Film

The Ridiculous 6

Name: The Ridiculous 6
Genre: Western, Comedy, Adventure
Released: 2015
Cast: Adam Sandler, Terry Crews, Jorge Garcia, Taylor Lautner, Rob Schneider

Adam Sandler's oddball Western comedy about a foundling who discovers he has five half-brothers and sets out across the Old West with them to find their outlaw father. It's silly, chaotic, and unashamedly committed to its own absurdity—the kind of film that doesn't care if you think it's stupid, because it knows exactly what it is.

TMDb rating

2.6

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The Coen Brothers remake shows how a Western can be genuinely funny, smartly written, and thrilling all at once. Jeff Bridges and Hailee Steinfeld anchor a story about misfits on a dangerous quest across hard country.

But It's considerably more serious and demanding than The Ridiculous 6. There's real violence and moral weight; the humour comes from character, not pranks.

Blazing Saddles1974

Mel Brooks' anarchic Western demolishes the genre itself through sheer comedic fearlessness. It's unhinged, offensive by design, and genuinely inventive in ways that Sandler's film attempts but doesn't quite achieve.

But It's a period piece that swings for the fences on language and race; some of it lands better historically than it would now. Very much a product of 1974.

Once Upon a Time in the West1968

Sergio Leone's masterpiece proves the Western is a canvas for genuine artistry—stunning visuals, a mythic sense of outlaw destiny, and Clint Eastwood as a man of few words but immense presence. Hypnotic.

But It's a three-hour slow-burn with minimal dialogue and long stretches of pure atmosphere. If you want jokes and action every five minutes, you'll find this glacial.

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The wildcard

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The Ballad of Buster Scruggs2018

Both are comedic Westerns that don't take themselves seriously, but where Ridiculous 6 is all chaos and noise, Buster Scruggs proves the genre still has room for craft and silence. They're opposite ends of the same spectrum.

The first episode of this Netflix anthology series is a six-minute Western that's genuinely brilliant—a silent film essentially, told with visual storytelling and performance alone. Tim Blake Nelson is astonishing. It changes how you think about the genre.

But It's experimental and won't feel like a traditional Western. There's almost no dialogue, and if you need plot momentum every few minutes, you'll be frustrated.

Support Your Local Sheriff!1969

James Garner brings charm and physical comedy to a film that gently parodies Western tropes without ever being mean-spirited. It's silly but clever, with genuine affection for the genre it's playing with.

But The humour is gentle and often relies on dialogue rather than spectacle. It's also a product of late-60s comedy sensibilities, which can feel dated.

The Ballad of Little Jo1993

A revisionist Western about a woman who disguises herself as a man to survive the frontier. It's funny, feminist, historically grounded, and features Suzy Amis in a star-making role. Smart and moving.

But It's a serious film that uses its Western setting for genuine commentary on gender and survival. It's not primarily a comedy; the laughs come from character rather than gags.

Rustlers' Rhapsody1985

Tom Berenger plays a clueless singing cowboy hero in this affectionate spoof of B-Western tropes. It's bizarre, deeply weird, and committed to a very specific kind of comedy that somehow works.

But It's genuinely obscure and the humour is very much of its era. You have to be willing to meet it on its own peculiar terms.

Johnny Dangerously1984

Not a Western, but the same comedic DNA: a period setting treated as an excuse for broad, committed physical comedy and absurdist gags. Michael Keaton chewing scenery as a low-level crook is a masterclass in fearlessness.

But The jokes come fast and many will miss. It's a comedy built on quantity over consistency, and that strategy won't work for everyone.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid1969

Newman and Redford as charismatic outlaws on the run. It's genuinely funny, genuinely thrilling, and demonstrates that a Western can balance comedy and adventure without sacrificing either. Iconic and utterly entertaining.

But It's fundamentally a tragic film dressed up as a buddy comedy. The ending is dark, and the tone shifts from playful to melancholic as it progresses.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid poster

Lucky Luke2009

A French-Belgian animation of the classic comic strip. It's whimsical, energetic, and commits fully to the idea that a Western can be pure confection. The voice acting is genuinely charming.

But It's a foreign film (dubbed or subtitled depending on your version) and the style is European, which means the humour doesn't always land the same way for American audiences.

Reno 911!: Miami2007

Same energy as Ridiculous 6—a large ensemble cast committed to stupidity, with no apologies. But Reno 911! actually knows how to structure a joke, and the humour lands more consistently because it's built on character we already know.

A spin-off of the sketch comedy series that somehow works as an actual film. Incompetent cops on a ridiculous mission. It's dumb in the most joyful way possible, and the cast commits so hard that you can't help but go along with it.

But It's based on a TV show and the humour is very sketch-comedy, very broad. If you weren't already on board with the series, this won't convert you.