If you’re a fan of the classic stoner comedy Friday, you know there’s nothing quite like spending a lazy weekend watching Ice Cube and Chris Tucker get into all sorts of hilarious hijinks in their South Central L.A. neighborhood. The 1995 film directed by F. Gary Gray has become a cult classic thanks to its infinitely quotable dialogue, memorable characters, and depiction of a day in the life of two unemployed friends just trying to enjoy their Friday.
But if you’ve watched Friday more times than you can count and are looking for some fresh laughs in the same vein, we’ve got you covered. Here are 18 of the best movies like Friday that capture a similar vibe and humor. From fellow stoner comedies to films that chronicle a crazy day or two in the ‘hood, these Friday-esque flicks are perfect for your next movie marathon. Time to grab some snacks, call up your best bud, and prepare to laugh your ass off.
Next Friday (2000)
The most obvious choice for a movie like Friday is its direct sequel, Next Friday. Ice Cube returns as Craig Jones, who flees to the suburbs to hide out at the home of his lottery-winner uncle Elroy (Don “D.C.” Curry) and cousin Day-Day (Mike Epps). But Craig’s troubles follow him in the form of Debo (Tiny Lister), the neighborhood bully who’s fresh out of prison and looking for revenge.
While it doesn’t quite capture the magic of the original, Next Friday still delivers plenty of laughs thanks to the hilarious dynamic between Craig and Day-Day. Memorable scenes include the two working as security guards at a strip mall and their ongoing feud with the loco Joker brothers who live next door. If you want more time with the characters from Friday, this is the next best thing.
Friday After Next (2002)
Craig and Day-Day return for more misadventures in the third installment of the Friday series. This time, it’s Christmas Eve and the cousins are working as security guards (again) to try to earn rent money after a “Santa Claus” burglar robs their apartment. But in true Friday fashion, everything that can go wrong does go wrong.
Friday After Next admittedly feels a bit tired compared to the first two films. However, it still serves up some classic Friday moments, like Craig and Day-Day confronting the department store thief who stole the presents they were going to return for cash. Plus, John Witherspoon is back as Craig’s dad Mr. Jones and nearly steals the whole movie.
The Wash (2001)
The same year he made Training Day, director Antoine Fuqua teamed up with Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre for this lighthearted buddy comedy. Snoop and Dre star as roommates and aspiring rappers who start working at a car wash to make ends meet. But the daily grind becomes a lot more interesting when a local drug lord starts using the business to launder money.
With a cast that also includes Eminem, Ludacris, and Xzibit, The Wash sometimes feels more like a rap video than a movie. But Snoop and Dre have an easy, hilarious chemistry that fits right in with the laid-back Friday vibe. Highlights include Snoop’s character Dee Loc constantly roasting the lame raps of Dre’s Sean, and a catchy car wash song courtesy of the D-O-Double-G himself.
How High (2001)
Two of hip-hop’s biggest stoners, Method Man and Redman, join forces for this smoke-filled comedy. They play Silas and Jamal, a pair of underachieving potheads who discover a “magic” strain of weed (grown using their dead friend’s ashes) that turns them into geniuses. Naturally, they use their newfound smarts to get into Harvard, where they proceed to hilariously turn the uptight Ivy League school upside down.
How High fully embraces its ridiculous premise and runs with it, powered by the natural buddy dynamic between Meth and Red. It’s the kind of goofy but good-natured stoner humor that made Friday a classic. Just make sure you have plenty of snacks on hand, because watching these two light up will definitely trigger the munchies.
Half Baked (1998)
Dave Chappelle co-wrote and stars in this beloved stoner comedy about a group of friends who start dealing weed to bail their buddy out of jail. Chappelle plays Thurgood, a janitor at a pharmaceutical lab who starts stealing the company’s super potent medical marijuana. With the help of his friends Brian (Jim Breuer), Scarface (Guillermo Díaz), and Kenny (Harland Williams), Thurgood becomes the “weed man” for all of New York City.
Like Friday, Half Baked mines a lot of its humor from the eccentric characters in Thurgood’s orbit, from the perpetually paranoid Scarface to rapper Sir Smoke-a-Lot. It’s also endlessly quotable, with lines like “Abba-Zaba, you my only friend” and “I wanna talk to Samson!” making it a staple of stoner cinema. Puff puff pass and enjoy.
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)
The title says it all – this is a movie about two stoned buddies who get the munchies and embark on a wild odyssey across New Jersey to satisfy their craving for White Castle burgers. But the simple premise allows for all sorts of crazy detours and colorful characters, from an escaped cheetah to a very horny Neil Patrick Harris.
Much like Friday put a comedic spin on life in the ‘hood, Harold & Kumar offers a refreshing take on the American immigrant experience through the eyes of its Korean and Indian leads. There’s an underlying sweetness to the film in how it depicts the friendship between Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) as they navigate their place in the world. But mostly, it’s just really freakin’ funny, especially if you watch it with a case of the munchies.
