What would you say about being stuck in a car for endless hours with an oddball companion? If you like the idea, you’ll love these hilarious road trip comedies. Nothing brings out the laughs quite like cramped quarters, wacky miscommunications, and the unpredictability of the open road.
If you enjoyed the adventures of Peter Highman and Ethan Tremblay in Due Date, buckle up for more over-the-top escapades and odd-couple antics in these 10 gems. From cross-country treks gone awry to bumpy rides down memory lane, this list has you covered for maximum laughs per mile. So grab your snacks, queue up the tunes, and get ready to hit the highway with some of comedy’s quirkiest characters. The adventure starts now!
The Hangover (2009)
The Hangover is the ultimate “dude, where’s my car” comedy classic. Following a wild bachelor party in Las Vegas, three friends wake up with no memory of the previous night and the groom missing. As they retrace their steps to find the missing groom, their escapade descends into chaos.
This raunchy yet hilarious 2009 film starring Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms will have you in stitches. The outrageous situations and over-the-top antics of the lead characters as they struggle to make it to the wedding on time create comedic gold. Every scene leaves you wondering what crazy mischief they’ll get into next.
Dumb and Dumber (1994)
If you loved the hilarious misadventures of Peter and Ethan in Due Date, you’ll get a kick out of Dumb and Dumber. This 1994 comedy classic stars Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels as two dimwitted but well-meaning friends who go on a road trip to Aspen to return a briefcase full of money.
Lloyd and Harry are as dumb as they come, but their silly antics and nonstop slapstick humour will have you in stitches. Like when Lloyd trades their van for a scooter or Harry poisons a cop with laxatives. Their cluelessness leads to one ridiculous situation after another.
Tommy Boy (1995)
Another hilarious road trip comedy in a similar vein is Tommy Boy. This 1995 classic stars Chris Farley and David Spade.
Tommy Callahan III is a sweet but dimwitted college graduate who goes on a road trip to save his father’s auto parts company. When Tommy’s abrasive stepbrother, Richard, joins him, hilarity ensues.
Like Due Date, the comedy comes from the contrast between the upbeat yet bumbling Tommy and the cynical Richard.
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987)
Planes, Trains and Automobiles is a comedy classic starring Steve Martin and John Candy. This 1987 road trip film follows Neal Page, a businessman trying to get home to his family for Thanksgiving, and Del Griffith, the shower curtain ring salesman who is his unfortunate travel companion.
After a business trip, Neal hurries to the airport to catch his flight home for the holidays. Due to a freak snowstorm, his plane is diverted to Wichita, Kansas. With all hotel rooms booked, Neal reluctantly pairs up with the gregarious Del to share a room. The odd couple then embark on a disastrous journey involving missed connections, burned-out cars, and cramped lodgings.
Midnight Run (1988)
One of the original buddy-comedy road trip movies, Midnight Run is a hilarious classic from 1988 starring Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin.
De Niro plays Jack Walsh, a bounty hunter tasked with tracking down and returning an ex-mob accountant, Jonathan “The Duke” Mardukas, played by Grodin, who has embezzled $15 million from a Vegas casino owner. What seems like a routine job turns into a wild goose chase as Duke makes multiple escape attempts across the country.
Road Trip (2000)
The 2000 comedy Road Trip is another hilarious option if you’re looking for movies similar in humour and story to Due Date. In Road Trip, four college friends embark on an epic road trip adventure to retrieve an incriminating tape mistakenly mailed to a girlfriend.
Miscommunications and mishaps abound as they encounter crazy characters along the way. Much like in Due Date, the humour comes from the awkward and uncomfortable situations the characters get themselves into, as well as their amusing back-and-forth banter. Road Trip also has a similar raunchy and over-the-top comedic style.
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)
Another stoner comedy classic, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle follows the adventures of two pot-smoking best friends on a late-night quest for hamburgers.
Harold Lee and Kumar Patel are two twenty-something roommates who decide to go out for burgers at their favourite joint, White Castle, after smoking some weed. This simple plan turns into an epic all-night odyssey filled with crazy detours and hijinks as they make their way to their foodie destination.
Superbad (2007)
Superbad is a hilarious teen comedy classic from 2007, starring Jonah Hill and Michael Cera. This raunchy road trip movie follows two best friends, Seth and Evan, who are on a quest to buy alcohol for a party and lose their virginity before they graduate high school.
Much like Due Date, Superbad showcases an awkward and outrageous cross-country adventure. Seth and Evan encounter one crazy mishap after another in pursuit of their goal. Along the way, their friendship is tested in side-splitting and cringeworthy ways. Ultimately, however, the challenges they face only serve to strengthen their bond.
The Other Guys (2010)
The Other Guys (2010) is another hilarious buddy-cop comedy road trip movie like Due Date. This film stars Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg as two disgraced New York City detectives who get a chance to prove themselves when they stumble upon a massive Ponzi scheme.
Unlike the glory-seeking superstar cops Highsmith and Danson, detectives Allen Gamble (Ferrell) and Terry Hoitz (Wahlberg) are relegated to mundane paperwork. But when Danson and Highsmith die in a bizarre accident, Gamble and Hoitz get a chance to show what they’re made of as they investigate a series of mysterious deaths connected to wealthy businessman Sir David Ershon (Steve Coogan).
The Hangover Part II (2011)
The hilarious original Hangover film followed friends trying to piece together the events of a bachelor party in Las Vegas that went awry. In this sequel, the group travels to Thailand for Stu’s wedding. What could possibly go wrong? Apparently a lot.
After another night of debauchery and mayhem, the guys wake up disoriented in a strange hotel room in Bangkok. They have to retrace their steps to figure out what happened the night before and find Stu’s missing fiancée and brother-in-law. Their adventure takes them through the seedy underbelly of Bangkok as they encounter everything from Russian gangsters to ladyboy strippers.
There we have it, our list of 10 best movies like Due Date. What do you think about our picks? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below: