Why Dumb Comedies Like Step Brothers Matter More Than We Admit

Many people expect a movie recommendation to be something classic or acclaimed, but the author of the original piece shares that her go-to pick is Step Brothers, not Breathless or Paths of Glory. She explains that she first discovered Step Brothers during the Covid-19 pandemic while she and her twin were deep into a Will Ferrell phase.

Those Thursday nights became their dedicated comedy time, separate from the more serious films she watched with her dad on Fridays. She and her sister would make grilled cheese, grab snacks from Trader Joe’s, and settle in for what they jokingly called “peak cinema,” meaning ridiculous comedies from the past couple of decades.

They ran through popular titles like Anchorman and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, along with more chaotic films such as Blades of Glory and Holmes and Watson. She admits that many of these movies are undeniably dumb, though some stand out as genuinely hilarious.

At first, she felt embarrassed about liking these movies because her dad is a devoted cinephile. She often tried to defend her choices by blaming her sister for putting on movies like Ted or by pretending she didn’t enjoy The Other Guys, even though she found it only mildly funny.

Over time, she realized that her appreciation for silly comedies doesn’t undermine her love for more traditional classics like On the Waterfront or The Long Goodbye. These films don’t compete with serious cinema because they serve completely different functions.

There’s a common belief that art must convey a deep message or reveal something profound about the world, but she argues that this viewpoint is overly restrictive. Sometimes art simply exists to bring joy and amusement, even if she hesitates to call a movie like Step Brothers true “art.”

Both serious films and intentionally silly ones can coexist, and both have genuine value. She emphasizes that during difficult periods, one type can feel more necessary than the other. The pandemic was a perfect example: while dealing with online school, uncertainty, and the stress of isolation, light-hearted comedies offered her and her twin an escape.

Movies like Step Brothers provided comfort by letting them forget real-world anxieties for a couple of hours and laugh at something unapologetically ridiculous. This escape became essential rather than trivial.

She thinks that’s why Step Brothers is always the first recommendation she gives when friends ask what to watch on a plane or during a low-energy evening. It’s not meant to challenge anyone’s worldview, and that’s exactly the point.

Sometimes we don’t need to dive deeper into harsh realities or immerse ourselves in heavy themes. Instead, we might just need a movie where Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly behave like overgrown children and even attempt to bury each other alive.

For additional context on the film and its reception, readers can explore the full background of Step Brothers on Wikipedia.