6 Millennial Comedies That Are Too Offensive For Gen Z
Every generation loves to roll its eyes at the stuff that came before, and Gen Z is no exception. Movies that still exist on Netflix, HBO Max and other streamers, that were basically rites of passage for millennials in the late '90s and early 2000s for teaching awkward teens everywhere that mocking each other through personal insults and bullying was the peak of cool, make Gen Z scratch their heads.
They might still be funny in flashes. But if you watch them today, scenes that once felt harmless (objectifying women, normalizing weirdly aggressive behavior, using stereotypes for a cheap laugh) feel uncomfortable at best and are straight-up offensive at worst. That doesn't mean these movies aren't worth revisiting. They're still wild cultural artifacts, even if you end up saying, "Wait… they did what?!"
American Pie chronicles the antics of high schooler Jim Levenstein (Jason Biggs), who makes a pact with his friends to lose their virginity before graduation, setting off a chain of gross-out pranks, awkward misunderstandings, and teen disaster. The infamous apple pie scene (you know the one) has become emblematic of the film's over-the-top raunch.
American Pie is basically the blueprint for teen comedies of its era, with surprisingly earnest friendship moments. Still, a lot of the plot reads as problematic since it casually turns sexual harassment into a punchline. And a lot of the jokes rely on outdated misogynistic tropes. The only people who won't turn it off halfway through are nostalgic teen comedy lovers who liked National Lampoon's Van Wilder (2002).
Shallow Hal follows the titular Hal Larson (Jack Black), who only dates women who measure up to a very specific beauty standard. After visiting a self-help guru, who hypnotizes him so that he only sees inner beauty, Hal falls for Rosemary (Gwyneth Paltrow), who is considered rather obese. It's ostensibly a story about inner beauty and personal growth.
But the jokes are centered on fat-shaming and body mockery. So watching it today makes you wince at the insensitivity, which reinforces negative body stereotypes. Still, some charm remains in the exaggerated romance and Black's comedic energy. Fans of rom-coms with a moral twist, like 13 Going on 30 (2004), will enjoy the eventual sweet message.
Wedding Crashers follows John Beckwith (Owen Wilson) and Jeremy Grey (Vince Vaughn), who spend their free time crashing weddings using fake identities to meet and seduce women. But their foolproof methods, which hinge on a pre-approved set of rules, fall apart when John falls for an engaged bridesmaid named Claire (Rachel McAdams), at a high-profile wedding.
Wedding Crashers is really funny, especially when Wilson and Vaughn riff off each other. That said, a lot of the comedy comes from lying, manipulating, and preying on women, which makes parts of it feel kind of ick in retrospect. Still, it's a fun watch for anyone nostalgic for mid-2000s rom-com antics. Viewers who liked Hitch (2005) will enjoy it for sure.
Superbad follows best friends and high school seniors Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera), who decide to deal with their social ineptitude by trying to buy alcohol to impress some girls before graduation. Their chaotic misadventures take them from convenience stores to wild house parties. But beneath the raunchy surface, it's a story about friendship, insecurity, and growing pains.
Although parts of the film are heartwarming under all that teenage chaos, the relentless sexual obsession and aggressive pursuit of girls can feel… a little much. The female characters exist mostly as objects of desire rather than fully realized humans. It's still funny in places. But it definitely did not age well. Fans of offbeat comedy like Pineapple Express (2008) will enjoy it.
I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry follows firefighters Chuck Levine (Adam Sandler) and Larry Valentine (Kevin James), who pretend to be gay to qualify for domestic partner benefits. When their marriage is investigated by a bureaucrat who suspects that it's fake, Chuck and Larry have to escalate the careful charade of being the perfect couple.
Chuck & Larry tries to satirize homophobia, but it fails sort of miserably because most of the jokes hinge on stereotypes. Parts of it are funny, but watching it now, it feels dated and a little uncomfortable. The premise was supposed to be absurd at the time, but that doesn't excuse the insensitivity. Still, anyone who enjoyed 2002's The Hot Chick will find it watchable.
Tropic Thunder follows a self-absorbed group of actors, Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller), Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr.), and Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black), who are dropped into the middle of the Southeast Asian jungle by their irritated director. The experience is supposed to teach them "method" acting. But when the trio finds themselves in real danger, they must use their learned skills to survive.
The movie is kind of genius in a "this probably shouldn't have worked" way, with a sharp satire on Hollywood vanity. Yet, revisiting it now, some of the racial humor (originally meant as satire) and over-the-top disability jokes come off as cringe. Still, it's entertaining and clever, if you can tolerate the parts that make your brain twitch a little. It's ideal for fans of 1992's The Player.
