This is the fifth 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 or procedural 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 fifth article will cover the Top Fish Out of Water Comedies You Haven’t Seen from the 2010’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 2010’s were a down decade for Fish Out of Water Comedy both in terms of volume and number of films that would be considered classics of the subgenre. However, the latter years of the 2010’s and early 2020’s would see another resurgence of Fish Out of Water themes. As for this decade, many of the subgenre’s most popular themes continued with time travel, culture clashes, satirical parodies of previous television shows and remakes of notable Fish Out of Water Films.
Time Travel Fish Out of Water Comedy can almost be thought of as its own unique film subgenre with the number of films that combine the comedic effects of time travel with the unknown elements of a specific era. A Boy and His Samurai (2010) featured a samurai time traveling from the Edo period of Japan to present day Japan. Four friends travel back in time (via a hot tub) to their teen years in the Raunchy Comedy Hot Tub Time Machine (2010). Iceman (2014) involved Ming Dynasty warriors frozen for centuries that continue their battle in modern-day Hong Kong. And a medieval era Knight is magically transported to the contemporary world in the Romantic Comedy The Knight Before Christmas (2019).
The clash of cultures also continued as a prominent theme of the subgenre primarily through exposure to non-U.S. cultures. From Prada to Nana (2011) featured two spoiled sisters who lose their wealth and have to embrace their Mexican-American heritage while Mariachi Gringo (2012) involved a white young man who attempts to join a Mariachi musical group in Mexico. And an African American father and son living in Germany is the subject of Morris from America (2016) whereas a French doctor of African descent takes a job as the only doctor in an all-white rural French town in the Historical Biopic The African Doctor (2016).
And finally, the subgenre continued with parodies of past televisions shows updated to a contemporary setting and injected with satire in The Three Stooges (2012) and Dark Shadows (2012). Other films would be loose remakes of previous Fish Out of Water Comedy with Finding Normal (2013) following the plot and themes of Doc Hollywood (1991) and Iceman (2014) updating the plot of The Iceman Cometh (1989) with more comedic Fish Out of Water themes set during the present day.
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 2010’s: Hot Tub Time Machine (2010), The Family (2013), Spy (2015), The Intern (2015), Morris from America (2016), The African Doctor (2016), Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) and Christopher Robin (2018).
Fish Out of Water Comedies from the 2010’s that didn’t make our list: Gulliver’s Travels (2010), From Prada to Nana (2011), Three Weeks, Three Kids (2011), The Three Stooges (2012), Dark Shadows (2012), The Dictator (2012), Operation Cupcake (2012), The Sweeter Side of Life (2013), Iceman (2014), Luc Van Tien: Tuyet Dinh Kungfu (2017), Night School (2018) and Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (2019).
Here is our list of the Top Fish Out of Water Comedies You Haven’t Seen – 2010’s:
#10
Finding Normal
Plot: While driving cross-country, a surgeon (Candace Cameron Bure) has an unexpected encounter in North Carolina that derails her plans to join her boyfriend in the Hamptons.
KBZ’s Take: If you’re a fan of Doc Hollywood (1991) then you’ll likely recognize the plot of Finding Normal. Both films feature an urban doctor that gets stranded in a rural town and comes to recognize small town values.
However, there is enough differentiation between the two films that you’ll likely enjoy the film even if you’ve already seen Doc Hollywood.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: A spoiled rich girl is sent to work for her family’s toy business in China after she is cut off by her father for blowing through most of her trust fund.
KBZ’s Take: As we mentioned earlier in this article, this wasn’t a particularly strong decade for Fish Out of Water themed films. While Go Back to China isn’t a bad film, it wouldn’t have made our Top 10 lists for previous decades.
With that said, it is watchable with surprisingly strong performances from Anna Akana (Sasha) and Richard Ng (Teddy) as the estranged daughter and father. However, keep in mind we’re grading on a scale for this decade, so this also isn’t a must-see film of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#8
Cedar Rapids
Plot: A naïve Midwesterner insurance salesman travels to a big-city convention in an effort to save the jobs of his co-workers.
KBZ’s Take: Cedar Rapids is an intriguing film that we suspect some people will love or hate. The film uses its character of Tim Lippe (Ed Helms) in a standard Fish Out of Water situation as a naïve insurance agent at his company’s annual convention. But the film then transitions back and forth between Quirky Comedy and Dark Comedy which might put off some viewers.
As for us, we enjoyed the film and its various comedic tones. Especially notable is John C. Reilly’s performance as Dean who represents the adventurous and obnoxious foil to the good natured, yet clueless, Tim.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: A medieval English knight is magically transported to present day where he ends up falling for a high school science teacher.
KBZ’s Take: The Knight Before Christmas is a very corny film adults might not enjoy. However, as a family film to watch during Christmas with the kids, it’s a film that delivers equal amounts of comedy and romance.
