Silly Comedies That End With An Emotional Gut Punch

The ending to Planes, Trains and AutomobilesPlanes, Trains and AutomobilesThe film plays on "nobody should be alone for the holidays." Neal (Steve Martin) returns home for Thanksgiving with Del, an unwanted travel companion played by the late John Candy. This is not the first time this happens.Planes, Trains and AutomobilesThese films set the stage for many unlikely buddy road-trip movies.

Neal and Del say goodbye at the train station after their long, tiring trip. Neal feels relief and sits alone on the train, thinking about his time with Del. Flashbacks reveal a secret clue: Del is alone. Neal rushes back, filled with feeling, to find Del. Del joins Neal and his family for Thanksgiving at the film's end. The ending becomes a tear-jerker despite the silly antics.

Mrs. DoubtfireDaniel Hillard (Robin Williams) plans to disguise himself as a housekeeper named Mrs. Doubtfire. He does this to spend time with his kids after a bad divorce left him without custody. Mrs. Doubtfire stays full-time, improving the lives of Miranda (Sally Field) and their three children before Daniel is exposed at the film's end.

Most family-comedy films would have Miranda see Daniel's Mrs. Doubtfire act as charming and welcome him back. ButMrs. DoubtfireMiranda does not take the easy path. She lets Daniel back into their lives, but only for the kids to see him semi-regularly, without supervised visits. This is not the happy ending. It reflects divorced families. Big gestures do not reunite families in real life. Learning to live together matters, and that is what they do. The film ends with a tear-jerker scene where Daniel accepts Miranda's rules for a happy family. A sentimental monologue about family importance closes the film.

Big DaddyAdam Sandler walked a thin line. The film could have been offensive, but Adam Sandler kept the tone light. Sonny Koufax (Adam Sandler) impersonates his roommate Kevin Gerrity (Jon Stewart) to care for Kevin's son Julian (Dylan and Cole Sprouse). Sonny faces trial for impersonation. However, by this point, the bond between Julian and Sonny is so heartwarming that viewers want them together.

Kevin gets custody of his son at the film's end. A court would not allow Julian to go to a man who committed identity fraud in the first half. Kevin takes Julian back, but Sonny changes his life. The final scene happens a year later at Sonny's party; Julian waits for him excitedly. Sonny misses raising Julian, but being a "wacky uncle" keeps him in Julian's life, which feels good.

Tommy Boy appears in the list 'Silly Comedies That End With An Emotional Gut Punch'.The film starts like another silly road trip movie. Still, it has an emotional theme about fatherhood and expectations that drives the ending. Tommy Callahan (Chris Farley) seeks to sell enough brake pads to save his deceased father's auto business, with the reluctant help of his father's apathetic assistant, Richard Hayden (David Spade). Tommy goes to hell and back, but he saves his father's company.

The ending rewards the story with a touching, simple scene. After succeeding, Tommy reflects alone in a boat to feel closer to his father. He admits he just wants to live up to his father and still loves and misses him.

Farley showed his acting ability in this scene, proving he could do more than physical comedy.

School of Rock is in the list 'Silly Comedies That End With An Emotional Gut Punch'.Dewey Finn (Jack Black), an ex-rocker, takes a job as a substitute teacher, pretending to be his roommate Ned Schneebly (Mike White) to earn money and pay rent. He falls for his class and teaches them rock.

Dewey forms a working rock band from his students, none of whom knew rock music. The music unites the classmates, breaks their barriers, and gives them a goal: win the band competition. The students lose the contest but win over the crowd and their strict parents. Dewey opens his new after-school music program as his full-time job. He lets go of his rock star dreams and learns the value of shaping the next generation.

When Harry Met Sally is in the list 'Silly Comedies That End With An Emotional Gut Punch'.Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) meet and cross paths throughout their lives. They share a connection from the start, but one person is always in a relationship when they meet. Their relationship starts rough, full of constant bickering and disagreement.

Harry and Sally fall in love and live happily ever after. Their way of getting together makes the ending special. After years of tension, Harry drops his act and surprises Sally at a New Year's Eve party. He tells her everything he loves about her in a monologue about starting their lives. Modern cinema re-creates and parodies this monologue, but the original remains the best.

Yes, this movie is about a guy.The dude wears 24/7 pajamas. A scolding Vietnam veteran named Walter (John Goodman) gets an emotional ending.The dude wears 24/7 pajamas. A scolding Vietnam veteran named Walter (John Goodman) gets an emotional ending.The Big LebowskiJeffrey Lebowski, "The Dude" (Jeff Bridges), wants to go bowling with friends and live a simple life. A case of mistaken identity changes his life. The Dude escapes trouble and returns to the bowling alley, facing consequences.

Donny (Steve Buscemi), a friend of the Dude and Walter, hangs out at the bowling alley. Donny makes small comments, but Walter tells him to stop. Donny dies from a heart attack. His two friends barely mourn him. The Dude and Walter later scatter Donny's ashes over an oceanside bluff in a touching scene.

