This is the second in a series of articles where we’ll be covering the Top Fish Out of Water Comedies by decade. Fish Out of Water is a term used to describe a situation where a person is put in an unfamiliar or unique situation – often to great comedic or dramatic effect. Fish Out of Water films will also usually highlight the absurdity of societal customs or mannerisms, often with a very satirical tone.
Though most Fish Out of Water films are comedies, there are some films within the subgenre that fall under the drama, sci-fi and fantasy genres. Fish Out of Water Comedy is also closely aligned and most often integrated with other subgenres including Action Adventure Films, Films About Spies & Espionage, Body Swap Films, Parodies, Satires, Films About Cops & the FBI, Films About Families, Contemporary & Urban Fantasy Films, Films About the Multiverse, Films About Time Travel, Sports Comedies and Western Comedies.
Fish Out of Water Comedy has been utilized in film since the early 1900’s but emerged as a growing comedy subgenre in the 1970’s, with an increase in popularity in the 1980’s and has been one of the most popular comedy subgenres since. Popular Fish Out of Water Comedies over the decades include The Jerk (1979), Stripes (1981), Trading Places (1983), Beverly Hills Cop (1984), My Cousin Vinny (1992), Lost in Translation (2003), Idiocracy (2006), Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) and Coming 2 America (2021).
This second article will cover the Top Fish Out of Water Comedies You Haven’t Seen from the 1980’s and you can check out additional articles by decade below. We are also going to include a Best Of subgenre article as a grand finale. There are so many great Fish Out of Water Comedies over the last 60 years that we felt it best to break down some of the subgenre’s forgotten and lesser-known gems by decade before we give you the Best Of list which will likely feature many films you’ve already heard of or have seen.
- Top Fish Out of Water Comedies You Haven’t Seen – 1970’s
- Top Fish Out of Water Comedies You Haven’t Seen – 1980’s
- Top Fish Out of Water Comedies You Haven’t Seen – 1990’s
- Top Fish Out of Water Comedies You Haven’t Seen – 2000’s
- Top Fish Out of Water Comedies You Haven’t Seen – 2010’s
- Best Recent Fish Out of Water Comedies
- Best Fish Out of Water Comedies
The 1980’s was the decade when Fish Out of Water Comedy truly came into its own as one of the most popular comedy subgenres. Many of the classic films from this subgenre emerged during this decade while satirizing everything from the military to domestic life. However, the dominant theme of the subgenre continued to focus on satirizing racial prejudices in society through various comedic themes from Satire to Slapstick Comedy. Other Fish Out of Water themes in the 1980’s included politics in business and government, the use of sci-fi to explore societal commentary through time travel or visiting aliens and the rise of fantasy-based comedies with very unique Fish Out of Water situations.
Like the 1970’s, the use of Fish Out of Water elements to explore racial and societal issues was a popular subgenre theme and continued to grow in the 1980’s. Various forms of comedy provided the basis for these Fish Out of Water tales from the Slapstick Comedy of The Toy (1982) to subtle Satire of The Brother From Another Planet (1983). This racial commentary was also used in subgenre classics of the decade such as Trading Places (1983), Beverly Hills Cop (1984) and Coming to America (1988).
The politics of business and government was a relatively new target and theme of the subgenre focusing on everything from the ethics of corporations to the policies of government. Local Hero (1983), Mr. Mom (1983), The Coca-Cola Kid (1985), Gung Ho (1986) and Big Business (1988) were notable films that all skewered the role of business in society through varying criticisms. And Moscow on the Hudson (1984), Protocol (1984) and Moon Over Parador (1988) all took at aim at governmental policies (with Moon Over Parador going so far as to satirize the U.S. government’s involvement in another country’s affairs).
Two of the most popular sci-fi films of the 1980’s, Back to the Future (1985) and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), utilized time travel to explore comedic Fish Out of Water themes in past eras. While other sci-fi films such as The Brother From Another Planet (1983), Earth Girls Are Easy (1988) and My Stepmother is an Alien (1988) featured aliens visiting Earth with varying comedic views on human society.
And finally, the fantasy genre also began to use Fish Out of Water Comedy during this decade with a mermaid visiting New York City in Splash (1984), a social worker out of his element with a mystical boy in The Golden Child (1986), a nerd transformed into a male model in Hunk (1987), a man returning home after being raised by wolves in Walk Like a Man (1987) and a classic film of the subgenre involving a boy who wishes to be an adult in Big (1988).
Our complete list of Fish Out of Water Comedies features over 188+ films from 1970 – 2024. This collection features almost every film featuring a person placed in an unfamiliar environment. As we’re always updating our collections and will be releasing additional articles of great Fish Out of Water Comedies, subscribe to our newsletter for our latest updates as we post them.
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Classic Fish Out of Water Comedies from the 1980’s: Private Benjamin (1980), Stripes (1981), Trading Places (1983), Local Hero (1983), Mr. Mom (1983), Making the Grade (1984), Splash (1984), Beverly Hills Cop (1984), After Hours (1985), Back to the Future (1985), Back to School (1986), Crocodile Dundee (1986), Three Men and a Baby (1987), Big (1988), Coming to America (1988) and Uncle Buck (1989).
Fish Out of Water Comedies from the 1980’s that didn’t make our list: Local Hero (1983), Moscow on the Hudson (1984), Protocol (1984), Bad Medicine (1985), The Golden Child (1986), Critical Condition (1987), Hunk (1987), Walk Like a Man (1987), Maid to Order (1987), Earth Girls Are Easy (1988), Big Business (1988), Joan of Arc of Mongolia (1989) and Troop Beverly Hills (1989).
Here is our list of the Top Fish Out of Water Comedies You Haven’t Seen – 1980’s:
Plot: An eccentric marketing guru visits a Coca-Cola subsidiary in Australia to try and increase market penetration. He finds zero penetration in a valley owned by an old man who makes his own soft drinks and visits the valley to see why. After the Kid’s persistence is tested, he’s given a tour of the man’s plant, and they begin talking of a joint venture. Things get more complicated when the Coca-Cola man begins falling in love with his temporary secretary, who seems to have connections to the valley.
KBZ’s Take: As usual, we always like to throw one obscure, oddball film on these lists and The Coca-Cola Kid is our pick here. Like Crocodile Dundee (1986), the film explores Fish Out of Water themes with an American immersed in Australian culture. But, while Crocodile Dundee is more straightforward with its humor, The Coca-Cola kid is filled with very Offbeat and Quirky Comedy.
Most of the film’s satire is focused on American capitalism vs. local Australian business with a subplot involving the romance that develops between Becker/The Kid (Eric Roberts) and Terri (Greta Scacchi). This is one of Roberts’ better films while he was still at the top of his game and is also Scacchi’s first major film role before she would go on to star in some very good thrillers of the 1990’s including Presumed Innocent (1990) and Shattered (1991).
This film won’t appeal to everyone, but for fans of very quirky Fish Out of Water Comedy, it’s an odd gem of the 1980’s worth checking out.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#9
The Toy
Plot: Unemployed journalist Jack Brown (Richard Pryor) is attempting to make ends meet as the night janitor in a ritzy department store owned by Louisiana millionaire U.S. Bates (Jackie Gleason). On his annual visit to his father’s store, Bates’ pampered son, Eric (Scott Schwartz), is told he can choose one item in the toy department. To everyone’s horror, he chooses Jack. Paid handsomely to spend one week with the troublesome kid, Jack soon discovers the roots of Eric’s bad behavior.
KBZ’s Take: Some of us at KBZ saw The Toy at the theaters when it was released in 1982. Watching the film again over 40 years later, we can confidently say this is one of those 80’s films that would never be made today.
The film is mostly a Slapstick Comedy with Jack (Richard Pryor) as the Fish Out of Water in the upper social class world of U.S. (Jackie Gleason). However, the film was controversial at the time given its overall racial themes of a white family ‘buying’ the services of a black man to entertain their son.
Despite all this, the film ultimately has a positive message and is elevated by the comedic performances by both Pryor and Gleason.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: An alien slave crash-lands in New York City while being pursued by two Men in Black bounty hunters. His attempt to find a place for himself on Earth parallels that of the immigrant experience.
