A famous quote says, “Many a true word is spoken in jest,” and sometimes, in the middle of a hilarious comedy, we might notice some nuggets of wisdom peppered amongst the laughs.
Here are 18 comedy movies with profound quotes between the jokes.
“Life is an endless series of train-wrecks with only brief, commercial-like breaks of happiness.” – Deadpool
Although this is a hilarious movie, most of the humor can be pretty deadpan, and this quote from the film feels dead-serious, to be honest.
Unfortunately, Deadpool shares a comedic but somewhat accurate description of life’s journey.
“What’s it like out there? Do people still dance? Are food trucks still a thing?” – Ant-Man and the Wasp
Only the experience we all went through during the pandemic can allow us to fully appreciate both the comedy and the serious sentiment behind this quote. We all had similar thoughts about this for a while, and we now have a different perspective when we hear movie quotes like this.
“I don’t know how to play chess, but to me, life is like a game of chess.” – Exit Through the Gift Shop
This quote humorously rings true as real life can feel like a chess game, and we are all planning our next move.
“A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.” – Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
The last place you might expect to find philosophical musings about life is in the movie Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory; however, here we are. This quote is quite serious. It describes the importance of play in life and reminds us that even the smartest people know that a bit of downtime to rest and recharge is good for us.
“Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” – Alice in Wonderland
Talk about deep and meaningful. In one of the most unbelievable and absurd comedic movies of all time, Alice in Wonderland was not where we expected to find such serious quotes.
This quote reflects on the human mind’s tendency to create false narratives or fears that might never happen, something we can all relate to.
“Here’s the deal: When life gives you lemons, just say f*** the lemons and bail.” – Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Thanks to Paul Rudd for reminding us in Forgetting Sarah Marshall that sometimes in life, shitty things happen, and we don’t always need to feel compelled to make “lemonade” out of them.
“You want to get out of the hole? First you’re going to have to put down the shovel.” – The Incredibles 2
This quote from Rick Dicker, a government agent in Disney’s hilarious animated movie The Incredibles 2, offers some sound advice.
“We think too much and feel too little.” – The Great Dictator
Although he is remembered as one of the greatest comedians ever, Charlie Chaplin was a deep and emotional man.
This is a serious and true quote from a hilarious yet complex person.
“Oh yes, the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either learn from it, or run from it.” – The Lion King
We have Rafiki, the wise old monkey from The Lion King, to thank for this quote, which he says right before trying to hit Simba over the head with his walking stick.
As funny as this scene is, it has a deeper, more serious meaning about learning lessons from our past.
“Ogres are like onions, they have layers” – Shrek
Shrek was a hysterically funny film, but peppered along the way, the giant green ogres Shrek did drop some wisdom.
This quote from the movie became famous. It indicated to audiences that people are complex with many different sides and intimated that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, especially not ogres.
“Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate” – The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Who would’ve thought we would be taking advice from a drunk pirate? But here we are. Thanks to Captain Jack Sparrow’s (Johnny Depp) wisdom and several bottles of rum, this comedic quote from the movie harks at a deeper sentiment.
Captain Jack was trying to say, “All that glitters is not gold,” as in, sometimes, things can look better than they are.
“When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” – When Harry Met Sally
This romantic comedy brought us many laughs, especially that infamous scene in the restaurant. However, this line from Billy Crystal (Harry) holds a serious sentiment about what it feels like to finally find your soul mate in life.
“The only thing predictable about life is its unpredictability.” – Ratatouille
The most unpredictable thing about this quote is that it was said by a rat, in a cartoon.
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
This is a pretty profound quote from Ferris Bueller who was supposed to be a teenager in the film; he was definitely dropping some heavy wisdom a kid still at high school.
“One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it’s worth watching.” – The Bucket List
Starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, this movie could teach us all a thing or two.
Following two best friends who embark on a journey to complete their bucket lists of activities they’ve always wanted to do before they die, this is a funny, heartwarming movie.
“Those who are happy are not without pain, they just know how not to be controlled by it.” – Love and Other Drugs
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal as a pharmaceutical salesman (Jamie) peddling Viagra, we have this quirky, romantic comedy to thank for this rather serious quote about life.
As Jamie experiments with the self-medication of Viagra, he has numerous sexual encounters, and one in particular that stands out is Maggie (Anne Hathaway), a woman with Parkinson’s disease.
“You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” – Pooh’s Most Grand Adventure
Have you ever noticed how Disney movies often contain many serious quotes and life wisdom? Winnie the Pooh certainly has some inspirational quotes that hold a meaningful sentiment.
“The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem.” – Pirates of the Caribbean
Jack Sparrow’s wisdom strikes again, gently telling us that life is indeed a game of perspective.
