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If you’re unaware of who Judd Apatow is, then you should probably go back and check the credits of some of your favorite comedy movies. Apatow has been a major figure in the world of comedy since he began organizing on-campus comedy events during his undergraduate education at the University of Southern California. He later dropped out of USC and moved into an apartment with the one and only Adam Sandler. Apatow soon began co-producing comedy specials for Roseanne Arnold, Tom Arnold, and Jim Carrey.
In 1995, Apatow began his foray into major Hollywood productions when he co-wrote the film Heavyweights, which was about a group of kids at a fat camp who get tormented by a crazy counselor played by Ben Stiller. Around the same time, Apatow was hired to do uncredited rewrites of several Jim Carrey films, including The Cable Guy, Liar Liar, and Bruce Almighty. He also worked on several films with his former roommate Adam Sandler, including Happy Gilmore and The Wedding Singer.
Apatow’s major career breakthrough, though, was when he produced the film Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy starring Will Ferrell. From then on, Apatow has written, produced, and directed some of cinematic history’s most iconic comedy films. Let’s take a look back at Judd Apatow’s long career and narrow it down to the 6 best movies of all time.
1. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
The 2006 film Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is probably one of the most beloved sports comedy movies ever made. The film tells the story of Ricky Bobby (played by Will Ferrell), an emotionally stunted yet wildly successful NASCAR driver. Bobby starts the movie at the very top of the sport. However, after a devastating crash, Bobby falls into obscurity and watches his best friend Cal (played by John C. Reilly) steal his limelight as well as his family.
Ricky Bobby must face his fears and also his estranged father (played by Gary Cole) and return to the top of the NASCAR world. Not only that but he’s got to take down French Formula One driver Jean Girard (played by Sacha Baron Cohen, who does the most hilariously bad French accent I’ve ever heard). Talladega Nights is one of the most quotable and outrageous comedies of the 2000s, and it’s definitely one of the best movies of Judd Apatow’s career.
2. Superbad
Before 2007, most coming-of-age movies were intended to be heartwarming, and most of them could be watched with your parents and your younger siblings. But, the 2007 production Superbad changed everything. This movie took the coming-of-age formula and made it a million times more raunchy. This movie highlighted the importance of sex, alcohol, and partying for American youths who are transitioning from high school to college.
The premise of this film was simple and relatable: Seth (played by Jonah Hill) tries to impress a popular girl named Jules (played by Emma Stone) by telling her that he can get alcohol for her party. The rest of the film is just a giant Odyssean journey as Seth and his best friend Evan (played by Michael Cera) try to illegally buy alcohol and bring it to Jules’s party. This film really catapulted both Jonah Hill and Michael Cera into the Hollywood A-list, and Superbad was undoubtedly one of the most memorable films of the 2000s.
3. Pineapple Express
There have been a handful of stoner movies that have earned the status of legendary. These include films like The Big Lebowski, How High, Up in Smoke, and Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. But, in 2008, that list got a little bit longer with the release of Pineapple Express. This is the film that cemented Seth Rogen as a stoner icon (as well as James Franco until his despicable off-screen antics were uncovered). In fact, in the years after this film was released, a real-life weed strain was named Pineapple Express (which is, apparently, a sativa-dominant hybrid made by cross-breeding Trainwreck and Hawaiian).
The film follows Dale Denton (played by Seth Rogen), a process server who gets himself into major trouble when he accidentally witnesses a murder. Then, once the murderers discover his identity, Dale and his pot dealer Saul (played by James Franco) must expose police corruption while avoiding getting murdered themselves. Judd Apatow was credited as a story writer as well as a producer on the film.
4. The 40-Year-Old Virgin
As far as romantic comedies go, few films in the genre are as iconic as The 40-Year-Old Virgin, written, produced, and directed by Judd Apatow. The film stars Steve Carrell as Andy Stitzer, a 40-year-old stock supervisor at an electronics store. When Andy’s coworkers discover that he’s never had sex, they do everything in their power to get him laid. However, none of their plans work, and Andy even gets vomited on by one of his dates.
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But his luck changes when he meets a woman named Trish. To Andy’s relief, Trish proposes that they postpone having sex until their twentieth date. Their relationship becomes rocky, though, when Andy refuses to have sex with Trish, and then she finds a large collection of pornography that she believes to be Andy’s. The 40-Year-Old Virgin is laugh-out-loud hilarious and surprisingly heartwarming (largely thanks to how lovable Steve Carrell is).
5. Step Brothers
The 2008 film Step Brothers is, without a doubt, one of the funniest buddy comedy films ever made. Both Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly are absolutely hilarious individually. So, when you put them together, you’re bound to create a gut-wrenchingly funny movie. This movie was co-produced by Judd Apatow alongside Jimmy Miller, who he’s worked with on several other projects. And while this movie received mixed reviews from critics, this film is beloved by fans and is quoted constantly.
Step Brothers follows the story of 39-year-old Brennan (played by Will Ferrell) and 40-year-old Dale (played by John C. Reilly), two men who still live with their single parents. However, when their parents get married, they’re forced to move in together and live as step brothers. The duo quickly becomes close, and their relationship encourages both of them to act even more strangely. Eventually, their antics cause their parents to divorce, and the two must figure out how to get them back together.
6. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Judd Apatow is responsible for producing another one of the most beloved romantic comedies of all time, the 2008 film Forgetting Sarah Marshall. The movie stars Jason Segel as Peter Bretter, a composer for a true crime TV show who performs a puppet rock opera about vampires on the side. At the start of the film, Peter’s girlfriend and famous actress Sarah Marshall (played by Kristen Bell) breaks up with him, sending him into a spiral of depression.
In an attempt to cheer himself up, Peter books a trip to a Hawaiian resort. But, his plans are ruined when he discovers that Sarah and her new boyfriend and British rock star Aldous Snow are staying at the same resort. However, Peter begins dating a receptionist at the resort named Rachel who helps him to realize that his relationship with Sarah wasn’t as amazing as he once believed. Forgetting Sarah Marshall received high praise from critics and it’s a movie that leaves you feeling warm and happy.