KBZ’s Take: John Sayles has had a prolific career throughout the years as an independent director and screenwriter. He was both writer and director of the very underrated Eight Men Out (1988) and a forgotten classic film of the 1990’s, Lone Star (1996).
The Brother from Another Planet was one of his earlier directorial efforts that is a bit rough around the edges (mostly due to budgetary constraints). However, the film is a satirical commentary on both racial prejudices and immigration through the eyes of a mute alien (Joe Morton). Morton gives a commanding performance in this film based solely on his expressions and body language which are often, at times, more effective than any spoken dialogue in the film.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: Trying to rescue her home planet from destruction, a gorgeous extraterrestrial named Celeste arrives on Earth and begins her scientific research. She woos quirky scientist Dr. Steve Mills, a widower with a young daughter. Before long, Celeste finds herself in love with Steve and her new life on Earth, where she experiences true intimacy for the first time. But when she loses sight of her mission, she begins to question where she belongs.
KBZ’s Take: One of the films on our list with equal amounts of love and hate. When it was released in the late 1980’s, it had very divided opinions from both critics and moviegoers which continues to this day.
Count us in the love camp for this film as we didn’t take the film seriously at all and enjoyed the lighthearted humor (especially from Jon Lovitz). Though most of the humor throughout the film is hit or miss, we found some of the unique Fish Out of Water Comedy hilarious.
Don’t get us wrong – we’re not advising anyone to rush out to see this film. However, if you’ve seen most of the major films of the subgenre from the 1980’s and just love Fish Out of Water Comedy, you’ll likely find enough to enjoy in this film.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: When the iron-fisted ruler of a small African nation dies, his top aide, Roberto Strausmann (Raul Julia), will do anything to avoid a regime change, so he recruits struggling film actor Jack Noah (Richard Dreyfuss) to pose as the deceased political leader. Jack looks just like the man he’s portraying, and, with Strausmann’s expert instruction, he successfully fools the world. But as Jack falls for ravishing humanitarian Madonna Mendez (Sonia Braga), he decides to use his influence for good.
KBZ’s Take: Richard Dreyfuss starred in over 10 films during the 1980’s including popular films such as Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986), Stakeout (1987) and Always (1989). One of his lesser-known and forgotten comedies during that decade was Moon Over Parador.
The film’s Fish Out of Water themes are multilayered, starting with Jack (Richard Dreyfuss) first out of his element in an unknown country and then having to portray the assassinated leader. While Dreyfuss is his usual comedic self in the film, the film is ultimately powered by Raul Julia (as Roberto Strausmann) and Sonia Braga (Madonna Mendez). Julia brings dark overtones to the story that makes the satirical elements more effective while Braga provides the moral backbone and inspirational love interest in the film.
It’s another film we only recommend if you’re a fan of the subgenre and have seen all the other major Fish Out of Water Comedies from the 1980’s.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#5
Red Heat
Plot: A tough Russian policeman is forced to partner up with a cocky Chicago police detective when he is sent to Chicago to apprehend a Georgian drug lord who killed his partner and fled the country.
KBZ’s Take: One of the lesser-known Arnold Schwarzenegger films, Red Heat takes a typical Action Comedy Film and injects it with the “Russian in Chicago” Fish Out of Water trope.
The film utilizes Cold War themes and antagonism between the U.S. and Soviet Union for most of it’s Fish Out of Water Comedy through the interactions between Ivan (Schwarzenegger) and Art (James Belushi). It’s also one of the more unique and best action-focused Buddy Comedies of the decade. This film is also a curiosity to watch as Belushi was at his career apex while Schwarzenegger’s career was just ascending.
Additional Lists: Top Fish Out of Water Films You Haven’t Seen #4
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#4
Funny Farm
Plot: Sportswriter Andy Farmer moves with his schoolteacher wife Elizabeth to the country in order to write a novel in relative seclusion. Of course, seclusion is the last thing the Farmers find in the small, eccentric town, where disaster awaits them at every turn.
KBZ’s Take: Like Richard Dreyfuss, Chevy Chase was one of the top actors in the 1980’s with many popular comedies including Caddyshack (1980), National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983), Fletch (1985), Spies Like Us (1985) and Three Amigos! (1986). Funny Farm is one of his lesser-known comedies from the decade and one of the better films with Fish Out of Water themes.
