I love a complicated Movie plot, but sometimes I just don't want to use that much brainpower. “Brain-off” movies can be the perfect way to unwind and escape into another world without all the thinking. Here are 17 of the best “brain-off” films that are super entertaining but not intellectually demanding.
1. Office Space (1999)
Hilarious and relatable for anyone who has worked the office grind, Office Space never takes itself too seriously. It’s the perfect movie to throw on and zone out, kind of like Peter Gibbons after he is hypnotized to relax and stop caring about his job.
2. School of Rock (2003)
A slacker musician poses as a substitute teacher and discovers he’s got a classroom full of talented future rock stars. It’s funny, touching, and a great option when you’re looking to kick back and not tax your brain.
3. Happy Death Day (2017)
A college student wakes up on the same day every day, which happens to be her birthday, only to be murdered every time she tries to live through it. She must keep reliving the day until she can figure out who her killer is and stop them. You can think of this movie as a fun slasher/horror take on Groundhog Day. It also combines some elements from the Scream franchise, such as a masked killer and a meta screenplay.
4. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)
A heartbroken musician travels to Hawaii to get over his ex-girlfriend, only to find she's staying at the same resort with her new boyfriend. He tries to move on and find love again, but things don't go as planned. This is my go-to comfort movie. The setting, characters, and hilarious screenplay put me at ease and make me feel like I'm vacationing in Hawaii.
5. The Breakfast Club (1985)
Five high school students from different cliques are forced to spend a Saturday together in detention. As they spend the day together, they understand and appreciate each other's differences. Who doesn't like a good John Hughes movie on a Saturday? They're feel-good 80s movies that are simple but relatable. Some of the outdated tropes in The Breakfast Club are also pretty amusing.
6. Ratatouille (2007)
A rat named Remy dreams of becoming a chef and ends up in a famous Parisian restaurant. He befriends a young cook, and together, they create culinary masterpieces while keeping Remy's identity a secret. Despite being a lighthearted PG-rated animated movie, this film is unironically one of the most brilliant movies ever made. The monologue Anton Ego delivers in the film's final act is poetically astute. It's no wonder this movie won an Oscar for Best Animated Film.
7. Clerks (1994)
Kevin Smith's directorial debut features a day in the life of two store clerks, Dante and Randal, as they deal with unruly customers, their love lives, and other everyday problems in their small town. This film quickly became a cult classic among fans of indie cinema and helped launch Smith's career. Hilarious, relatable, and made with a budget of just $27,000, the film doesn't pull any punches. It's simply about two ordinary men working unrewarding jobs — something not previously done in Hollywood movies.
8. Clueless (1995)
A wealthy high school student, Cher, takes a new student on as a pet project to give her a makeover and make her popular. Along the way, Cher learns important lessons about friendship and love. This film's charm lies in its charismatic characters, 90s vibes, and coming-of-age storyline.
9. Shrek (2001)
A grumpy ogre is forced to rescue a princess and falls in love with her. The movie is a humorous take on classic fairy tales and features lovable characters like Donkey and Puss in Boots. If there's one thing humanity can agree on, Shrek is a modern classic. And it's the perfect animated comedy to perk up your mood if you ever need cheering up.
10. Pineapple Express (2008)
Two stoners, Dale and Saul, get caught up in a series of misadventures when Dale witnesses a murder and they end up on the run from dangerous drug lords. This is your classic fun stoner movie that doesn't require much thought or analysis — just good vibes, humor, and likable characters.
11. Taken (2008)
A retired CIA agent, Bryan Mills, must use his skills to rescue his daughter after she's kidnapped by human traffickers while on a trip to Paris. I don't recommend watching this one before a trip to Paris, but it's a satisfying action thriller with an uncomplicated plot. Liam Neeson's performance is satisfying, and you feel sympathetic to the character's violent retribution.
12. Scary Movie (2000)
Scary Movie is a parody of classic horror movies that features a group of teenagers who are terrorized by a masked killer. The movie is filled with slapstick humor and references to popular horror movies. It single-handedly popularized an entire genre of parody movies and is laugh-out-loud funny.
13. Encino Man (1992)
A caveman (Brendan Fraser) is thawed and adjusts to life in the early 1990s. It doesn't get more “brain off” than that! Fraser co-stars alongside Sean Astin and Pauly Shore.
14. Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves star as the titular characters as they travel through time on their excellent adventure. The clueless teenagers learn something about history along the way, ending with one of the most epic school presentations ever.
15. National Treasure (2004)
Anytime a protagonist declares he will steal the Declaration of Independence, you know you're in for a good time. Just make sure you check any critical thinking at the door.
16. Men In Black (1997)
The classic comedy starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones shows us that aliens exist all around us; we're just blissfully unaware of it. The rap song by Will Smith goes pretty hard, too.
17. It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
The timeless classic features an ensemble cast tasked with racing against each other for $350,000, buried in Santa Rosita State Park. That's $3.5 million in 2023.
Source: Reddit.