We’ll readily admit the film has numerous plot holes involving the time travelling Sir Cole (Josh Whitehouse) and uses many common Fish Out of Water film tropes you’ve likely already seen a hundred times. However, everything in the film works due to the chemistry between Sir Cole and Brooke (Vanessa Hudgens).
Where to Stream / Buy: Netflix
Plot: Rory, a rugged Scotsman, reluctantly leaves his beloved Hebridean island and travels to San Francisco to seek medical treatment. Moving in with his estranged son, Rory sees his life transformed through a newly found bond with his grandson.
KBZ’s Take: The Etruscan Smile is a subgenre film where the drama is much more prominent than the comedy so don’t go into the film expecting a feel good comedy. This is a film that deals with family and mortality in a very real and effective manner.
Though the film utilizes Fish Out of Water themes with rural Rory’s (Brian Cox) visit to his son Ian’s (JJ Feild) modern San Francisco home, it’s centered around the fractured bond between father and son and the rediscovery of family. Though you’ve seen this type of film numerous times, it’s elevated by the commanding performances of Cox, Field, Thora Birch and Rosanna Arquette.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: A samurai from the Edo Period time travels to present day Japan where he meets a divorcée and her son.
KBZ’s Take: This is one of a few films in the Samurai Films microgenre that’s a Fish Out of Water Romantic Comedy. Though the time travel aspects are never explained, it’s not important as the film is more about the clash of past and present cultures and customs in Japan.
It has some very funny and touching moments (especially between the Samurai and the woman’s son) and is a surprisingly heartfelt film.
Additional Lists: Top Films About Samurai You Haven’t Seen #7
Where to Stream / Buy: N/A
Plot: An aging screen icon gets lured into accepting an award at a rinky-dink film festival in Nashville, Tenn., sending him on a hilarious fish-out-of-water adventure and an unexpectedly poignant journey into his past.
KBZ’s Take: The Last Movie Star is notable as one of the last films starring the great Burt Reynolds. It’s one of the better Fish Out of Water films of the decade and a near must-see for fans of Reynolds.
Though the film does explore Fish Out of Water elements with Vic Edwards (Reynolds) in Tennessee, it delves much more into the notion of celebrity and coming to terms when celebrity fades. This is one of Reynold’s best performances from his storied career and seamlessly blends in footage from some of his classic films including Deliverance (1972) and Smokey and the Bandit (1977).
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: From a small town and stuck in a dead-end life, a man runs away from everything and moves to Mexico to become a mariachi singer.
KBZ’s Take: We’re generally not surprised by films given the number of them we have seen in numerous subgenres. However, Mariachi Gringo was a film we weren’t particularly excited to watch but ended up being a lesser-know gem of the subgenre.
Though the film starts off as a typical Fish Out of Water tale with the American Edward (Shawn Ashmore) trying to find himself in Mexico, meeting Lilia (Martha Higareda) and eventually hooking up with a Mariachi band, it does introduce various subplots and characters that give the film much more depth than is typical within the subgenre.
Though we can recommend the film for fans of the subgenre or Romantic Comedies, be prepared for a very ambiguous ending that might leave you wanting more out of this emotional story.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: Teenage African American tries to adjust to a new life in Heidelberg, Germany.
KBZ’s Take: One of the more unique Fish Out of Water subgenre films of the decade, Morris from America has many layers to enjoy.
First, it follows a typical Fish Out of Water story with an African American teen trying to fit in with German classmates (while not knowing the German language).
Second, it’s also a typical Coming-of-Age story as Morris begins to fall for one of his older classmates (and eventual friends).
And finally, it has a common theme and core of the bond between widowed father and son trying to navigate a new world.
Somehow the film blends all these typical situations and themes into a unique and enjoyable story led by Craig Robinson and Markees Christmas. Highly recommended film of the subgenre.
Additional Lists: Top Fish Out of Water Films You Haven’t Seen #6
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: Seyolo Zantoko, a recent medical graduate of Congolese descent in France, struggles to integrate in a rural village, but winds up one of the most respected doctors in the region.
KBZ’s Take: The African Doctor is another film we didn’t expect much going into as it looked like it was going to be a typical subgenre film that explored common themes of race and culture. However, we were pleasantly surprised that the film often expanded on these themes in unconventional and surprising ways. Most surprising was taking the history of Seyolo Zantoko and presenting it as a light-hearted comedy.
Other films in the subgenre have explored racism in various comedic ways from the satirical The Brother from Another Planet (1984) to the comedy action of Beverly Hills Cops (1984). But, The African Doctor uses it’s strands of comedy as the driver for Zantoko’s determination to be acknowledged as a real doctor. It’s that dogged drive and determination that runs throughout the film for one of the most uplifting and inspirational subgenre films of the decade.
Where to Stream / Buy: N/A