Pineapple Express (2008)
Seth Rogen and James Franco play a process server and his weed dealer who go on the run after witnessing a corrupt cop commit murder. That sounds like a dark premise for a comedy, but in the hands of producer Judd Apatow and director David Gordon Green, Pineapple Express strikes a perfect balance of stoner humor, action movie parody, and bromantic chemistry between its two leads.
Rogen’s Dale and Franco’s Saul are like a modern day Cheech and Chong, getting high on their own supply and delivering an endless array of quotable non sequiturs (“Couscous – the food so nice they named it twice”). But the movie is also a love letter to buddy action flicks, with Saul teaching the straight-laced Dale how to embrace his inner badass. It all builds to a hilariously over-the-top climax that’s like Lethal Weapon by way of Dazed and Confused.
Boyz n the Hood (1991)
Speaking of ’90s hood movies, you can’t talk about the genre without mentioning John Singleton’s groundbreaking debut film. Boyz n the Hood follows three friends – Tre (Cuba Gooding Jr.), Ricky (Morris Chestnut), and Doughboy (Ice Cube) – as they navigate the dangers and temptations of life in South Central L.A.
While it’s a much more serious film than Friday, Boyz n the Hood shares a lot of the same DNA. It’s a coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of a specific time and place, with characters that feel authentic to their environment. And like Friday, it has a great sense of humor to balance out the heavy themes, with Ice Cube’s Doughboy dropping memorable one-liners like “Either they don’t know, don’t show, or don’t care about what’s going on in the hood.” If you want to see the dramatic flip side of Friday, this is essential viewing.
House Party (1990)
Kid (Christopher Reid) and Play (Christopher Martin) want to throw the ultimate high school rager while Play’s parents are out of town. The only problem? Kid is grounded and has to sneak out of the house without his dad (Robin Harris) catching him. But that’s just the beginning of a wild night filled with rival bullies, fine women, and one angry pop who’s determined to track his son down.
House Party launched a franchise that’s still going today, and it’s easy to see why. The movie perfectly captures the joyful, youthful energy of a really great party, with dance battles, rap cyphers, and even a young Martin Lawrence popping up as the DJ. Reid and Martin’s easy chemistry anchors the whole thing, making you want to be part of their crew. It’s like a rap-infused take on the classic teen party comedy, and it still holds up today.
Barbershop (2002)
Ice Cube leads an ensemble cast in this warm-hearted comedy set in a Chicago barbershop. He plays Calvin, a would-be entrepreneur who reluctantly takes over his father’s struggling shop. With the help of his eclectic group of barbers and customers, Calvin works to keep the shop afloat while also dealing with the various dramas and dilemmas that walk through his door.
Like Friday, Barbershop is a hangout movie, where plot often takes a backseat to spending time with its colorful cast of characters. From the old-timer Eddie (Cedric the Entertainer) to the sassy Terri (Eve), every member of the barbershop family gets a chance to shine. The film has a lot of love for the vital role that barbershops play in black communities, and the ways in which they bring people together. It’s a feel-good slice of life that will make you want to pull up a chair and stay awhile.
CB4 (1993)
Chris Rock co-wrote and stars in this hip-hop mockumentary about a fictional gangsta rap group called CB4 (Cell Block 4). Rock plays Albert, an aspiring rapper from the suburbs who takes on the persona of “MC Gusto” to gain street cred. Along with his friends Euripides (Allen Payne) and Otis (Deezer D), Albert becomes a breakout star, but his fabricated gangsta image starts to cause problems with the group.
CB4 satirizes the early ’90s trend of rappers mythologizing their criminal pasts, while also poking fun at the music industry that eagerly profits from it. The jokes are a little hit-or-miss, but Rock’s performance is a comedic tour de force, especially in the scenes where he’s playing multiple characters. And the film’s parody songs, like “Straight Outta LoCash” and “Sweat from My Balls,” are so catchy you’ll find yourself humming them for days.
Dope (2015)
This coming-of-age comedy follows Malcolm (Shameik Moore), a nerdy teenager trying to survive his rough L.A. neighborhood and make it to his dream college, Harvard. But Malcolm’s plans get complicated when a chance invitation to an underground party leads to him and his friends getting mixed up with a local drug dealer.
Writer-director Rick Famuyiwa gives Dope a vibrant, fast-paced style that’s perfectly in tune with Malcolm’s ’90s hip-hop obsessions. The film is also a smart, nuanced look at the challenges of growing up black and geeky in the ‘hood. It captures that specific feeling of being an outsider in your own community, while still having love for the place that made you. And it has a killer soundtrack that features classic tracks alongside new songs by Pharrell Williams.