In the 1970’s, subgenre films such as The Out-of-Towners (1970) satirized urban life by way of suburban people out of their environment, and Funny Farm flips that script by placing urbanites Andy (Chevy Chase) and Elizabeth (Madolyn Smith Osborne) in a rural environment. This urban to rural theme would become popular within the subgenre and replicated over the years by films such as Doc Hollywood (1991) and My Cousin Vinny (1992).
As for the film, it’s a lighthearted comedy with a dry sense of humor (similar to other Chase films). And if you’re not finding that film all that funny, we would advise sticking around until the third act when Andy and Elizabeth bribe the townspeople to act friendly and nice. This section of the film has some hilarious moments and elevates it to one of the better subgenre comedies of the decade.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#3
Gung Ho
Plot: When a western Pennsylvania auto plant is acquired by a Japanese company, brokering auto worker Hunt Stevenson faces the tricky challenge of mediating the assimilation of two clashing corporate cultures. At one end is the Japanese plant manager and the sycophant who is angling for his position. At the other, a number of disgruntled long-time union members struggle with the new exigencies of Japanese quality control.
KBZ’s Take: Gung Ho is one of the forgotten comedies of the 1980’s despite starring an ascending Michael Keaton and directed by Ron Howard – who was on a parallel ascension of his own with popular hits including Night Shift (1982), Splash (1983) and Cocoon (1985). The film is also a snapshot in time where there was a countrywide fear in the U.S. that Japanese businesses were slowly buying up American industries.
Though the film does lightly satirize both business and economic policies, it’s main Fish Out of Water themes are mostly focused on the culture clash between Japanese management and American workers. It’s a lighthearted comedy, and though dated, is still a film we would recommend to other fans of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: Lazy preppie Palmer Woodrow hires street-smart Eddie Keaton to go to school for him while he lives it up in Europe. Eddie falls in love with preppie gal Tracey, upsetting Biff, the Hoover Academy bully. When his bookie from the old neighborhood, Dice, comes to collect on Eddie’s gambling debts and Palmer returns early from Europe, the scheme slowly starts to unravel. Soon, Eddie can’t even tell whose side he’s really on.
KBZ’s Take: Another lost classic of the early 1980’s, Making the Grade is one of the best Teen & College Comedies and best films of the subgenre. We do have some personal bias with this film as it’s one of our favorites from the decade.
It’s Judd Nelson’s second-best performance (after The Breakfast Club (1985)), stars an extremely funny Dana Olsen as the real Palmer Woodrow, and even has Andrew Dice Clay in one of his earliest roles. It also has a rather unique setting and theme compared to most other Teen & College Comedies of the decade using similar subgenre themes.
As a straight up Fish Out of Water Comedy, it doesn’t create or even reinvent any popular subgenre tropes, but it does use them to great effect repeatedly throughout the film for one of the funniest films of the 80’s.
Additional Lists: Top Fish Out of Water Films You Haven’t Seen #1, Top Teen & College Comedies You Haven’t Seen 1980 – 1984 #2
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#1
After Hours
Plot: An ordinary word processor has the worst night of his life after he agrees to visit a girl in Soho whom he met that evening at a coffee shop.
KBZ’s Take: Like Being There (1979) on our previous decade’s list, After Hours is another film that is likely well known by older viewers. But for younger viewers, we wanted to highlight the film as it doesn’t typically get the accolades or exposure of other subgenre films despite being one of the top underrated comedies of the 1980’s.
This film is a bit like a dream – but a dream that slowly turns into a nightmare as things get increasingly crazy. Amplifying Fish Out of Water tropes to the absurd, Martin Scorsese pits the mundane in Griffin Dunne vs. the utterly bizarre with every other character in this film.
Only Scorsese could create one of the most unique and best Fish Out of Water Comedies. Though it’s one of Scorsese’s lesser-known films, it’s one you don’t want to miss, especially if you’re a fan of the subgenre.
Additional Lists: Top Fish Out of Water Films You Haven’t Seen #2
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
