. Bullock plays an uptight FBI agent who teams up with McCarthy’s foul-mouthed, rule-breaking Boston cop to take down a drug lord. The two leads have fantastic comedic chemistry, bouncing one-liners off each other with ease. The Heat doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it’s consistently funny and even offers some genuine character development amidst the laughs. If you liked seeing Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum play against type in 21 Jump Street, Bullock and McCarthy’s role reversals here are similarly amusing.
10. Ride Along (2014)
Kevin Hart stars as a fast-talking security guard who must prove himself to his girlfriend’s intimidating cop brother, played by Ice Cube. To win his approval, Hart’s Ben Barber goes on a ride along with Cube’s James Payton, only to get caught up in the officer’s hunt for a dangerous arms dealer. Ride Along hits a lot of the same beats as other buddy cop comedies, but Hart and Cube’s antagonistic chemistry keeps things entertaining. Hart’s motormouthed energy plays well off Cube’s stern straight man. The action scenes are also pretty solid for a comedy. 21 Jump Street fans will appreciate the film’s mix of humor and gunplay.
11. The Nice Guys (2016)
This 1970s-set noir comedy from director Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Iron Man 3) pairs Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe as an unlikely detective duo investigating a missing persons case that leads them into a conspiracy involving the porn industry and the Detroit auto industry. Gosling plays Holland March, a bumbling private eye, while Crowe is Jackson Healy, a hired enforcer. The two leads are hilarious together, with Gosling showcasing a surprising knack for physical comedy and Crowe delivering droll one-liners. The Nice Guys is twisty, action-packed, and laugh-out-loud funny. It captures a similar blend of buddy comedy and action thrills as 21 Jump Street.
12. 30 Minutes or Less (2011)
Jesse Eisenberg plays a pizza delivery guy who gets kidnapped by two bumbling criminals (Danny McBride and Nick Swardson) and forced to rob a bank while wearing a bomb vest. He enlists his estranged best friend, played by Aziz Ansari, to help him pull off the heist before the timer runs out. 30 Minutes or Less doesn’t quite stick the landing, but the talented cast keeps things amusing throughout. McBride is a standout as a volatile wannabe criminal mastermind. The film’s irreverent, sometimes crude humor will appeal to fans of 21 Jump Street.
13. Stuber (2019)
This action comedy stars Kumail Nanjiani as an unassuming Uber driver named Stu who picks up a belligerent cop (Dave Bautista) on the trail of a brutal killer. Stu gets dragged along for the ride as Bautista’s Vic Manning, who just had laser eye surgery, commandeers his car to hunt down the drug dealer who murdered his partner. Nanjiani and Bautista make a fun team, with Nanjiani’s neurotic energy bouncing off Bautista’s tough guy bluster. Stuber doesn’t break any new ground, but it’s a solid entry in the mismatched buddy comedy genre that 21 Jump Street riffs on.
14. Game Night (2018)
A group of competitive friends have their weekly game night crashed by a murder mystery party that turns out to be all too real in this clever comedy thriller. Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams star as Max and Annie, a couple who love playing games but get more than they bargained for when Max’s suave brother Brooks (Kyle Chandler) stages an elaborate kidnapping mystery that quickly spirals out of control. The stacked ensemble, which also includes Lamorne Morris, Kylie Bunbury, Billy Magnussen, and Sharon Horgan, is clearly having a blast as their characters bumble into increasingly dangerous situations. Game Night keeps the audience guessing while delivering consistent laughs. It’s the kind of smart, self-aware comedy that 21 Jump Street fans will appreciate.
15. Spy (2015)
Melissa McCarthy gets her own James Bond-style adventure in this hilarious action comedy from director Paul Feig. McCarthy plays Susan Cooper, a desk-bound CIA analyst who volunteers to go undercover when the identities of the agency’s top spies are compromised. She has to infiltrate the inner circle of a dangerous arms dealer while bantering with a suave rogue agent played by Jason Statham. Spy gleefully sends up espionage thrillers while giving McCarthy a chance to show off her action chops and comic timing. Like 21 Jump Street, it takes a well-worn genre and injects it with fresh humor and an affection for its inspirations.
21 Jump Street set a high bar for action comedies, but these 15 films all capture elements of what made it so great, from the witty scripts to the winning lead performances to the playful subversion of genre tropes. Whether you’re in the mood for a raunchy high school romp, a twisty noir pastiche, or a spy spoof, these movies will keep you laughing. They prove that sometimes the best way to honor a formula is to poke fun at it.
So the next time you’re craving a comedy with a little kick, give one of these Jump Street-adjacent romps a shot. You might just find a new favorite. And remember, as Schmidt and Jenko would say: “Embrace your stereotypes.” Or at least have a good laugh at them.