Menace II Society (1993)
The Hughes Brothers made their directorial debut with this unflinching look at life in the Watts neighborhood of L.A. The film centers on Caine (Tyrin Turner), a young man trying to escape the cycle of violence and poverty that has trapped so many of his friends and family members. But despite his best intentions, Caine finds himself drawn into the same destructive patterns.
Like Boyz n the Hood, Menace II Society is a much darker and more violent film than Friday. But it shares a lot of the same themes about the limited options available to young black men in America’s inner cities. The Hughes Brothers bring a raw, documentary-like realism to the film, which makes its moments of tragedy hit that much harder. It’s a tough watch at times, but it’s also a powerful and necessary one.
The Wood (1999)
This coming-of-age drama follows three friends – Mike (Omar Epps), Roland (Taye Diggs), and Slim (Richard T. Jones) – over the course of several decades in Inglewood, California. We see them as teenagers in the ’80s, navigating first loves and family dramas, and then as adults in the ’90s, reuniting for Roland’s wedding day.
The Wood is a nostalgic and heartfelt look at the bonds of friendship, and how they evolve and endure over time. While it’s not as overtly comedic as Friday, it has a similar warmth and affection for its characters and their community. And like Friday, it features a breakout performance from a young black actor – in this case, Omar Epps, who brings a magnetic charm to the role of Mike. It’s a sweet and soulful film that will make you want to call up your oldest friends and reminisce.
White Men Can’t Jump (1992)
Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes star in this sports comedy about two basketball hustlers who join forces to double their chances of winning money on the courts. Harrelson plays Billy Hoyle, a former college player who uses his goofy white boy appearance to hustle streetballers who assume he can’t play. Snipes is Sidney Deane, a cocky and talented player who becomes Billy’s partner and rival.
White Men Can’t Jump is a classic ’90s buddy comedy, with Harrelson and Snipes playing off each other perfectly. Their trash talk and mind games are as much a part of the fun as the actual basketball scenes. And like Friday, the film has a great ear for the rhythms and slang of street culture, with Rosie Perez’s motormouth girlfriend Gloria stealing every scene she’s in. It’s a movie that’s as much about the art of the hustle as it is about sports, and it’s endlessly rewatchable.
Swingers (1996)
Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn star in this quintessential ’90s comedy about a group of struggling actors navigating the Hollywood dating scene. Favreau plays Mike, a lovesick comedian who’s just been dumped by his longtime girlfriend. Vaughn is Trent, his fast-talking, skirt-chasing best friend who takes Mike out on the town to help him get over his breakup.
Swingers launched the careers of Favreau and Vaughn, and it’s easy to see why. Their rapid-fire banter and easy chemistry make them a classic comedy duo, whether they’re dropping movie references or striking out with women at hip nightclubs. And like Friday, the film has an affection for a specific time and place – in this case, the retro-cool swing revival scene of mid-’90s L.A. It’s a snapshot of a moment in pop culture history, captured with style and wit.
Dazed and Confused (1993)
Richard Linklater’s coming-of-age classic follows a group of Texas high schoolers on the last day of school in 1976. There’s the rising freshman Mitch (Wiley Wiggins), the cocky quarterback Randall “Pink” Floyd (Jason London), the stoner Slater (Rory Cochrane), and the too-cool-for-school Wooderson (Matthew McConaughey), among many others.
Dazed and Confused is the ultimate hangout movie, capturing the aimless, anything-goes vibe of teenage life with uncanny accuracy. Like Friday, it’s less about plot than spending time with its ensemble of memorable characters as they cruise around, get high, and grapple with the uncertainties of growing up. It’s a movie that makes you nostalgic for a time and place you may have never even experienced, with a killer ’70s rock soundtrack to boot.
Superbad (2007)
This raunchy teen comedy follows two co-dependent high school seniors, Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera), on a quest to buy alcohol for a party so they can hook up with their crushes before graduation. Tagging along is their nerdy friend Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), who gets a fake ID with the now-iconic name “McLovin.”
Superbad takes the formula of a wild, one-crazy-night teen movie and amps it up to eleven, powered by the incredible chemistry between Hill and Cera. Like Friday, it’s a movie about friendship above all else, with Seth and Evan’s co-dependent relationship forming the heart of the story. It’s also a laugh-a-minute riot, with endlessly quotable dialogue and some truly insane set pieces. You’ll never look at a bottle of detergent the same way again.
So there you have it – 18 of the best movies to watch if you love the laid-back, hang-out vibe of Friday. Whether you’re looking for more stoner comedies, teen hijinks, or just spending time with unforgettable characters, these films are guaranteed to keep the good times rolling. So call up your best bud, grab some snacks, and let the movie marathon begin. You ain’t got no job, and you ain’t got shit to do!
