Film
Envy
A comedy about the corrosive power of envy when one friend's absurd business success—a spray that makes dog poop disappear—leaves his longtime partner behind. It's a broad, unsubtle film that swings wildly between slapstick and character study, anchored by genuine chemistry between its leads and a willingness to commit fully to its ridiculous premise. For viewers who appreciate comedies that prioritize heart and friendship over polish.
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Trading Places1983
Two con artists orchestrate an elaborate scheme that upends their targets' lives, exploring how quickly fortune and friendship can shift. It's smart, funny, and deeply satisfying in ways that feel earned.
But The 1980s satire is sharper than *Envy*, and if you're expecting gentler comedy, the moral messiness might feel cynical.

I Love You, Man2009
A wedding comedy that actually cares about male friendship as deeply as it cares about romance. It's warm, genuinely funny, and treats its characters with real affection while earning its emotional beats.
But It's more emotionally earnest than wacky, and if you want constant gags, the slower character moments might test your patience.

Old School2003
A comedy built on absurd premises (a 30-something opens a college fraternity) but grounded in character relationships. It's hilarious, irreverent, and finds surprising depth in its friendships.
But It's meaner-spirited than *Envy*, and some jokes haven't aged well. It also trades heart for chaos in ways that might feel hollow.

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The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Swimming with Sharks1994
Both films are built on the corrosive effect of inequality between two men—*Envy* plays it as broad comedy, but both trace how quickly closeness can turn to poison.
Frank Whaley's assistant snaps under the abuse of a Hollywood power player (Kevin Spacey), and their confined power dynamic becomes a tense, blackly comic exploration of resentment and revenge. It transforms the friendship dynamic into something darker and more urgent.
But It's a serious drama disguised as a thriller, not a comedy. The violence is real and uncomfortable, and there's no cathartic happy ending.

More like this (8)
DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story2004
Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller's chemistry is electric in this sports-comedy that knows exactly how silly it is. It's relentlessly funny and committed to its premise in the way *Envy* aspires to be.
But The humor is very much of its mid-2000s moment, and the film's energy can feel exhausting rather than exhilarating if you're not in the right mood.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall2008
A comedy that balances ridiculous situations with genuine emotional vulnerability. Jason Segel's earnestness anchors the chaos, creating something both hilarious and oddly moving.
But If you need your comedies to be consistently laugh-out-loud, the tender scenes might feel like pacing problems rather than character development.

Step Brothers2008
A comedy about two men forced into brotherhood that explores how quickly love and resentment can coexist. It's absurd, frequently hilarious, and surprisingly touching about belonging and family.
But It commits hard to awkwardness and cringe humor; if you find that register painful rather than funny, this won't convert you.

The Other Guys2010
Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg's dynamic is fantastic—Ferrell's hapless determination against Wahlberg's exasperated competence. It's funnier than it has any right to be and genuinely clever beneath the chaos.
But It's a buddy-cop movie first and a comedy second, so if you're expecting consistent laughs over plot, you might find it uneven.

Meet the Parents2000
Ben Stiller's gift for playing well-meaning men in impossible situations is on full display. It's cringe comedy that actually respects its characters, and the humor lands because you care about the outcome.
But The secondhand embarrassment is intense and deliberate; if that register makes you uncomfortable rather than amused, it's a slog.

Zoolander2001
A comedy that commits entirely to its premise—a fashion conspiracy thriller played completely straight. It's quotable, clever, and features some of the most reliable laughs in '00s comedy.
But It's aged into cult status rather than mainstream appreciation, and if you're watching it fresh, the dated references might feel more confused than funny.

The King of Comedy1982
Both films are about men who cannot accept their secondary position, but where *Envy* finds affection in the struggle, *The King of Comedy* finds pathology.
De Niro's obsessed fan pursues a late-night host with delusional intensity, creating a portrait of envy, delusion, and the performance of connection. Scorsese and screenwriter Paul Zimmerman find dark comedy in the character's complete inability to see reality.
But It's deeply uncomfortable rather than funny—a satire so bleak it feels less like entertainment than diagnosis. The humor comes from cringe, not setup.

A Prophet2009
Both trace how ambition and competition reshape a friendship. *Envy* ends in forgiveness; *A Prophet* ends in dominance. Watching them back-to-back shows you how the same engine can run toward different destinations.
A French prison drama about a young man's rise through conviction and manipulation. It's a *Godfather* in miniature—intimate, tense, and structured as pure ambition—with cinematography that makes confinement feel like destiny.
But It's in French, it's a prison film with violence and despair, and it offers no comfort. If you're expecting catharsis or lightness, this is the opposite register.

People
Cast
Ben StillerTim Dingman
Jack BlackNick Vanderpark
Rachel WeiszDebbie Dingman
Christopher WalkenJ-Man
Amy PoehlerNatalie Vanderpark
Ariel GadeLula Dingman
Sam LernerMichael Dingman- Lily JacksonNellie Vanderpark
Connor MatheusNathan Vanderpark
Hector EliasEduardo- Angee HughesWoman at Play
- Manny KleinmuntzDimitriov
Directing
- Barry LevinsonDirector
- Josh McLaglenFirst Assistant Director
Writing
- Steve AdamsScreenplay
Production
- Ellen LewisCasting
- Jennifer EustonCasting Associate
- Josh McLaglenCo-Producer
- Larry DavidExecutive Producer
- Mary McLaglenExecutive Producer
- Eric HedayatLocation Manager
- Stephen PriceLocation Manager
- Barry LevinsonProducer
- Paula WeinsteinProducer
- Brigette LesterProduction Coordinator
- Andrew G. La MarcaUnit Production Manager