The ending ofSuperbadSuperbad is depressing. If you lost a close high school friend to college or other life events, this movie will hurt. If you look past the vulgarity,SuperbadSuperbad makes important points about friendship. Two best friends seek to lose their virginity before going to different colleges. Viewers know the film's meaning goes past American Pie values.American Pievalues.Superbad takes "bros before hoes" to a subversive place.In the end,

Superbad is not just a gross-out comedy about guys. It shows two best friends facing fears of moving on and being alone. After trying to hook up at the mall, Evan (Michael Cera) and Seth (Jonah Hill) meet the girls they like. A miracle gives them a second chance. Evan and Seth shake hands and leave with their girls, watching each other until they are no longer in sight. The pair wish for more time together.SuperbadSuperbad is not just a gross-out comedy about guys. It shows two best friends facing fears of moving on and being alone. After trying to hook up at the mall, Evan (Michael Cera) and Seth (Jonah Hill) meet the girls they like. A miracle gives them a second chance. Evan and Seth shake hands and leave with their girls, watching each other until they are no longer in sight. The pair wish for more time together.

On paper,Happy GilmoreHappy Gilmore (Sandler) seems like just another film where Adam Sandler yells at things. But the film has real heart. Happy Gilmore, an ex-hockey player kicked out for aggression, takes up professional golf. He needs the money to buy his grandmother's (Frances Bay) house back from the bank.

Happy's love for his grandmother makes his story compelling, even though he seems unlikeable at first. The stakes involve Grandma losing her home; Happy tries to save her from a harmful retirement home. Happy channels his aggression into winning the golf tournament and saving Grandma, while also getting the girl (Julie Bowen) and finding a new life goal. The film ends with a scene set to Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Tuesday's Gone" where Happy arrives home with his new family, finding his old mentor Chubbs (Carl Weathers) watching over him (along with Abraham Lincoln?) in an homage.scenefromReturn of the Jedi.

Napoleon DynamiteThis special film many people miss. People call it "plotless," but it shows how Napoleon Dynamite (Jon Heder) deals with the world. His developmental disorder (likely Asperger's syndrome) makes him socially awkward. The film shows the teen struggling with normal things, like going to prom or performing in a talent show.

The ending hits hard. After trying hard for a normal life—asking the snobby girl, Trisha (Emily Kennard), to the school dance and trying to get his best friend Pedro (Efren Ramirez) elected school president—Napoleon realizes he likes doing what he enjoys. The film ends with Napoleon playing tetherball alone, joined by Deb (Tina Majorino), a girl who could have made him happy if he hadn't tried to leave his comfort zone. That scene is the best ending Napoleon could have hoped for.

KingpinKingpin starts as a depressing story about hotshot bowler Roy Munson (Woody Harrelson). Roy loses a hand after hustling wrong players. He spends seventeen years in the dumps. Roy meets Ishmael (Randy Quaid), a local Amish resident who secretly bowls well. They travel to Nevada for a bowling tournament. Roy teaches the immature, naive Ishmael the bowling rules so he can hustle local bowlers.

Ishmael hurts his hand. Roy must pick up the ball and face his enemy, McCracken (Bill Murray). Roy finds his rhythm, seeming to win. Then, he loses. He does not win the money, but Trojan condoms gives him a big endorsement for his rubber hand. Roy uses that money to invest in Ishmael's Amish community. Roy did not enjoy the bowling comeback, but he gained a simpler, happier life with people who care for him.

Meet the Parent is in the list 'Silly Comedies That End With An Emotional Gut Punch'.This family comedy turns Robert De Niro into an angry grandpa. It spawned sequels and got kids talking about milking cats. Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) meets his girlfriend Pam's (Teri Polo) parents. Greg seeks approval to marry their daughter. The issue? Pam's father is Jack (De Niro), an ex-CIA agent whose goal is to make Greg's life awful.

Greg gives up after the film torments him. He catches the next flight home, realizing he drove away a good man. Jack rushes to fix his mistake and meets Greg at the airport. Jack proposes to Greg, asking him to be his son-in-law. This touching ending changes the film from a nightmare to a warm family moment.

The premise of Hot Rod is in the list 'Silly Comedies That End With An Emotional Gut Punch'.Hot Rod is in the list 'Silly Comedies That End With An Emotional Gut Punch'.is absurd. Rod Kimble (Andy Samberg), a stuntman hopeful, tries charity stunts to fund his stepfather Frank's (Ian McShane) heart surgery. Rod wants to beat Frank up and become a man. The movie seems silly, but it has heart for this low-concept plot. Rod risks his life for Frank's surgery, aiming for a rematch and to take him down.

Beneath the fighting, the story is a boy becoming a man. Frank constantly reminds Rod he has childish dreams and cannot grow a mustache. This affects Rod's desire to be the next Evel Knievel. Rod performs a record motorcycle jump, proving he does not need Frank's approval to be 'man enough.' But Rod kicks Frank hard in the final scene, giving an emotional release. Rod grows a mustache! (Sort of.)